Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-01-07
THE INTELLIGENCER.
TIE M1sDnEDs OF AURA PLAIsTow.
[coNrINuED.l

uOHS III luG way OlFenlliuIOn was. the OCCASION
al opening of the kitchen door, and the setting
the hall door ajar until the family breakfast time,
while the young ladies put down their bedroom
windows about couple Of inches from the top
The wide windows and open doors of Merridno
would have seemed improper, if not indelicatc,
to the family at the Holies for fresh air savored
too much of freedom for them, and must be dealt
out sparingly, to suit the dimensions of their
orbits.
Still, Aura was determined to make the best
Of everything; and being healthy, innocent and
unsuSpecting, was not sensitive enough to feel,
or quick enough to see, what lay amiss for her
in the near f8ture. The first evening was q
curious medley. She took them all by storm,
and bewildered them so, that they never attemp-
ted selfdefeuce. It was the most wonderful
EVENING" Mrs Delane stern and frownng; the
girls pale and icy; Tom, embarrassed out of all
likeness to himself, chilled and stitfened under
the old home Influences; and Aura loud good
natnred, unconventional, and unconstrained
smiling with such persistent brightness, even
when the froTns gloomed heaviest around her,
that Tom almost lost his wits for agony at her
ObtuSeness and fear of the explosion she was
sure to bring upon herself sooner or later. She
asked the young ladies to play; and herself un-
invited, opened the piano, and ratified off noisy
quadrillc. very badly done, with false notes
scrambled over anyhow, and no attempt at in
telligibe time Then she burst out into a song,
which might have been pretty had it been ac-
curate, but which was given, though in loud,
clear, fresh voice, with such decided hercsy as
to musical canons, that not many people would
have interpreted it Mt all, according to the writ
ten sense. And after this was done not in the
least needing their blank looks and eloquent ST.
lencc, she took Miss Margaret's hand, and drag
ged her to the piano, sitting by her and saying,
"Oh yes you'll sing, TN sure!" when Margaret
refused, stiifly, and said she would rather not
There was no resisting Aura; SO Margaret sang
4 pseudo hymn all in the minor key, and with
an accompaniment of solemn chords.
~ dare say it's rather pretty, said Aura, when
it was finished, "but isn't it too grave? Isn't
it more fit for church than for room?"
"Wc,do not like frivolous music here" said
Mrs Delane very sharply; then She added, DO
you never wHrk, young lady? never employ
yourself useful z"
NO." laughed Aura, 1--WE never work at
home" --.-.----.
"Indecdl and what, then, do you do in the
evening"" and the lady looked up from the blue
checked shirt she was making for Dorcas bas-
ket, as judge might from his notes, when about
to condemn the prisoner.
81 don't know-what do we, Tom? Sing or
play, sometimes have game at battledore or
les grdces with the children, sometimes play at
blind mans buff, or hide and seek. I'm sure
don't know what because, you know, we have
no evenings like this at Merridno, where we all
sit round table. We are generally out, both
in winter and summer; for there is always some
thing to be done, and we don't care for weather"
"wbat a'Gcarful life" said Mrs. Daane.
"Whyg" asked Aura, in her wide way.
GLOW do you think you will ever be fit for
domestic life, any of you, after such training
us this?" said the lady, severely.
"0h, I'm sure don't know! But look at
mamma, she is just the same as any of US, yet
she manages the house"
81 am sorry, but not surprised, to hear that
Mrs Plaistow encourages you in such highly
"a nj life anSTCprp1 Mrs de-
lane. "If your mother had been a more COM
mon place person, she would have educated you
very differently"
"Oh, mamma is not at all commonplace"
cried Aura, eagerly, for the word was in the
Merridno vocabulary what "discreditable' was
shocked had any one called her or hers this,
than she was at the graver epithet. "She the
best and dearest little mother in the world, isn't
she Tom? Fancy, Tom, the little mother COM
monplacel" and Aura showed all her teeth, and
opened her great eyes wider than ever. "Oh
mol she is not that; she is the best and dearest
little woman that ever lived"
"And she allows you TO speak of her in these
disrepect(ul termSl and Mrs. Delane actuliy laid
down her work in her amazed apprehension.
"What disrespect?" asked Aura; 1--WE are not
disrespectful to her! We all love her and papa
oh, like goG She is one of ourselves; both
she aud papa have always beenlike brother and
sister to us. Dsrespect No, not one Of us
would say or do a wrong thing to mamma for all
the world We love her more than we can tell;
don't we, TON? And Tom loves her tool"
Ideas differ" said Ms. Delane, with sharp
glance at her son. ~ should scarcely think it
respectful if my daughters were to call me by
absurd pet nantes, and think of me MS an elder
sister!" And she gave little short, grim
laugh.
"oh, you are different" said Aura, innocent
Ily "But then, you know, mamma is young and
very pretty, and so good-temperedl She never
cried in her life, l believe; at least have never
seen her cry; aud never heard her say a cross
word to any one. She is so pretty, and so sweet
that no one could be afraid of her; but you are
different, you know she said again.
You are tired, Aura, am sure, said Tom,
nevously, "had you not better so to bedt"
''No, am not tired, Toni replied Aura
'sTired with that little journey9 it is not half
firing as duck shooting. o Tom! don't you re-
member that glorious night with Frankly, duck
shooting on Blea Soughs? How tired we all
were thenl But whata night Almost as good
as"
Margaret, do get Aura's crndlel" said Tom,
in despair laura, pray go to bedl We are
early people here" he added, with siekly
smile. izihs
Margaret, who was at heart a good-natured
girl enough, though drilled and worried into
State of chronic sourness, put lighted candle
into Auras hand, and tried to get her out of the
room. But Aura would not stir until she had
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