Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-07-03
WRITTEN Foa TIE DELAWARE GAZETTE.
THE OLD LEIGHTON HOUSE
By NSLLIE aPARRow.


wen and will be so happy, and so willing
to take in sewing to support Us. know ",
will be happy here, where We can do as W,
please and always enjoy each others society,"
But, neither, you have never told me yet VIII
you left your home, or as l understand it, haC
to leave it and live with those who treated Vi
with such hanghtiness and contempt Oh
mother, mother should rather have seen yoU
blurred, than live in the house another year
with the woman who took so much pains tC
teach me not to call her aunt" As the words
died away, the cheeks Of her who spoke them
were flushed to crimson with excitement and in
dignation.
Alice, DEAR" said Mrs Leighton, raising
herself upon one elbow and arranging the
snowy pillows under her head, " have longed
to tell yon 50 many times, but after you were
large enough yOn were always kept in some
other part of the house, while 1 was confind
to my lonely room. But. thank God, am
now free to talk with you, and although the
house which was once so elegant is rather di-
lapidated by long neglect, l think We can
still be happy here together.
"Your father was hard working man, he
toiled night and day, and was always cheer
full and happy, and when entreated him not
to work SO hard be insisted that he was young
and strong, and was working thus SO be would
have something laid by for old age. That he
had money i am certain, but where it went to-,
4 have never found out. He built his house long
before we were married, and occupied this room
several years, boarding with friend. After
we were married be still used this room for his
fvrka I hnvr
were here, never dreaming Of danger when it
was SO very near. One day l bad dressed you
up and wac waiting bis return, when / obserV-
ed a carriage stopping at the gate and heard
some one groaning. / went out the door and
down to the gate to enquire what it meant,
when recognized your father bleeding and
dying, be had fallen fifteen feet through
trap door in the room where be was at that
time doing handsome business. How ever
got to the house | do not know; all that re-
member is that when they laid him down in
this room be took my hand and held it up to-
ward the wall pointing in the same direction
with the other. He never spoke after the ac
cident and died in few hours after they
brought him home. His brother at the time OF
bis death was clerking for him.. His brother
had married a wealthy lady, and by her help
was just about to enter into partnership with
your father, and it seems that few days be-
fore this your father had given him a mort
gage on this house for four thousand dollars, OF
which knew nothing until after he was gone i,
and then had to drink the bitter cup to the
very dregs. After being informed by your
uncle that there was nothing left for your sup
post and mine, he also told me of the mortgage
and that your father still had debts standing
out that would take all he left How that
was do not know, but be offered me home
under his roof, which very reluctantly accep-
ted. It was only fer you that accepted it at
all, for which have been sorry since, as it
has proved to be anything but happy home
for you. was under the impression that
your father was immensely wealthy He al
ways told me that he was laying up money,
that at the age Of fifty he was agOing to re-
tire from all business and take life easy. 1t is
strange, very strange, what became of that
money. know he was making money, it could
not have been otherwise; and now my dear, to
think you have to take in sewing to support
me. But we must not complain, God will make
all things work together for our good" At
this point Mrs. Leighton settled down among
the pillows and with folded hands fell into a
sound sleep, while Alice darkened the room
and made things as comfortable as possible.
Let US go back two days and look in upon
the household of james Leighton, and perhaps
we will find why Alice and her mother were
back into the house that Alice had called the
old home. The large halls and parlours are
brilliantly lighted, making the house look like
ba ~ L.
carved furniture, handsome statuary and dra-
perry throughout the whole house, were enough
to make one "a eyes dazzle and after taking in
all the splendor and elegance, ready TO exclaim
with the preacher vanity of vanities, all is
vanity" We ascend broad fight Of steps and
enter room little less elegant than those we
have just left, and in easy chair with book
in her hand we see Mary Leighton, the spoiled
child of wealth and fashion, throwing down the
book with an impatient yawn. This beauty
turns TO Alice, who is just about finishing q
handsome dress for her.
"Do hurry with that dress, it is nearly time
now for the guests to arrive. and you are not
near done. You have been just as slow as pos
sible to-day, just to vex me; you might have
finished it two hours ago ifyou had been worth
anything"
II have hurried just as fast as could, cous-
in, but mother is so sick to-day it troubles
me-"
"COusinp said Mary Leighton, curling her
lips in scorn, "don't cousin me again. You
are my sewing girl. and not my cousin. Let
this be the last time l will have to remind you
of that fact"
This rebuke, although she had heard it ma.
ny times before, brought the hot tears to her
eyes. She turned away 10 conceal them from
the heartess one who had caused them, know
ing well if she saw them she would laugh them
to scoru, and choking down the thick sobs
shat would in spite of all she could do come
and almost stiAe her she worked on, and in
fifteen minutes laid the garment in Mary Leigh
tons hands.
''You can go to your mother and stay there
all night if you WISH" she said, tossing the
dress from her on the 1oor. al shall not neet
you again tonight"
Alice left the room with a heavy heart
"And this the thanks always get" she whis
pered in her soul as she walked with quick
step to her own little room to battle her eye.
so her mother would not know she bad beer
crying After doing this she went to hel
mothers room and bathed her burning heaC
and hands until she whispered,
al am much better, Alice dear; you always
make me better"
And now the music from below carss up tc
their little room, telling them that all was gay
and joyous there. Alice listened some min
utes, and hearing a favorite song ventureC
down into the hall She bad only been ther'
few minutes when Mary leighton came
sweeping out leaning on the arm OF ore OF he