Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1858-11-06

~ the corners nuj she uOn'J hld m tcl
dirt, kuoyy, for III back Jaue against the
whole natiJa for tidluess William say,
that he expects that snet 20 out and show
hun how to harness the horses or wash the
carriage and JOHN, tou says she knows
more abcut forcing the hUt-house vegetables
than be does.l -u1 lHi .
Mrs Howell stopped here for want of
breath, or 1t is NEST probable that Bertha
would have found a separate grievance in
each separate departmental the establish
meut. ...i ..A Hai I
4 think, Mrs. Howel,p said the young
mistress, ''that you have all been so acclls-
toned to having no Que to interfere with
you, that you must have mistaken my
mothers lnaaners She is naturally distant
TO every one, and you have misapprehended
he's. suppose she thought | was young
and inexperienced, aud has kindly intended
TO relieve me as much as possible Take
your keys, however, aud have no fear of
any one usurping your place.
Bertha said this apparently very calmly,
but in reality with her anger rising every
moment She now saw that she held the
position of mistress at Beechwood, aud
she was determined to regain her place =
An appeal to her husband she new was
out of the question, for she loved him too
much to be willing to disgust him with
woman'S quarrelS and it would be either
against his wife or his mother that he must
give Judgment. .. be-.
Poor child Mrs Howell had played
the Eve in the little Paradise inrwhich Ber-
tha had been living, aud made her taste of
the tree of knowledge much against her
wishes. That very day some guests were
to dine at Beechwood, and its young mis-
tress soon decided upon her line of conduct.
AS they entered the dning-room Bertha
quickly stepped up to the head of the table,
laid her hand upon the back of the chair
which Mrs Hamilton was already APP
preaching, and said in a low tone, -'1 am
obliged to you mother, but 1 will take this
for the future" 'u iNaf
Mrs Hamilton made no remohstrance,
but her eyes flashed, and a white eli Gle
spread around her mouth. She withdrew
little to Que side, aud stood with kind
Of conspicuous humanity till all we're seated
Till that moment Cecil had noticed moth
ing Of this quiet warfare A look of an-
noyahce and reproach, which did not es-
cape the anxious eyes of his wife, was cast
upon her as he asked his mother to be seat
ed r'' ".
L really do not know where to sit, as /
had not my accustomed place, was the re-
ply -
A feeling of constraint and uneasineSs
passed over the guests as they all felt as
though they had been the uSurphg party.
Poor Bertha STAGE flushed painful crimson
as she said in ahalf apoegetic, half laugh
ing tone, Ladies aud gciitlemen, you See
me for the first time at the head of my
own table, for mamma has been kiud enough
to relieve me Of this duty heretofore, and
we are not accustomed yet to our change
of places
The tact and pleasant manner Of the
young wife soon made all as comfortable as
they had been before, aud Cecil thought
she had never appeared to so much advan-
tage, .'3'-. u ...
Never once during the rest of the day
| did Mrs Hamilton address her daughter
in-law and only answered in the Shortest
possible manner if Bertha spoke to her,
making the poor thing as uncomfortable as
possible. AS they stood on the piazza to-
gether in the evening, bidding adieu TO the
departing guests, Bertha said in cOncilil-
tory tone, Are yon not afraid of taking
cold without your shawl, mother I'll
get it for YOU
Do not trouble Yourself, Mrs Hamil-
ton, do not take kindness upon sufftrance,
was the icy reply. "'
The daughters eyes filed with tears,
! and her hand trembled as size twitcled oil
Sprig of jessamine to hide her emotion.
Cecil walked up and down the piazza
with his hands ip his pockets, whistlng Il
disconsolate air in false time, pityiug his
wife, whom be dearly loved, yet feeling as
/ if his mother was really in some unaccopnt-
able way the injured party. lu truth, Mrs
Hamilton had a knack Of always making
people feel this, in spite Of their better
ju GIN MT, & Bertha was beginning to thi IL
I sAe only must be in fault, when her
mother approached her and said, / Si.ould
not SO far forget my dignity as to allude to
the insult wlic | recei6ed to-day, were il
not I o request that, hereafter, foryour own
| sake, you will select time when there are
I o guests in the house to make display o
your authority dotH #t .... .s.''..
5 The tears which before were djmming
.Bertba's eyes we're dried up by the fash oI
Indignation which shot from them us she
lrtlhled-,nll If .alifa..y u- 'tal eIi
~ did not mean to insult you, madame
IlhaVe too much respect for myself to for
get what is due to those connected will
me, but as the mistress Of Beeehwo9d, ]
felt il was duty ! owed to my guests al
well as myself, to appear hereafter in tha
character. ] am obliged for the charg
which you have hitherto taken of my affairs
but will relieve you Of it in the future"
The tone this time was anything but con
eiliatory, and with defant air Bertha Ell
tered the house, and retired TO her owl
room She awaited her husbands comiui
with some anxiety, not knowing from hi
MANNER on the piazza, whether to expec
sympathy or reproach His presence di,
not relieve her much. The whistlmg stil
continued, interrupted only by the mono
syIables with which be replied to his wife
remarks The .wife's tears we're agail
quenched by anger, and after tossing rest
1 lpSglV fOr many honfs she nj last cried her