The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-26
THE OAKS OF FAIRHoLME'
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nsu w .g,,riass end. He scarcely ever spoke To
"a. mi there was music in his few courteous
words, and an imperions anhnenee sxeIsi a.e.s
whs, pleased him, and taught Julia the se-
cret OF conciliating her fastidio1s parent be-
fore understood how had learned II myself
Now, as stsod trembling beside my mother,
the tears that sprang to my eyes were nos
from, regret or timidity. The little girl at the
great house seemed to belong to me; something
like mothers love flied my heart for the baby
! had held IN my arms - soon after its hirtn,
thought that she would die II left her and
i believe that the squire, calmly as he proner-
cd his petition believed that his chiid's life
depended upon its being granted.
My earnest wish carried the day. ana W.
allowed to accompany my darling. She was
very i'll NJ first and II, in addition TO Sickness
and debility, she had been obliged to eontena
with the deep feelings of regret winch III WoaIo
have cost her 10 part with her playmate, sne
would have broken down under the trial. NY
mother in her own motheriy way. had lore
seen this. "Poor little heart" she said, she
will never bear to part with Lucy. Let 'he
children bide together"
NY father had taken a different view of the
case but il was one favorable TO my wishes.
Troubles were coming fast upon him, ana ne
was glad to see my prospects so securely set
tied. 1t was great surprise to him when the
sauire after receiving his consent, graciously
offered him the post OF bailiif during his alb
sence. Ii was proof of confidence TOR which
he was deeply grateful, and he felt thaf he
very sorry to part with his own girl. when
the time of separation arrived; but il was too
late to draw back; so with many tears, sep
arated from my kind friends and few hours
afterwards we were tossing on the waves of the
Channel, sorry enough, now that the time was
come 10 leave the people the place we loved
behind us.
am speaking for Julia and myself, as we
lay CRYING in our cots. / do not think that her
father cared much at that time for leaving
England His life had not been happy ono;
and now, with his little daughters fate in his
charge, he seemed to be beginning the world
anew. sense Of responsibility awoke within
him He watched the child narrowly. TWAS
difficult for any one who attended upon her 10
serve her with sufficient assiduity, and ne
parted successfully with all the attendants he
had brought out with him. Before we had
been a winter In Italy, our household was en-
tirely remodclled. The coatadfna, with their
bright locks and warm foreign manners, their
caressing liquid accents and graceful gestures
pleased his artistic taste. lie engaged two wo-
men fresh from their sunny homes IN the DO
som Of the smiling hills around Aibano 10
wait upon Julia, and the child caught up theif
beautiful language immediately.
Insensibly, our manners, perhaps our char
aciers. changed. Living in that ltaiian cline,
the eye fed upon sights OF all that was loVelIesf
in nature ana art; our minds expanded rapid
ly and very soon l felt that could not have
returned 10 the homely life had quilted. No
one knew who or what was and as we wan
dered from place to place, for Juiia's health
required constant change, was taken some
times for her elder sister, ut others for her
aunt, and on one occasion, as time went on, for
her mother.
shall not easily forget that day. We were
sitting on the terrace in front of the villa in
which we We're residing for Il time near Turin.
when some insect erept out of the yne-ieayes
in the basket of fruit Julia was carrying, and
stung her hand. I was frightened, and flew to
her. for she was still Il perfect child, and cried
bitterly. An artist, who was sketching the
view Of the Alps from our garden, made pic
., ia .l,a \, 81
arms as mother and daughter. When the
sketch was finished, he handed it to Julia's
father, entreating his acceptance of the por-
traits of his wife and daughter as return for
his kind hospitality.
Julia laughed when she perceived his mis-
take; but her father made no effort to explain
matters. He took the drawing, thanked the
artist saving that the IiIienesses were ex tremely
good, and he should value il excessively. The
next time went into his room with Julia,
saw it hanging on the wall opposite to his ac-
customed seat, mounted in Il costly frame
with a wide margin. Underneath the sketch
was written, in his own hand, g. adre Fig
liuoia.r
In spite of our nnremitting care. Jnlia as
she grew up, did not become stronger. Her
fair complexion was SO eXqnisitely flushed
with the rosy hue Of health, we persisted in
calling it, thai we disguised to ourselves the
fact that those pearly Units and warm, fitful
bushes were the harbingers of deadly disease
scarcely recollect what position held in III,
establishment during our long attendance
upon her; only know that was one OF grea
responsibility, and that when IL ended-wheh
after wandering from land to land, we laid he
at last to rest under the myrtle and orange
groves ofSeville--it seemed to me that was in
deed, by the sacred chain of suffering, her mo
Their!
My deep childish respect for her father still
abided with me, but tenderer feeling mingled
with 1t as we sorrowed over her grave toge her
1t was on my arm that he, the strong. naughty
powerful man, leaned when we visited tn,
spot, and saw The moonlight cleaning on the
marble slab which contained the record of hei
shot life and OF our neyer-ending sorrow.
felt that his form trem hed~-the words lie tried
to speak died upon his lips unuttered perhaps,
If he had spoken III that softened hour, the
color of our destiny might have been alto
gether different.
Very little communication had passed be-
tween me and my parents during these years
of foreign travel. Now that my task was ended,
1 began to onemplate my return to them.
Must / confess that the idea filled me with UNI
niitigated dread.
put aside the thought, and tried to regard
my grayer companion as q parent; bat ii was
less easy to do so than formerly. AS his deep
grief wore slowly away, that proud, naughty
nature unbeut aud we became tor the first
time friends. l had no other companion now,
and we read together books of Italian poetry
the language of which was more familiar 10
me than my native tongue. Our servants re-
garded us as near relatives No curiosity
was excited, as would have been the case in
England, by our residing under the same roof.
One morning, when was drawing in the
shady court or garden at the back of the house.
into which the apartments opened which had
been appropriated to Julia and myself, her
father suddenly stood beside me. 1t was very
seldom that he broke in upon my solitude
for we met usually with some ceremony. |
did not undefsta the meaning OF his dis
turbed gances, but something in his manner
struck me as peculiar, and l began 10 put
away my pencils and brushes. lie was so
much agitated that thought he might wish
To be left alone with the memory of his daugh-
Or
Stay, Lucy he said when he saw that l
was about to leave him-"Lnca,'' he added
smiling. 'How much better like the Italian
pronunciation OF our cold English words and
names. DO you net think that you might al
most pass for native of the sunny peninsula
after all the years you spent there +"
Possibly" l answered with some sur
prise Italy seems more like u home TO me
than England. But suppose" said hest
tating unwilling TO lose the opportunity he
had Acknowledgement Iought-that must think
Of returning to my parents"
His dark eyes flashed fire. ssThat was not
my meaning, Lucia. When we left home.
your father and mother gave You to me. Your
own wishes ratified the bond. Have / ever
given you cause to wish IL cancelled .'''
No" said trembling, almost weeping. Il
nave been only too happy. l am afraid / ann
very unit to live III home. But must try 10
aecastom myself TO the position fan English
farmers daughter"
THAT Is absolutely and entirely out of the
Question" lac ssid ''besides, I cannot part with
you. Have you forgotten that angels ,ast
words 10
was dreadfuliy agitated. Jnlia with har
dying breath had eoninred me never To Ian 81
her father. scarcely remembered "a Nat had
said. did not know that he had heard xvhat
passed between Us. l could not answer
him. ei
Lnciu, = he said coming nearer to me. ..yo,,
promised my dying child that you would never
torsaAe me. At that moment, / scarcely Thoughts
NhAt II was you were saving: ought to have