The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-08-05

truth is brought up to give the final stab-a
method similar to that pursued by the inge-
niously compassionate imported man.ssrvant of
fsllow-citizen of ours, who, when ordered to
cut off the tail of his dog, considerably depriv.
ed him of it only an inch at q time.
"Miss Flint want to home. She was en-.
gagged most particular. She was sick to her
bed, and couldn't see nobody, indade-not if
twas the Prisidint." -
As it was not the President, Clara thought
that admittance might perhaps be obtained.
She was anxious, and grieved besides. 1t was
a proof and reproof at once of her past remiss
ness, that her own fathers daughter should be
lying sick so near her, and she know it only
by chance; and then be forced to stand thus
parleying, stranger with a stranger, at her
door.
wont you say it is Miss Ardent"
"Miss Harding2"
ooh, no Miss Arden. Can't you say it3"
"Yes, sure, Miss"
"Try again, then, and let me hear you"
"Miss Andiron."
"No; say, Mrs. Flint's sister. How unlucky
that did not bring my cards Be so good as
to get me piece of paper and PEN"
"Is it a pin, Miss?"
"What did you say was the matter with Mrs.
Flint ?"
swell, indade, and think they said it was lust
the plague, Miss" returned the Orphic Biddy,
with rich specimen of what pedants and
pedagogues call "the rising infection"
Clara could not help laughing and, partly
to hide her mirth, partly to get out of the cold,
and partly to help herself to writing materials,
swept by her into dismal little parlor-more
dismal than ever now, from its look of deser.
tion-which ordinarily served as compiled.
ton of dining-room, drawing-room, and day
nursery. Biddy stood for an instant spell.
bound, then crowded in with her, and with much
presence of mind locked up the teaspoons !;
after which, with an air of expectation, she
planted herself in "come one, come all /"
attitude, with her back against the door of the
china-closet. Clara in the mean time tore off
a piece of the margin of newspaper, and
wrote upon it as we'll as she could, with tiny
gold PENCIL, which usually enjoyed quite sine.
cure place on her chatelaine:
"MY DEAR CATHERINE: have but lust
heard that you are not well, and am 80 sorry.
hope you will let me come up stairs and see
if there is not anything can do for you and
the children. l am afraid you must have been
very forlorn, shut up in this cold, long storm.
l came out on purpose to see you. can't bear
to 60 home again without knowing exactly how
you are, and doing something to make you
feel better. Your sffectionate sister, O. L. A."
The cordial simple words were balm to poor
GATHERINGS heart; for she had been feeling very
helpless and lonely. Besides, it was always ex
ceedingly difficult for her to say no to anybody
or anything.
"Betty," said she, to q prim, homely, anx.
ious-lookiug child, who was sitting upon the
foot of her bed, "It is your dear Aunty Clary..
Run down, and ask her to please come right.
up stairs"
"Tsn't we tidy you up FIRST map"
"No, little dear. We mustn't keep dear
Aunty waiting. Ask her to please excuse the
looks of things, for poor, dear ma is all in q
muss."
Betty obediently went, but with housewife.
ly look of regret round the dark, disordered
room, and Strengthening pull at the rumpled
Counterpart. 1t was very good of her to ven.
ture for she was shy; and, having very seldom
seen her Aunt Clara, she was much afraid of
facing alone such vision of mysterious splen.
dor.
Clara was standing, rapt in contemplation
of the many little clothes Tapping and freezing
on the lines in the yard, with the elder Flint's
capering among them like dancing. master in
the midst of his pupils, and thinking with com.
passionate wonder of the many stitches which
it must require to make and keep them in or.
der, when she heard mouse.like squeak at
the door. Turning round she saw the tiny,
changeling figure of child of FIVE years old,
upright and stiff, dressed in an ugly, but per
fectly neat, mousseline de laine, of primitive
cut. Her face was sallow, intelligent, and as
mature and joyless as that of a care burdened
woman of thirty her forehead was unbecom.
ingly large and prominent, as we're also her dim,
bluish-gray eyes her mouth, just large enough
to admit cherry without crowding, was rue
like caret, as if to signify that her nose was
an after.thought, and must not be overlook.
ed-a most unnecessary hint; for it was alto
gether too big for her, and looked like grown
up nose snatched in haste, and clspped on her
by mistake, from wardrobe of noses her
cropped black hair was perfectly smooth and
her neck, hands, and arms, clean, but red and
chapped with the cold.
Chow do you do, dear?" said Clara. "Come
and give me kiss. What have you got to say
to Aunt Clara2"
The fairy, coloring with bashful fright, in
voluntarily retreated pace, with a musquito-
like whisk, as if blown away by the advancing
founces, repeated like parrot, "ma tags,
wont you please walk up tairs, and please not
look at her, 'tause she's all in muss ?" and
having discharged its conscience of its burden,
fed before her face.
Clara gided after, and up the uncarpeted stair.
way. The house was large and fine one, which
Mr.. Flint had taken by the foreclosure of mort.
gage from an insolvent premature Spectator.
Intending to sell again as soon as the situation
should have become fashionable enough to en-
able him to do SO to advantage, h. had thought
it worth his while to furnish only an absolutely
necessary number of rooms in it; and it had an
uninhabited, chill, cherries look and feeling.
CHAP. vi TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK
SHELLEY's LIBRARY.-Shelley's library was
very limited one. He used to say that good
library consisted not of many books, but few
chosen ones and, being asked what he con.
sidered such, he said: "Pll give you my list