The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1859-10-22

BEGINNINGS.
The drive was short and silent one. Char
iotte ventured few observat ons Of the badness
'of the reads. on the number Of curious round
chimneys they passed, and on the general
smokiness OF the country; but no one answered,
Ior the window at the front Of the carriage was
open, and every time she spoke the servant on the
box turned round and listened. This would have
prevented any conversation IL the children had
peen inclined &c talk but they wero not in
ehned. They were feeling, as every one has
Done who has expert, need a parting, that the
leaving the old one
A painful sense Of loneliness and strangeness
came over them when the cab stopped before
tai wooden gate, and the servant Jumped down
rrom the box, and told them to get out Of the
cab, Tor now they were at homo.
The wooden doors opened into square, dusty-
looking garden, walled round a straight gravel
walk led up to red brick house. with the Wilt
est possible stone steps, and the brightest possible
orsss knecker. Sidney, seeing that 10 one
was told gruAiy TO he patient, and not to knock
the door down. Very patient and dismayed, the
children stood for five minutes, while their
aunt's servant quarreled with the cabman, and
had the boxes brought up to the door. When
this was done, she gave a very gentle tan, and
the door opened little way.
Betsy she said to some one inside, ''bring 0
clothes- brush and. q hand brush"
~ wonder why" said Charlotte.
Look at the dust on your clothes, and on
these boxes. Doyou think you're fit to come
into clean houseS" said the servant, sharply.
"But, dear me" said Charlotte, do people
here',
~ do, and you'll do, II you live here. Chill
dren er no children, after all the years that I've
been cleaning I'm not going to die in dirt"
by the time this sentence was concluded Bet
sy, good. tempered. looking girl arrived with
the brushes and was instructed to brush the
children WELL and then let them 60 in at the
servant, whose name the children learned was
Sarah, commenced vigorous attack on the boxes
with the band-brush. Charlotte and her Robin
son Crusoe box were the last articles to undergo
the ordeal, and were allowed TO enter the house
together. Then Sarah brushed the dust off the
brushes, and shut the door. The stone hall, with
its shining icloth which looked as iii had never
been tIodien on rs fine polished oak table aud
white stone floor, looked cold and uninhabitable
even with the summer-evenipg sun shining into
1t. The children looked at each other, and Won
dered whether any one ever spoke here above
whisper. Sarah spoke frst, loudly and sharply
enough to dicpel all fear of too great silence.
"Well," she said, 'this is the hall. You see
the oil-cloth. When you walk across the hall
you'll please TO mind to tread upon that, and
not on the stones. Those three doors are locked,
you had better not be soiling and wearing
out the dOor-handles by trying to open them.
This room You NAV 90 into-there's a mat at
the door to wipe your feet ~ the last thing"
As she finished speaking 5,e threw open the
fourth and last door opening into the hall, and
followed the children into the room. 1t was an
old fashioned dining room. There was a book
case at one end spindle-legged table, inlaid
with brass, in the middle and stiff, high-back-
ed chairs ranged against the walls A Turkey
carpet covered the floor and over the carpet
were spresd, here and there, strips OF mating,
connecting together i've chairs placed in the diff
ferent parts Of the room, and verging towards
the table. Ssrahs eye glanced with satisfaction
over the room.
"There," she said; /" I've been three days
getting this room ready for you; so now, mind,
YOU are never to tread oil the carpet. Those
live chairs covered with brown Holland are for
Won YOU have no call to touch any Of the
others. When you want chair, you are to go
along there when you have to 90 to the table,
YOU walk along there when you want book
from the shelf, you are to stand on that oil
cloth and you will never want to 60 TO that ta-
BILE by the wall, for there is nothing on it that
you may touch"
Charlotte, Edward and Amy all opened their
mouths at the same time for an indignant pro-
test; but before they had time to begin, there
cine a knock at the door, and Betsy looked
in, and said, "My missis's bell she has rung
twice to see the young ladies and gent emen.' v
Sarsh's countenance changed. "See them,
indeed, and talk, and bring on feycrish fit, and
lie awake all night. No, indeed! Go and tell
her - But stay, Betsy she wont rest un-
hess she sees one Of them. You must one Of you
So"
'I'l CO." said Sidney, seeing very unsatis-
factory express sion on all the other faces.
"No," said Sarah; you're just the one who
shall not 20; the less you walk up and down
stairs the better. AS II feet were not enough to
wear out carpets without crutches; who'd have
speak to your aunt"
Amy rose slowly, and followed with look
which said plainly, ~ don't always intend to
submit to he SO ordered" Sarah led her up
stairs, and along passage. In passing she
show sd her two rooms, opposite each other, in
each of which stood two white curtained beds.
-'These are your rooms and your brothers, she
said.
Amy looked in. The rooms were perfectly
clean and tidy; but they looked bare and com
Eortless TO Amy, with their scanty, old-fashioned
furniture, and narrow slips Of faded carpet
When they reached the door Of Mrs. kllice's
room, Sarah stopped. "Let me soc what kind
Of shoes You have on" Sarah showed the tip Of
her small foot in its dainty bronze shoe. swell,
you may eomein, but make as little noise as you
can"
Sarah spoke in almost gentle voice, and soft
lyopened the room door. 4 he first thing Amy
saw In the room was sofa by the window;
fragile gentle looking old lady half lay, hall
rat on the sofa with her face eagerly turned tC
The door. 'Is this Amy?" said very gentle
voice; and two thin, trembling hands were
stretched out toward her.
AT any other time, Amy's heart would have
warmed at this sight; but il was frozen hard jus,
Then, with wounded pride and discomfort. She
walked slowiy across the room, put out one o.
her gloyed hands, and said stifiy, SLOW do yor
s'My dear child, my dear child. The old lad,
seemed eRita'ed, and sank back upon her pillow
''My dear, have been expecting you lonl
time"
sYou had best lie still now, and take your drop
enam," said Sarah, in voice half kind and hal
.dsmineering. ~ told you 1t would be too mucl
Tor you, II you would see any one this evening
10 poorly as you have been all day."
"Yes, ] know you are always considerate
Sarah, said Mrs. EOice; ''and have been say