The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-04-12
MlistrIIarcous,
For the Union and Journal.
PRIDE CONQUERED.

| W hcn Aunt huth Simpson uleu VIC alu
her away tenderly, vet not with tears enough
to moistcn the few pale snow-drops that Al
ice dropped against her white hair, just un-
der the muslin cap border. Then We went
solemnly into the dark, still parlor, which
had the smell Of death in it yet, to hear the
will read.
All Of the silver to my sister Sarah. l
glanced furtiyely round TO the laden side
boards, and remembered china closet IN
the dining room, then wondered il the silrye
urn at the foot of the front stair case could
be moved from its marble PEDESTAL. Ii came
over in the Maytlower, and Sarah had pas
sion for the old pilgrims and that hOary sail
across the sea; thanked Holmes for the ten
der " requiescat" he sung over Cotton Ma
ther, and blessed LOngfellow for his rcmem-
brance Of brave Miles Standish. So thought
Sarah must be ut peace with herself and the
whole world this wonderful afternoon-more
especially at peace with the departed one
she had helped to robe in white, who had
gone to meet the robed in white.
Her purple velvet furniture that always
made me think of King SOlOmon's temple,
to my sister Eliza. Eliza was tall and dark,
always wore her hair road-plaited. and al.
WAYS wore sweeping skirts to her dresses,
which were invariably purple or gold color
purple in winter, gold-color in summer
IL was happy disposition OF the purple vel
vet. Eliza was born n princess, as well as
Sarah an enthusiast. looked at her, but
her good breeding made her deaf, and she
was more regal than ever in her pale repose,
her hand, quiet in her silken lap, but the
diamonded one outside.
Her books, and pictures, and the wonder
of our young lives, her organ. .melodeon, with
its heavy case, liOn-like feet and pedals, and
its double rows Of time-yellowed keys, to
Cousin Hortense. IIortense sat near the in
strument. Ii was closed, of course, and its
heavy purple covering seemed like q pail in
the darkened room.
The rambling old mansion house-in
which Aunt Ruth, and Hortense's mother,
and my mother, and Alice's father, were all
bOrn-to Alice, but with a request that il
should never go out of the Simpson name.
| thought Of the snow-drops, fnt, just be-
ginning to shrivel under the ground, then
of Thornton Moore, who was engaged to
Alice, and was glad the dear old birth-placo
could never 90 to him or his hateful sisters.
" To my youngest niece, Catherine Au-
gusta Taylor, | bequeath my letters and
journal. which she will find with the family
portraits and genealogy in the mahogany
bureau. The bureau and its contents to be
hors."
How full and grand my name sounded. L
resolved would never be called Katy again
but Augusta l repeated it-Catharine
Augusta. was SURE Miss Muloch could
have found as sublime ROLAND as kingly u
tread in il Us in the hackneyed LeonOra." /"
Hortcnsc had smiled, and had seen Al
ices bosom heaye Just little under her
black dress, when their names were read. |
thought Hortsnse was hard.bearted, and
Alice hypOcritical, and determined that
when mine was read, would be looking
pcnsiyely away and seem not to hear. 80 |
leaned my head ON my hand, ond fixed my
eyes out Of the window, but when il came
the dimplcs were never deeper in my checks
before. Then crimsoned, and all in hot
glow began playing hieroglyphics on the
carpet with tho too Of my slipper. And
when dared to look up, found Sirah and
Eliza both looking steadily at me. o dear
| wished there had been no such thing as a
will.
But then the bureau. Next to the organ
melodcon, il had been my idol in the old
house heavy, massive, carved into scrpents
and Cleopatras, silycr-nobbed aud nailed
with curious little odd drawers OF sandal wood
that scented the whole room when they were
opened. remember once smell OF sandal
woj a through the house for days. after Aunt
Ruth and mother had sat before it all one
August morning. taking drawer after draw
er out and emptying the contents in their
laps.
Then the portraits, laid lovingly one above
the other. in the two deep drawers ut the
bottom; the letters that she had written and
received when she was young like me her
Journal that | had longed to see for years and
the genealogies, q different hand for each
generation.
found these letters, yellow and fragrant,
as everything was in the quaint old heir loom.
They were tied with fresh white ribbon, as
though Aunt Ruth had read them over be-
fore she died.
Ialways had vague idea OF some great
sacrifice that Aunt Ruth had made when
she was young, and learned il all here in
letters and manuscript. But l cannot tell
you now, only that she left her beautiful
home and sought employment in one Of those
numbering, dismal mills that make one
uixzy ana SICK at heart. You cannot under
stand Il with all their wealth and pride.
I But u Is Tor the sake Of Adelaide Conant's
story that am going to copy these old let.
ters. A name always seemed significant OF
, the life which il indiyidualizes TO me. and
, Adelaide Is one Of the most prophetic. There
is pride and a suffering, an anguish and q