The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-04-30
Select 5turp.
From Godey's Ladys Book.
The Broken Vase.
By 7. s. ARTHUR.
: What " i'll father saw q

pleasure, his cheeks glowing W iih excil, ment,
and his whole air that OF conscious enjoyment:
now. lac stood pale. shrinking, painting, his
eyes heavy and his lips quivclrng.
What will father SD - Mnurnful were
his tones, as he repeated the words. after II
brief silence. Poor boy ! how suddenly was
the bright sky OF his spirit oveIcloud,d -
That vase. of rare workmanship. the gift of
friend. and much prizcd bv his father, lay
ruined at his feet 1t was not in the bower
OF human skill to restore it: of that the nm
happy lad felt hopelvssly conscious For
awhile, he brood'd over the shapelcss flag.
ments. vninly searching in his mind for some
light than. as all remained dark and threat.
en'ng. his feelings sought relief in gush of
tears. For some minutes, he went and
sobhtd bitterly: then he grew calm. Seated
III chair, with his sad face resting on his
hand, and his eyes fixed ON the broken vase
he remained for long time. mcditating on
The new aspect of Affairs. and trying to see
clearly what II was best for him to do. No
one heard 1t fall, " said he at length, sneak.
ing tohlmS,lf, mentally and AS he did so, a
feeling of relief was experienced. Il mother
had heard The noise. she would have been
here in a minute"
The lad rose up quickly. and went silently
from The room. not that he had made IN his
mlnd to deny ali pan tlcipalion in the accident:
he only wished to retain the ability to do so.
II, on reelection. that Course we've determined
upon. Ne one was Stlirng in the passage {:
The dlnirs-room and Kitchen doors were shut:
and away oil III the third story of the back
building was his mo- her, Scwlng in the
NURSERY. 81 far, all was safe and the boy
i'lt Stlll farther relieved On one Of the
landings, As he went down stars, he saw
bis ll'tle sisters tav"rlle cat fast asleep. AT
once. the thought was sugg, sl,d, lhu, here
was :" scap,goat for him. In shut
pussy up in the room" said he, with a
suddenly formed purpose, and they II think
she Knocked down the vase" And, with
these words liz caught up the cat, and went
silently towards his fathers room : but ere
he reached the door, he felt so disturbed and
uncomfortable. such pressure OF guilt for
d,liheiair wrong, that he let the Cat fall from
his hand. Snsulaily cnuuYh, the animal.
Instead Of running down stars, bound, d off
IN ihe Other direction, and actually entered
the very room where the vase lay broken OH
the floor.
didn't Put her IN there. ali, how
So the boy thought as he went slowly and
noi,, leSsly duwr s'airs. Sull. he didn't feel
right about it, But tul his aclion in the case
pussy would still be quietly sleeping Oh the
landing.
:" q dear! o dear J" sighed the unhappy
boy, as he sat down upon the stairs. what
Shall doe Father will be so angry Oh.
| wish hadn gone into his room !"
At TIN, moment the nursery door opened
" John ! John "
1t was Tie voice of his mother.
Instead OF answering the call. the lad slip
ped nol,cIv>SIy down SANS, and. going into
ihe pan lor, took "a book from the centre table
openirg it. pretended, for few moments. to
bc reading.
&" john !" the mother continued to call
" Here | am. mother, john answered
from The palor door.
= want you. d,ar."
John went up To his mother with new
burden on his already heavy heart. He had
pretended not To heal her first call, and in this
had acted unfairly towards her, and in way
to diminish his own selt.IcSpect.
Go around 10 the trimming store. ard
get me a sk,ln Of black silk John"
Not venrullns to lift his eyes lohls mother s
face, John took the change that was achctl
TO him. and turned quickly away. lie was
gone good while, so long that his mother
became slightly mpa lent at the delay, and
| when he Appeared, uttered "A few rcprovils
words. These hurt him Il good deal. and
prevented the revelation he was about to
make. The fact was, his mind had been 50
exercised i'll relation to the broken vase that
he had partially forgotten his GRAND. Or.
rating. the necessity Of doing it promptly
On his way home from the trimming store
he sat down on step, to con over Sugges-
ton which had come 10 his mind. 1t was
| to go at once to his mother, and reveal the
| TACT that the vase was broken leaving il with
| her To make the dreaded disclosure to his
| father, who WAS of rather ha>ty tenn er
man who. III too many cases, acted first and
I reflected afterwards 1t was because of tins
| pccuiiarty in his disposition tina, John was
so much distressed. lie knew that in the first
emotions awakened uli rec, living lntcllisenc,
OF the disaster. he would not look al all beyond
the fact or Imagine that there might be any
cXtcnuaIing circumstances And so John
came In from the trimmine-Store prepared tt
make clean breast 10 ms mother: but the
dlspl,asuie she ,..anit,Strd in cons, ouence o
his delay repealed INN and he skunk. witt
the All and ferins of u delinquent, from hcl
presence. Down into the vallor he went
feeling wrelchcd IN the extreme.
20 dear. | wish father knew it. What
will he say would tell h,m as soon as h,
came III and explain all about it: woult
tell HIM how sorry feel, and that he ma,
sell my silver fork and napkn.rmg, and that
he needn't buy the til, gold watch he prom
/ 1,'d for aim tfhday present but it wuuirin !
b. OF any Use. The moment he learns tina
tie vase Is broken, he will be angry. and sa,
| he don [ want tn hear a ward from ma . :, nd