Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-02-06
egarding her, she asked, with placid look, the


solution of the enigma.
With an emotion equalling her own, the ia
ther answered, at is, Ellen, your picture, pur-
CHASED by me at the sale OF your late fathers
effects and though il has never before occu-
pied its present position, to attract the won
dering gaze of the curious, it has, as you win
perceive, been wen cared for, and will, ] trust
long be preserved by Our children, to whose
residence I sbalisee It transferred, after we
have mingled with the dust Then taking her
hand, he said, "Ellen, though viewed BY you
now as a stranger, our acquaintance is OF
years standing AT my request, Reginald has
been known to you only by his middle name;
and as this dear child @lnding to the daugh-
ter) has forgiven the deception, trust you
will in consideration of the motive, prove
equally lenient Being my only child, and
heir TO my large property, my anxiety cannot
De depicted on learning where and on whom
he had bestowed his affection. From bis boy
is I, days he had fallen in love with your pic
ure, and so extravagant had been bis admira-
ZION oft, he would spend hours in gazing upon
its beautiful lineaments. When he returned
from the booksellers with an account ofhav-
ing met q living representative Of his long cher
ished idol, and informed me he had at glance
recognized the young lady he had seen as
your child, | saw how lasting would remain
the impression she had produced-still, l de-
termined to proceed with caution, and not for
amere fancy to allowing feelings to so bias my
Judgment as to endanger my precious child's
happiness. My former knowledge Of your
character, l own, Ellen, rendered me distrust-
full and though did not d0bar Reginald from
forming an acquaintance with you both, it was
under such restrictions as deemed expedent.
You were suffered still to pursue your accus-
toned avocations, though Isuppose it becomes
needless to say, the product fyour labor is
all stored away in Reginald's chamber. BY
this means | wished to give my son an oppor-
tunity of knowing and studying your daugh-
ter's character, while ! made enquiries regard
ing yourself Knowing the large fortune your
father had settled upon you at your marriage,
/ could not conceive why you were placed in
the reduced circumstances Reginald described.
TWAS now that | learned your Affections, and
how nobly you had sustained your sad reverse
of fortune. Still, Ellen, fathers vigilance
was not satisfied, and jealous for my sons hap
piness, devised one scheme more Fearing,
perhaps, that mcrcenary views might have
possessed an influence on your daughters &C
ceptance Of heart, 1 deemed beyond all praise,
Isuggested to Reginald to ask her to become
his wife, and then give her to understand the
fears he entertained Of obtaining his wealthy
fathers consent knowing that if my fears were
just and my son had mistaken your daughters
true character and feelings, marriage would
be urged upon him. Reginald was ayerse to
such trial, and thought was doing injustice
to you both to suspect such base motiyes-but
Twas his father. The happiness of his whole
life / considered at stake, and though saw
was inficting pain upon his generous nature, /
continued stedfast in my purpose. My plan,
however, was frustrated by your obliging his
acknowledgment of q fathers authority, in a
different manner from what proposed; and
when Reginald presented himself before me,
intreating mo to make the explanation / have
now given, 1 hesitated no longer, assured that
IN union with SO deserving daughter, the
interest and happiness Of my son stand upon
basis which no earthly change can effect And
now, Ellen, to speak of myself 1851
Through labor and through toll has my vast
property been accumulated II have been what
the world calls fortunate, and with me all things
have prospered / am considered now one
among the wealthicst Of this opulent city, and
according TO the common acceptaton Of the
phrase, your Ada will make most desirable
match; but, though such is the case, she will
wed, madam, nothing more than mechanic,
who boasts no loftier a title than that of being
an honest MN. Reginald is the nephew of
Oscar, the poor painter, and son of his elder
brother, Justin Stanly." r
Why, mother, {" said Kate, springing from
her chair, that's grandpapa's name, and
grxndmother's was Ellen, and yours, Ada, and
fathers Reginald What have you been tell
ing mei' y TO- 3yei
"A history, Kate, Of the family from whom
you have descended. Ponder well upon its
moral, and Il win teach you how unstable are
riches-and when q poor lad, struggling nobly
with misfortune, asks you to view the product
Of his labor, you will betray less arrogance and
show greater Independence of character, even
supposing few fashionable acquaintances
should chance 10 be present Remember, my
child, goodness Of heart compensates for num-
berless defects--v orth Is confined TO no sta
ton. The hum6lest individual IL endowed
with talent, can, in Republic like ours, rise
70 eminencc, II he will exert them. And, in.
Vulnerable are the instances Of mems filing ex-
alted stations, who have risen from the most
obscure origin. Then never discourage genius
by cold neglect or whitening contempt Let II
be your aim to initiate the blessed Saviour's
example Of mcckness and forbearance, and
though you see the line drawn here, separa-
ting the rich and poor think that death is
leveller Of al such distinctions, and in Heaven
they win be gathered IN % one family. 4
JED .1NH fsa
"a Il i7t4 TRUTH.
The following beautiful illustration Of the
simplicity and the power of truth, is from the
nan NJ q II us~~.c-r1 f>sv~-,o~1xr o1,for ,f tho