The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-02-09
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE
.LIFE OF A SPINSTBR /:
OR
HOPES AND FEARs,

\ Both heard from Robert by the rext post, AMI
is next letter to Miss Charlccote related all tha,
e had beer able TO collect from Mrs Muucll, OF
rom Owen himself The narrative is here gives
iore fully than he was able 10 make it. Edas
1urrel. born with the susceptible organ = aton oi
musical temperament, had IN her earliest child
ood been so treated as to foster refined tastes
nd aspirations. such as disgusted hei with the
eslectable vulgarity Of her home.
The pet Of the nursery and sch room looked
own on the lodge kitchen and parlor, and her
iscontcnt was matter Of vanity with her par
nts as sign Of her superi1ity, while plsuSibil
~ and caution were continually enjoinId on her
ather Ivy example than prcccpt, and she was Of
! en- aware u her mothers indulge Of cratic
'ropensities in religion. unknown either 10 her
. ahcr or his cmplOycrs
Cncxccptionablc as had bsen hrr training.
! chool education, the high cultivation and sound
20 less Of ctrinn had so acted on her as to keep
Ger farther alHUf from her mother, whose far
mere heartfelt ,:icn appeared to her both dis.
astciui and contCmpiihlr, and whose advice wai
bus cast aside as rrcjudicca AMI scctariln.
I Si n Tls thn preparation for the unprotected
! life Of schpplmistrCSs in house ly herself.
servant and smlll traicsf.Rs were no compan.
l on' TO be-, anh were ofIculed by her ladyl&I
I lcmrsHoT; ant her refuge was ia books that ser.
/ red but t. increase the pcrilS Of sham ru1ance,
MI IN en- husiastic adCratiOn Of tn, Young lady,
whose mann ~ apparently placed hr on an
quality, although her beauty anil musical tai.
| nts were in truth only serving as toy.
Het face AMI voice hal already been thrust on
Ovens Lotcr before the adventure with tho
,argen IN h.d constituted the young gentleman
o he hero Ot her l;ratcGu! imalSiAatiOn, and com.
nenc3l al intercourse isr which his sisters in.
otIs isr9 PIT 'unlsc gave ample oppUrt sniticS.
ii1 head ws fuI of the lhcory Of fusion If class
~, and Of .tc jIgLtc refinement, freshness uf in.
'olio.t al NiSor o. PERCEPTION Of the unsorhisti.
:atcl, y. lJIst - h thought, and when he lcst
tOf l.. In
.nd ta!k Al pyt.ry ur pupular science tu her, lac
imagined himself walking in the steps Of those
shn were asserting the claims Of intelligence to
cultivation, and sowing broadcast the seeds si
rt, literature, AMI emancip ipatiOn Perhaps he
Knew nJi how often ho was BETRAYED into tokens
81 admiration, siiiii lent to in6anic such a d.po-
dtion as he had to daIl with, and il ho were
.wdre of his influence and her alteration, IL idly
iattcrod aEJ amused him. without thought oi
.hs COnscq IcnCes.
On the n! ,ht when she had tainted at the sight
hts attentions to Phu,bc she was left on his
ianis in state when all caution aud reserve
gave way, an. her violent agitation fully awnk-
mel hiin TO the perception Of the expectations
ic had caused the force Of the feelings he had
roused. mixture OF pity, vanity, and aifcC.
ian towards the beautiful creature before him.
dad led to response such rs did not dsappJint
ter, AMI there matters might hIyo rested for the
present, but that their interview had been OIL
ierved. Edna, tSrTOr-Strickcn, believing herself
rretrieyably disFracei, had thrown herself 90
sis mercy In frantic condition, such a. mad,
AIN dread exposure for himself, as well Us sus
pense for her tempestuous nature.
With all his faults the puro atmos, hero in
which he had grown up, together with the tone
81 his associates, comparatively free from the
yrosser and more hard-hearted forms If vice, had
:oncurrea with poor EdnI's real mOdoSty and
principle in obtaining the sanction of marriage
Tor her hi1ht with him from the ccu,ure al
Wrapworth, and the rcrukcs of her mother
Throu ghout, hisfeclings had been chiefly stirred
1p by the actual i..ht OF her beauty. anlexcit,s
by her fcrvid passion. When absent from her
tkere had been always re -rcts snd be,itutions
such as would have prevailed, sayo for his com
passion and d-oad OF tho efforts of her desper.
ion both for her and for himself. The unpar
lonable manner in which he knew himself II
nave acted, made it neciful to plunge dccpcr foi
be very sake Of concealmeat.
Yet once married he wouli haye bern far
,afer IL he had confessed the fact to his only tr,
friend. since Il must surely come TO light som,
lime or other, bat he had bred himself up in III,
nafyit Of schnolhov shu,flipr. hidinr cyerythiup
70 the last moment, anil he Iould not bear TO b,
EAST of hy tho Chartcrises be pitieJ anil lnulIh
u at bv lis Oxford friends, nor to Iisk Homo,
Charlecotc's favor perhaps her Inheritance, Rc
turn TO Oxford the victim of an Attachment Il
q village !. hoolmist~cssl Better never return
shither At III, rs would be but too probably the
..aso No, the secret must be kent Till his irs,
tt1rt Ill litC should he secure. anu he talked 10
Gina of his future curacy, while she fed her fan
~ with vi.ions Of lovely psrsonagcs. AMI "ylcr.
yymln's ladies" in world or pcIsiye bliss. aul
after tho HONEYMOON in IRELAND, rro,,.i .l -
sait patiently, provided her mother E.ight kuos
Ill.
y Owen hal not realized the home TO which h,
.s.s Obliged to resign his wife nor his mother-in
,saw's powers # tongue. There were real difh.
.ulties IN tho way Of his visiting her. II wa,
\ he ono neiyhborhood in London where his prr.
Nm might bc known owen had not only avoid.
SanIia,inr % ats,ir from his " mind % tryin~ 10 % hi"
1sr himself from being harrassed hy letters, and
Ghen forced to attend to the representations Of
NE women, sending few kind words and prom
tses, with such money as he could spare, ALWAYS
hacked, however, by threats Of the consequence,
n disclosure which he vaguely intimsted
would ruin his prospects for life.
Little did the thoughtless boy comprehend the
aer.y OF ms negisct. IN tho uhaeIsrounl
% %s y, .hs ,h .hysSo5S hW % rno 'ois"sy ;s
Hlson VI ,ne sni.irhacen, h,n,owned wa .h'
wsrwrough. nsaaIcne' hciuentM 10 ner FORMER
Noesslon, naoo her us Prev nervous Ieyei
tsme On as ,no suspemoc oeea,'e H'p'. tryihe'alI
yo.niu eSei'snie,;' I''e,raaeu WIN io' aii
,ht ioh ,os 80 i'', [ maI 'Uns w, uc..ro @
beE @ n.od, ~ remsns% ps%s Sar Was thS nSvsaar n
tamihoneu oy oweh IN ms norror at her uentr
an " u,s.ofe' tua' nsi prn'ii % nau R iunR o'nh IL
ss'a.e W h.'ta'ioi, i, rhi.ii h.d oeeo''o nssraN"
81 W Su'a w. .uAs uea'n Was wi W ~
,n r. Huif ,ne siia, 'oui' paius
% 70 tne ~ use o. heI s intellect.
hoOsr, ,h aeserioea PoGr ~ owen lmPe.noas mise
", ana the cares which he iavished on inc un
sonselous sufferer, mentioning MN wlth warmth
"n1etnes ,,,JS'o, ,aa "H's1u iiouoi, rom Que
stern ot judgement, Nay, Robert was mort
awe 10 the paiiiatiohs OF owens conduct thhi
the was herself ohe griGveu over the e4inplics
iea deceit, ana resentcu .he cruelty 10 me wi'