The new era., 1860-08-02

her she must have attributed to want O
love. But then fancied that she love.
me coldly, though she possessed ovel
me power tfat no other one could ex-
ert. With my young brothers and sis
ters was often left in her care during
my mothers absence. Upon one occa-
sion | greatly disconnected her by some
frivolous conduct. She reproved me in
her mild, firm manner, but for once, my
spirit rose in rebellion, and | repeated
my offence | shall remember as long
as ] live, the look she gave me, as she
mildly and softly as before, commanded
me not again to repeat the action, for if
did, "she should certainly punish me. y
There was resolution in her express
sion, power even in her mildness that
awed and subdued me; and went away
out OF her sight, musing upon the mys-
terry with which, in my inexperienced
eye, aunt Margaret was clothed.
AT the time when relisses were so
greatly IN vogue, aunt Margaret was
among the first to have one II was of
rich material, lined throughout with silk
trimmed with various rows of velvet and
gimp, and set off with tassels and coun
tless beautiful buttons. Then, too, it
was made with such exceeding neatness
mostly by aunt Margaret's own needle,
and she loved and valued it, just as she
loved and valued every person that was
good, and everything that was pretty.
Therefore, agreeaby to the peculiar
constitution of her mind, the blue pelisse
became to her precious pet, which she
Kept on week days in the dark clothes
press, suspending from the highest knob
enveloped closely in a dimity robe of
snowy whiteness.
There came dreary, drizzly day in
February. Doubtless there were many
such, but | speak ofthat one that / par
tcularly remember Aunt Margaret
was spinning, while mother was trans
forming old clothes into beautiful mats
and hearthrugs. had rocked my dear
baby-brother to sleep, und became
weary of tie long continued silence that
reigned, relieved only by the monoto-
nous hum of aunt Margaret's wheel,
which was industriously converting the
softest of snow-whlc rolls into the finest
aud incest of knitting-yarn. | was,
therefore, in measure rejoiced, when
a laundering knock at the door announ-
ced visitor 1t was Peter Pingree's |
sun-browned face, large black eyes and
elephantine teeth, held me spel-bound
for the space Of several minutes. He
was from the neighborhood of my grand
fathers. His cousin, who had been a
schoolmate of my aunt, had recently
died, and was that afternoon TO be bur-
ried. He had come to borrow aunt
Margaret's much admired pelisse, to he
worn by the mother of the deceased |
from her house TO the old kirk, dis
tance of three-and a-haIf miles. Upon
the disclosure of his errand, aunt Mar
garet's wheel suddenly stopped, the half
spun roll dropped from her slender
thumb and fore finger, and patting the
palm of one hand with the wheel-pin
raised her blue-grey eyes, in mind am
azement, as if doubtful of having heard
Alright. Apparently treasured by her
silent scrutiny, she turned to her en-
Ployment without speaking, and | con-
fess | was truly astonished at the accel-
Grated velocity with which the wheel
performed its evolutions. The halfspun
rool being completed, with couGtance
still unmoved and imperturbable, she
quilted the room. Presently she return
ed, pelisse in hand, brought forward,
as Ihave since thought, with emotions
similar to those which agitated the bos-
ON ofAbraham, when he bound UP n
the alter for sacrifice, his only wel-be-
loved son. With sad, dignifed gesture
she waved aside the soiled, dingy kerr
chief, which had been sent to wrap ii in
and folding it carefully without erevice
or wrinkle, she tiedit up in snowy ker-
chief of her own, and with no words,
gave it gently to that gawky, Peter Pin
gree! ! remember well Of thinking that
| should grievously hate to see nay new
scarlet Circassian in such coarse black
hands, aud wondered how aunt Marga-
ret could so resoldtely, and without
tears, yield up hers, in which she was
wont to look SO pretty and so princess
y.fas sii beds - gn'0ag sd 3 isss .,sova'