The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-11-19
Grlcft Storm.
MY STFP-MOTHER.

] have hat faint recolections ormv mother
as she died before was ionr years old, leaving
my brother Clifton five years my senior
and myself to the care of an old woman who
was much attached to her. and who gladly
consented to leave her lonely cottage in the
village. that she might NE my fathers house
keeper, and our half nurse, half governess.
We called her granny: and very kind she
was to us in her way: nursing us most ten
DERBY when we were sick. preparing little
d,licacics for us at odd times. joining us in
our plays, and telling MS stories hy the dozen
Of ghosts. giants, fairies. and little boys who
were eaten up by the wolves and bears, for
being very naughty.
was pury,. sickly boy so did not 90
to school,-but with granny's aid learned to
read and write; and she prophesied that
would make a great man some day, if
would only have spirit enough. and hold up
my head. All this | firmly believed, and
tri,d my best to iollow her advice.
Gfmv father VIC saw very little. He was
grave, stern man: and very much depressed
lay my mothers DEATH he plungcd into an
absorbing business, and was only at home in
the evening, when we boys generally forsook
the silent sitting room for the kitchen there
to listen with open eyes and mouths TO
Granny S marvellous tales.
We lived quietly enough, having few inter-
csts beyond our small space of dozen
acres, and an occasional excursion to the
neighbcling Town. But change was COM
ing 1t was IN the November of the year
when was nine years old and Clifton four
tcon--the latter eyultng in the idea OF going
to boarding school in about a month and
| half crying beforehand over my own loncli-
ness--that my father. who had been in the
habit lately of spending Il great deal Of his
time in PHILADELPHIA, held Il long conversation
with Granny. When this was ended, we
heard the front door slam. and saw my
la'her, por'manicau in hand, jump into the
wagon and drive iuriously of, while Granny
entered cur sitting room, her apron to her
eyes, and sa! down in The arm chair, rocking
TO ard flo, and sohbng with uncomfortable
sneE Fearing We knew not what, we cluug
TO her side, begging her TO tell Us what had
happened. But it was sometime hcrore she
could speak to say that my father had told
her that her services would no longer he
hect SNary as III week he would bling
nome wlie-a young lady from the city
ana IN The meantime he should not be at
nome.
hal ever should have lived to see the
DAY, continued the Old woman, with fresh
hufSt OF gllri, when my own dear Miss Sarah
should be forgotten and cast aside for pretty
iaccd cut OF seventeen, with city ans and
g'a'ts' 10 turn the house upside down, and
lord II over htr daIllngs. Poor boys. poor
toyS-"hat Will become OF you
low huch longer she might have gone in
that way cannot tell but she was just then
called away to the kitchen, leaving us in a
state Of Undesirable terror. imagining that
all the cintl sttpmothtrS IN larry tales were
10 Dc uhlteu IN ours Then a long conversa-
non enSUel, IN winch we debated wchether
she would attempt to beat us, Starve us, or
urn US out OF doors to seek our fortunes with
peace OF dry Dr. al, and bottle of sour wine
| remember perfectly the picture | formed Of
her; III winch She figured as a large stout
woman W,th naughty AR and loud voice,
VINO would ny about the house chasing every
thing, and making every one unhappy gen
'ra'IE.
L II tell you what. said Clifton, drawing
inig breath, and plunglng his hands man
lnlly INTO ms pockets, II II tell you what,
marry "hth mat woman comes to take
ho'hc's place we must just put up our
Spu''N' ana snow her that we won't be tyran-
"'~'" over sue goes TO make us dlud &c
anu save we must snow ber whether she
ISM mistaken III her no,onS.-now there"
,"''' cohcs''ra WIN my Dr"'hel S"r'nloh'
oli granny lar from trying to subdue these
',eh"s' ra'her encouraged them by her un-
ul>su,seu ply an" regret: 80 tha''-short as
WAS inc ,''''e' we were luily prepa'cd-not
onIy 10 'h"ar', ana IN every possible way,
d'S"hey-out absolutely to hate the young
creature WHO was $" soon to take upon herself
'ha' 'o" Whlch would make her our mother
NJ 'ehe'h the DAY arrived. Granny. with
streaming eyes, went round the house
pu"''e tnc iiiiHhlng touches to the prepara-
liohs, ana wiplng oil imaginary dust from
the inrnlt''re Tor, She said, the new mistress
should md II IN as much order as her own
dear mistress sarah had always kept it, even
II II should never re so again She said She
would not stay TO see stranger at the head
oil h'r mistress table. 80 when the rockaway
went to The depot, she drove away.
Clifton i,lt too manly to cry, and so tried
TO whistle, but The sound would not come ::
so he stopped, put his hands into his pockets
and looked out OF the window. | tried to
emulate his composure; to dash back the
tears that kept binding my eyes, and to
swallow down the lump that kept rising in
my throat and choking me; thus we both
sat silent In the recess Of the window, looking
1t had been a very dreary day. The wind
moaning as only November wind call
had drtted piles Of dead leaves to and fro for
the rain to patter ceasclcssv upon. But
now, as the night shut in the wind had