Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-03-16

but very amiable. Ella Lawton experiepced
some evidence of her goodness almost every |
day. Sometimes she sent her fruit7some-
times she came in to take care of her during {
dreadful spells of headache, to which Ella had
been always subject-sometimes she loaned :
her books-anything and everything she
could do was always cheerfully performed
Again and again Ella had said mentally,
"What a self-sacrifcing creature she is
do love her. but that it was her duty to
render aid in like manner, had never entered
her curly, handsome Uranium.
An only daughter, she was of course in
dulged, waited upon and caressed. It was
hard work for her to give up her OWN en-.
~joyment, at any call Of duty.
After Mary left, she began to overlook her
dresses, in order to decide v Itch one to wear
to the party. The white sa1n was at last
fastened upon. But it needed a stitch in one
of the lace sleeves. She gathered it up, and
went to her mothers work-box in the sitting
room for a needle and thread.
Daughter" said her father, looking up
gravely from his newspaper, that Irishman's
child who lives in the street next to the river
is very sick. | fear she issufering for want
of attention. I want you Is 90 and see her"
But can't go, papa, indeed [ can't; I've
4 AOt Inl 0lCSS W LA, dlIuSUG LelQ ttl6 CO5llJ
fabric up before him AMI showed him the
faulty sleeve.
you really ought to, Ella, fix your dress
some other time"
Il can't. want to wear Il very soon"
Just then a happy thought suggested itself.
II can't leave myself She continued, "but
TIL get Mollie Brighap.to go. She hssn't
hznything to do but to after.sick people
"Well, somebody oukGtto look after them
that's certain continued the old man, ant
again he bent his eyes upon his newspaper
Ella stepped to the door and sent a mes
sage to Mollie. She then went back to he
room, and as she worked, visions Of gayet,
and conquests thronged thickly upon he
brain.
The night of the party came. Mrs. Grey
rooms were brilliantly lighted and thronge
by all the elite of the place. Ella Lawto
was there dressed like a queen and radiar
with loneliness. Mary Brigham's fingers ha
indeed made for her an exquisite toilet. 81
was the centre of attraction, all the youn
men thronged about her but one, and prov
king to relate, that one was DR.. SeagroVe.
For a while the handsome beau kept alo
from all the fair sex, but at length seeing
chair vacant near where plain little Mol
Brigham sat, trying to entertain a girl WI
was slightly deaf, and therefore avoided
) most Of the company, he took it. For q VIII
he was silent-Mollie was so much engro
ed that she failed at first to observe him, a
J, then she blushed and smiled. Ella wond
! ed to see them chatting together very pie
!, antly. She did not know that they had e
been introduced. She listened to catch
theme of their conversation, yet heard
one short sentence, spoken evidently IN
ply to something Mary had asked.
II think she will recover" the young d
4 tor said. 'Tm doing my best for her"
# 81 wonder where she got acquainted "
= him. Ellen unused mentally. "She did
know him the other day when we were t;
ing about him, Fm sure"
II A half hour after she saw the doctor k
! ing Mollie to the supper table-indeed
k spent the livelong evening at her side.
"a The next day he called on her, and he
tinued his attentions, until it was everywl
4 whispered about that plain little Mollie E
n ham had caught a beau. The gossips
wondered, and Mollie wondered most oft
in all.
Il, Things had arrived at this pass when,
W, day Hal. Brooks, DR.. Esagrove's partie
- f"ieSsaa agsff66FFeeb, big gatta t hse = % anfeett5 did you
II get acquainted with Nary Brigham %
YER I'm a very good place to judge of a
d. mans heart and head-in the sick roo
nd one Of my patients-the poor Irishn
zee daughter"
or "And do you fancy her" asked BrooI
mr. "For many reasons. | want a woman
do. can shine at home, Hal, rather than If
he ball room; one whose dress it will not
Ike my last dollar to provide-one who is 70
full of self in her care of the humble and
iS I want one who will sometimes minist
ot- my wants, instead of always expectin
+ II. to attend to hers. In short, | saw WI
to found Mollie at the Irishman's, that she v
make a good wife"
Six weeks afterwards there was a wee
at old Mr.. Brigham's, and Mollie was
bride.
q thought" said Ella Lawton, hal
tishly, coming out of the brides DIRE
room, ''that was to catch the Doctor
declared that you would never marry"
80 I did think, then" said Mollie, /
ing, but when DR.. Seagrove pleads, wi
to become of a little maiden's resolve?"