The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-22
WASHINGTON, d. G..
For the National Era.
M Y H { R 0 l N {.
CHAPTER II.
BY EDWARD SPENCER.

CHAPTER H.
Miss Lizzie was vexed at the steadiness with
which, from this time forth, Oscar performed his
daily work. Apparently she had thought him
so unfit for outdoor and manual labor that he
would give out soon, grow sick, or afford her in
some waSban excuse to take it from him, for it
seemed to her as If such employment was the
most inappropriate possible for one of his ap.
pearanee and manner. But, instead of this, he
was up with the sun, and in the garden, not
only among the flowers, but taking charge also of
the vegetables with such success that the old man
was constrained to confess that the "truck-patch"
had never looked so well or yielded SO abund-
antly AS he became more familiar with his
place, aud more accustomed to work, he added
to his offices without waiting TO have it sug-
gested 10 him, seeming determined both to keep
himself constantly employed, and to become in
dispensable to the farm. Thus he relieved
Priscilla of her work in driving up the cows at
night and feeding them, sometimes taking
hand at the milking pail himself. He gathered
the vegetables for the kitchen, went after ber-
ries, &C., and during harvest worked in the
field regularly as "binder and raker." His
uniform cheerfGlness and willingness to work
made him great favorite with every one, while
there was a sort of dignity about him, boy
though he was, that procured him universal re-
spect and civility. None but the people of the
house ever ventured to call him Oscar, all
seeming to recognise his claims to rank above
them. By the end of summer, Oscar was q
frstrate farmland. He was sunburnt, strong,
capable, and could DO as much as any of the
laborers on the place. Lizzie's father told him
as much, and assigned him the wages of an
able-bodied man, 10 which the lad offered no
objection, but, when be was about to be paid
the full amount, he ask, d to have the cost of
his clothes deducted, and he was so firm upon
this point, that even Lizzie did not venture to
object. Evidently he was determined to be
under no more obligations than he could pos
sibly avoid.
Now, this vexed Miss Lizzie exceedingly.
She wanted him to be under obligations to her.
She desired him to occupy the position of her
protege, one bound to her by every tie of re-
spect and gratitude, because, forlorn and help
less vet deserving he owed to her everything
even life itself. This was his situation when
be first attracted her notice, and this was the
light in which she preferred to regard him.
Hence, she was disappointed, displeased, even
alarmed, when she saw him so soon extrlcate
himself from such relation, and become not
only independent OF her sympathy, not only
capable of caring for himself, but even promis-
ing to pay back the debt he owed her, and, by
faithful and intelligent service, reverse the cir
cumstances, and shift the obligation from his
shoulders to theirs. Still more was she vexed
at being forced to recognise him as he soas-
bar fatharfO b.ralipcr apA NOT ac sb.. nod
him TO become, her protege and client, upon
whom she to lavish benefits, the reward of
which was To be the GREAT CAREER which she
dreamed for him. Truly grateful to her his
every action showed him TO be-one who would
make any sacrifice to do her a service-one
who looked up to her with reverence, as a pure
and holy embodiment of the spirit of efficient
charity. But he refused to make himself her
equal-he declined becoming familiar with
her--he kept before her eyes constantly the
fact, that he thought he had no business to pre-
sumo beyond bis place, and would not do it
she was the mistress, he the hired servant, and
this relation was a perpetual one. How to
break down this barrier, Lizzie could not tell
for a long time, but break it down she would.
Oscar was not hireling, and should not pre-
tend to be. Proud how it amused her, as
well gave her pleasure to see how he kept
out of the way when visitors approached lest
be should be called upon to perform the duty
of oStler And once, when there was no one
else by, and he had to take a gentleman's horse,
she watched him from the parlor window as
the visitor was departing. She saw him mount
and slip a coin into the boys hand as he rode
of. She saw how Oscars face crimsoned-
how a: first he seemed as if about to hur it at
the man-then, recolecting himself, made
low bow, while she noticed his lip fairly curl
up with scorn. And that night, he gave the
money TO Priscilla, to buy her baby pair of
socksl" Yet he needed money very much,
Oscar did Was this boy to remain her gar
dener-a mere daylaborer? No-she would
not permit it-her conscience would not suffer
such perversion of Natures plans.
But how she to conquer his pride? 1t
was a most difficult task, and puzzled her
much, but she had resolved to do it, and for
while could wait. On his recovery, Oscar had
mentioned persons who knew his father and
himself, and referred her to them for his char
acter. Feeling that the boy himself would like
it TO be done, she had written to these persons,
and had recited to him their favorable reports,
and the satisfaction it gave her father to hear
them-she herself not needing any such con-
hrmaton of her faith in him. But she did not
tell him how many inquiries she had made, nor
how closely she had sought 5to learn both his
character and his circumstances. The latter
were fully as desperate as he had made them
out. He had no family-nothing to look to
all was chaos behind him-and his steps were
not trammeed. This entire freedom of his
with regard to the past pleased her very much,
for she wished him to date his life from that
day when he had dropped down at her feet, and
become, at least potentially, her brother and
cO-heir of her fortunes. As for his character,
she had read it Alright except IN one regard.
She had underestimate his ambition. The
moment she glanced at the letter sent by the
gentleman who had been Oscars schoolmaster
up to the past year, and was still his correspond
ent, she felt sense of her mistake, and was
filled with wonder that an ambition so wide
grasping could be kept under restraint by a
feeling Of duty, and even concealed from her
shrewd observation. What strength of char
acter he must possess
Oscars highest object" wrote his old pre-
ceptor, has been, ever since knew him, to
win distinction and position. He expects to
achieve this at the bar, by the exercise OF his tai
ents and industry, as he considers the legal
profession the one offering the finest opportuni-
ties to young man in his circumstances. No
thought of his is so passionately INDUCED, no
wish so fervently cherished, as this of getting
himself an education, and becoming lawyer
DE has been an indelatigable student, and never
have seen so young man bend such intelh-
gent and persistent industry to the drudgery of
rudimental requirement. | wished
to keep him with me, but he had not the means
70 support himself, and was too spirited to be q
burden to me. Besides, his father needed car
ing for, being one of those harmless do-nothing
genluses who cause so much wretchedness
among their families. Hard has been Oscars
way through life, and could not condemn