The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-03-01

lc answer. since the time the wide
Hartley entered that house as its NJ;
d trcss, the wife Of Mr. Rathburn and ste
Is mother to his only child, the latter HI
n been an object Of e:vv aud dislike to Il!
n lady; and, $ her prcjudiccs were stron,
T. and disposition arbitrary, the martyrdo
G OF the child Annie commenced; not
Y blows or harsh language, or the dcpriv;
:. ton OF any of the luxuries to which Il,
I child was accustomed She was tc
' polite for that, aud regarded the opinio
r OF the world too highly to hazard that
but by cutting sarcasms, wounding II.
, child in the tcndcrcst points, and tn
+ yet more effective weapon of ridicule. b
w'ful misunderstanding and artiul mis-
representations to her father, thereb
alternating from her, in a great measure
her fathers affection.
Had Annie Rathburn been of veal
character, or humble disposition, she ha,
been crushed long ere this into the sub
mlss''e thing Mrs Rathburn wished
with no will of her own; bat the rcsolutc
h,Sh spirited child seemed unconoucra
Die. Her stcpmother sometimes became
discouraged, aud regretted that since
sue could not conquer her, she had not
rather e"deavored to manage her By a,,f,,I
ha''ery and pretended affection: but the
time for that had long since gone bv.
Surely Mrs. Rathburn might have been
satisfied Her work vas apparent enough.
Anne, from gladstone, warm hearted,
lmpusivc, generous child. had become a
proud, cold, unsoclal, un>ympathixinc Z
g'ri OF eighteen.
There was one warm place in Ami, )
hfart yet, however, and her little half
brother Willie had crrrt into it. He
was ONLY SIX years cd. and had been an
invalid almost from his birth, little
hcIp'ess cripple. He was the only one
OF the children WHO reSrmbicd her father
IN features or disposition; and beautiful
was the affection existing between Annie
and this child, he depending. almos, rn.
tre'y upon her for his riea,ures-she
ever tender'y mlni>tcring unto him 1t
was the wonder Of the family, that of
them all, Willie cared most for cold, quiet
Annie, and was ever happy when she
was witt, him. But it was only when
alone with him that Annie manifested
the least tenderness but thcn-ah well
might he persist in SAVING che know
sister Annie loved him" ,"
Lilly, the youngest child, was f,ur
years old, Eva just bursting into woman.
hood, and Edith Hartley a few months
older than Annie.
Both Edith and Eva were beautiful
strong y resembling their mother ia
feature as well as mind The former
seemed 50 apparently aniablc and artle.S.
and was so brilliant, and could render
herself so agreeable, it was difficult at
first to read her true character. Eva
was less arttu, aud Was Find and pleas
'nt enough when her wishes were not
thwarted, but i'll tempered and unrvason-
able otherwise 1t may W II be believed,
that with their mothers example and
training, they did not assist in maxim.
Annic's home pleasant to her
Annic's position was scarcely altered
~ her fathers death three yea,s before
'ur story opens. He WIS an casy.un>us
'iclous' man, and his wife had long
waytd hi,. by her superiority and >tyon
!er will. lie trusted her completely aud
'efore his death made no separate pro.
Is'on for the children, but by his will
10Th they and his considerable property
'ere left to her sole guardianship.
Now,as before, Annie was treated as
ne apart from the family In the fire.
uent tami y consultations she was never
onsulted. All the arrangements were
'ade without the slightest reference to
er wishes or convenience. She was in
very way made to feel her isolation
'ow, as before, there was a silent con
st goin" on between her step. mother (
nd herselt-'he struggled bra.cly though 5
u'etly, Tor her rights, the former to
ithh"id them. The contest was unc.
nal, but it Annie was sometimes appar-
ntIy subdued, she was never conquered. ,
There was on additional reason why
.nnie was unwilling to return home ,hi, ,
'r'icuI'r d"y. She expected to find 5
'ere Mrs. Lathr"p, an old and valued ,
lend OF her fathers, who ! ad written !
Iree weeks before that she wa. coming ,
) make them long visit, and that on a
CT return should invite one of the younr t
dies to make an indciin. .tely long visit. ,
The widest hopes had been raised in
'rs. RMhburn's Bosom by the reception c
this letter; o. Mrs Lothrop was pos
'>>ed of an cnCrm, u fortune withou, |
single relative in the world save a a
feat nephew, who was also heir to
fgc property, as much as any r,a,onble j
an need wish to have. Her grandson ,
I'd destined heir li. three yc rs be. !
re. What 50 probable then, as tha, i,
- was about to choose an kcress to her ,
calth, and had thought. as it was prop.
she should think-ot the children of I
nr most valued fr,,nl. She certainly {
n>t have some particular object in pro- t
,>ing this visit ut this time. when She .
I'D never visited them before, though ,
ten urged to do SO. Mrs. iathlurn
I'D never seen hcr
Thus Mrs. Rathburn reasoned;and she ,
,tcrminel that either Edith or Eva ,
'ould be the future hcircss. Great !
ere the preparations made for the ex- .
ected eu"-ts-for Mrs Lathrop.s ncph. ,
v. Mr. kirkwoot, ,wgs to accompany her,
ID many were the hints given to Editl |
ID Eva concerning their bearing to both
for Mrs. Rat!lburn had her dc ,i.ns on s
9Th aunt and nephew r
From childhood Annie had heard Of @