Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-04-26

mother place, we must just get pcnl
lspunk, and show her that We aon
, be tyranized over; and if she goes te
work 10 make Us drudge and slave
We must show her whether she ism
mistaken in her notions : there
> nowr
/ fully coucurred in my brother
opinion. Old Granny. far from try
ing to subdue these feelings, rather
! encouraged them by her undisguised
pity and regret; SO that, short as was
) the time, we were fully prepared
not only to tbwart and 10 every pos
sible way disobey but absolutely
to hate ibe young>creature who was
$50 soon to take upon herself thatvow
which would make her our mother.
! At length the day arrived. Gran
ny with streaming eyes, vent round
the house, putting the finishing
touches to the preparations, and wi.
ping off imaginary dust from the
furniture; for. she said, the new mis-
tIess should find it in such order as
her own dear mistress S.rab had al
ways kept it, ever if it should never
be SO agaiD. She said she would
not stay to see stranger at the
!
head of her mistress table. So
when the rockaway weAt to the depot,
she drove away
Clifton felt too manly to cry, and
so tried to wh istle, bat the sound
would not come; so be stopped, put
his hands in bis pockets, and
looked ou. 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
ont into the November mist.
1t bad been a very dreary day
The moaning as only No
vembcr wind can--had drifted piles of
dead leaves to and fro, for The rain
to patter ceaselessly upon. But
nov, as the night shut in, the wind
had lulIed to a calm, and the rain
ceased to fall, and thick mist en- !
shrouded everything. 1t seemed 70
penetrate our very souls as we sat
there, looking into the gathering
darkness. The sitting-room looked |
very bright in contrast. The blazing
wood fire cast warm glow over the
old mahogany furniture, making the
silver candlestieks which stood on
the little table, in front of the ebim-
ney, sparkle brilliantly, and resting
lovingly, as / thought on my moth
er S arm chair that stood on the op-
posite side of the fire place My /
feelings did not agree with its cheeri-
ness, and turned to the window
again. &
Now we plainly heard wheels upon
the road. Clifton Strengthened him.
self, and looked rigidly at the broken
branch of the linden tree. The
sound came nearer and then stopped.
we knew at the gate; then, after a
moment commenced again. and the
carriage drove up TO the door.
saw my father hand a lady out, wrap
ped in cloak and furs, then they came
into the house, and | heard the hall
door shut, and the sitting.room
door open. would not look around,
but gazed steadily into the mist.
l heard my father talking to her.
His voice was different from what
had ever heard it before, so deep
aud tender; and hers, when she an.
swered, was so exquisitely soft and s
gentle, that it startled me into half.
turning round; but the evil spirit I
conquered me, for the November :
mist was dsrkening my heart.
She must have looked a question 1
for / heard my father say 1
We'll, Edith, what is it?' I
The boys. Malcom, our boys; may
moi see them now?
Yes. certainly, Ibis tone had n &
sort of vexation in it--sthey ought q
to have been here to welcome you; j
tbs very wrong, but they must be
near; I will find them /
and bring them to you
The door closed after him. And q
now being sure that we would not be |
seen, concealed as we we're by the /
Rindow curtains, l turned around a !;
title SO as to see her. There sat my l
step mother in my mothers ehair,the "a
led fre-ligh! playing upon the young, a
sweet face, which had a shade Of '
gravity, almost sadness about it. + |