The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-06-03


up. Come, Maria; come, children; let us be
comfortable, and make each others acquaint-
ance" My uncle drew his chair slowly
round, with sort of surprise at himself
You'll be tired, my dear, and wanting rest
don't let us keep you up.'
'.Oh, not in the least, dear uncle" said
Emily, gaily; "Ive burst the trammels of
Fangfoss Hall, you know.'
"Come, my little Ted - and she took the
boy ON her knee as she spoke, and stroked his
cheek and hair. NY uncle was looking at
her, and I fancied something glstcned on his
eyelash.
Well, suppose you must stay up to-
night, boys,' he said, in a rough sort of way,
as if nothing had touched him; but he had
more easy look in his armchair and though
he covered his face with his crimson silk
handkerchief, do not believe that he was
asleep but was really listening to that merry
| young tongue which was running on with
such happy freedom among us. Now we lis
tened; wonderingly, at first. and were grad
ually drawn out of our accustomed silence
till we forgot the very presence of uncle, and
chatted as gaiIy as we had ever done at the
nursery At last, however, my uncle reused
up to find us gathered round Emily, listening
with eager eyes and ears to her account of the
parting with the school-fellows of Fangfoss
Hall, Ted sleeping the while with his rosy
cheek pillowed upon the soft curls.
"Now, boys, gel to bed at once. Emily,
my girl, this won't do.'' ....r.-.
She gave him laughing kiss as she got up.
Come, we'll all go together. Escort me to
my room, Cavalier Tom. There, don't wake
this blessed little chick" She flung her cloak
over his golden head, and CARRYING him with a
demure, matronly air, we went out en- nlasse
Maria, who had been looking on as specta-
tor; remaining behind. t..
"Oh what delightful, old-fashioned nur-
sery! !" cried Emily, as we led her into that
large, upper room. " How do you do, nurse
Here's your darling" And half tossing the
sleeping boy into our good DANES arm, she
seized upon Fanny, aud danced her up and
down the floor with a gaiety that slightly
staggered Mrs. Stephens sense of deco
rum. t.--- sl @
Miss Emily. ma'am, excuse me, but mas
ter I'll hear the ground a shaking, and he ain't
used to such madcap ways"
You don't say so, nursey! Why, Pm as
light as a bird, and'sas wild, too, you think
but remember, Pm only just uncaged. How
ever we'll go, girls; 1 hop 1 am to sleep
with one of you" And she fitted laughingly
from the room, leaving that lady of proprie-
| ty, Mrs Stephens, gazing after her in a sort OF
shocked admiration. l took her into my
room, and assumed special possession of hel
| from that night. We talked as only two en-
! franchised school girls can talk, until sleeT
stilled our active tongues. Emily gave lie 6
condensed narrative of her past life, consist
ing mostly of school-taes and I returned
the confidence by making her as fully possess
ed of the salient points in the history of my
! Uncle Thorpe's family.
I woke up to find myself possessed of {
friend. Emily Seville had burst iii among Il:
like sudden beam of sunshine on cloudy
day, and the brightness lasted. We had some
fear that it might be only transient FASH and
our young eyes glanced rather anxiously al
Emily the next morning but there was the
same white, open forehead, with the brown
curls, only little smoother; and in the clea
eyes, and about the red lips, the same GLAD
| cheerfulness that had warmed our hearts the
evening before. Emily did not seem to know
that our uncle had taste for taciturnity, fo
she had talked to him every gay thought tha
had fitted through her mind, and asked hin
questions about business which made us trem
Bile at her temerity, but which, strange to hear
were actually answered.
az"Can I help you in any way, Maria p
asked Emily, after shaking hands with th'
boys who were off to school. " Let me sun
dertake some useful part of the family econ
omy what may I do to feel myself respon
sible being ?'',
Maria replied: " Thank you but m,
| duties are not too onerous for conscience, ant
cannot be devolVed upon another. Your tai
ents point more to entertainment than utility
I imagine The tone was quiet, but Emil,
perhaps fancied a shade of sarcasm, for sh
looked up quickly, with slight flush on he
cheek. 90 l like to make people happy Ian
happy myself,n she said energetically. " Per
haps it is the most useful thing l could d.
here
"Depend upon it,'' I whispered, as sh
linked her arm in mine and Fanny's, and leC
us to her bedroom.
| might tell how pleasant she was up there
sitting on the floor to unpack her boxes dis
playing her private possessions, with merr,
thereby hangs tale about EACH, till th
morning slipped away, and we never felt tn
cold, but went down to dinner warm and hap
py Fanny whispering, Isn't this bette
than stitching seams in the parlor, in tn
"good Maria" style, Ruth ?'' and Emily
shaking her head at her, " We must do bot
in their turn, Fanny. Pll make you laug
over your seams, depend on me-"
I might tell how she kept her word, man
times in that before dull parlor, till even Ma
ria's screwed-up lips were sometimes force
!. into smile or how, in the evening she com
!. pleted the conquest of the boys, and by tn
manner, of her loving gaety drew forth a
the affections that had lain chill and dormar
in our hearts. But it would take too long t
, trace the course of her sunbeam track
Enough that cousin Emily had turned owe
a new, bright page in the book of our'every
!, day life, and the letters were golden with Low
and joy.