Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-02-06
D. G., SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 6, 1853.

the admirable woman nature had intended, as
well as the meek and selfenduring christian.
The voice Of Mrs. Stanly, rendered tremulous
from emotion, became inarticulate; but quickly
recovering, she resumed.
OF five children, one only had survived of
| this illstarred marriage; and thirty years from
her first sojourn in England, Ellen was left
pennyless widow. Broken in health and spirit
the wretched wanderer now began to yearn
! for a return to her native land OF all her
wealth, she still retained a few articles jew
elry belonging to her mother, which her ne
cessities, and they had been great had never
induced her parting with. A part of these
were now disposed Of and with her daugh-
ter, then in her seventeenth year, she set sail
upon her voyage home.
On arriving at her native city, the change
in her destiny, seemed to affect her health
more powerfully than before. And instead of
it benefitting her as she had anticipated, she
became so i'll, as to be reduced to a state of
infantle weakness 1t was now that her child
felt keenly the responsibility devolying upon
her. But young and inexperienced, as she
was, she felt nerved for endurance She knew
that on her exertions her mother depended
wholly for support and though the future had
little to cheer her, she was resolved to perse-
we're. The accomplishments she possessed
were such as her beloved mother had taught
her. In one, she was thought to excel, even
rivaling her dear instructress in the art that
Of painting, and by practising this branch, she
thought to keep, and preserve her parent from
want. But what are the sanguine anticipa-
tons Of the young?-bubbles that burst with
the first peril-wind they encounter. Her
dream soon came to be dissolved in airy moth
ing. On presenting her pictures for sale, the
market she was told was overstocked with
such things, and to see her mother starve,
and share her fate, seemed soon the only alter
native remaining.
They were sitting one afternoon absorbed in
the most gloomy reflections, fearing momen-
tarily an ejectment from the roof, which their
landlady had that morning threatened, when
rising f.om her seat beside which her mother
sat covering over a few cmbers, the daughter
threw her arms around her neck, and strain
ing her convulsively to her bosom, murmurcd
where she was going, and left her. A driz-
zling rain which had fallen through the morn
ing, had subsidized into deep mist, and the
fog was SO dense, it was almost impossible for
stranger to define her way, yet the un-
happy girl proceeded. She had left apicture
at a store in Market street TO be examined,
the proprietor of which had held out hopes of
purchasing il, and to ascertain his determina-
ton was now her object in going
With glistcning eyes Ellen had watched
her departure The Tie, binding mother and
child is one Of tho most endurable links in the
chain Of affection. Nothing, not even the icy
hand Of death, which sewers all other unions,
can dissolve it. Between Ellen and her daugh-
ter, this bond had been strengthcd by mis-
fortune. Left to struggle together through
] lifes tempestuous sea, friendless, save in the
0mnipotcnt alone, they were the eworld to each
other. There was no sacrifice, however great,
that either would not have freely accorded, TO
have relieved the other from the narrowing
cares which were cankering every enjoyment,
and rendering even life burden.
Slowly, and with beating heart, had her
approach been made TO the store; fears had
arisen in her mind OF another rejection, and
she was on the point Of turning back, without
submitting herself to the modification, when
she thought OF her mothers pale face, rendered
still paler by the pang Of disappointment de-
tered her, and summoning all the fortitudc
she felt capable Of exerting, she pushed open
.he door and entered.
There was another, beside the man she came
to seek, looking much younger, who stood with
her picture in his hand, in the act Of examining
it. alt is very beautiful, "he said, not observing
her being present. "and discovers genius Of n
high order. This shading is well executed,
but can hardly believe in it's being woman's
production, the style is so much boldcr than
theirs generally. We'll, Mr.. Mordaunt sup.
pose you may as well consider me as the pur-
chaser Of this picture-and il you can procure
me a match for it. by the last Of next week,
will call and take that also" lie was moving
of, with the picture in hand, when his eye
encountered the daughter Of Ellen. She was
standing about half way between the entrance
and the counter at which they had been con-
versing, a breathless listener Of all that had
been uttered. His words fjl upon her cars
like the mamma of the wilderness-and with
difficulty she had refrained from thanking him
for the grateful relief they afforded. This
money would enable her to pay their rent--nor
yet would her suffering mother be deprived of
place to lay her head. There were tears upon
her cheek-tears arising from the over-charged
feeling Of grateful heart, such as she had
never before shed, for never had she seen her
beloved mother in greater extremity than now
From the moment Of the young m1n's first
recognition he had stood with his eyes bent
upon her face as though he were entranccd
without the capability Of moving. There was
in his countenance q blending Of surprise, to-
gether with desire Of solving some puzzling
query, which the more he gazcd grew only the
more perplexing. Apparently not more than
two and twenty, with the garb and manners Of
one accustomed to good society, il was easy
percciving his being a gentleman, in its trucst
sense.