The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-09-21

II l have forgotten how - dance. ana
humming an air, she hoated gracefully
about the room.
She stopped breathless, her cheeks
brilliant from the exercise, her splendid
hair di~aranged.
Il believe | feel like the stiff old Mrs
Franklin, with whom dancing dosen :
agree"
"One more song by that heavenly voice
Miss Franklin, and l shall 90 away
dreaming | have heard the angels sing.
in the Iudicrously affected voice she had
before initiated.
.'Ah,'' she laughed, vet half sadly. ''the
compliments poor old housekecpar
Mrs Franklin receives. l hone won't quite
spoil her. and turn her silly old head.
She sat down again at the piano. and
sang Home, Sweet Home" then played
one OF Beethoven grandest, most
solemn pieces.
She rose; closed the piano.
The carnival is ended Kate Frank
lin disappears from the scene, and Ma
dame Franklin enters.
Neither Mr.. Dayton nor the servants
D.. would have suspected from the placid
dignified department of the houseleeper
when they returned at evening, OF what
strange freaks she had been guilty.
The housekeeper, as usual, when Mr.
{ Dayton was alone, sat at the table
1t had commenced to rain violently, and
the weather had grown suddenly cold.
Mr. Dayton, as he had done occasion
ally, invited her to the library. where
was cheerful fire in the CRATE He
read the letters and papers which ne had
brought from town, while she knitted
An hour or more passed Ill silence; III
deed. the housekeeper seldom spoke, eN-
cept when asked question. At length
/ Mr.. Dayton looked up at her, and said,
/ abruptly;
Yours must be a lonely life, Madam.
If it is not painful subject, may | ask
/ how long since you lost your husband :"
/ Two hands suspended their employ
ment. two eyes looked up at him with
an alarmed expression In his serious.
sympathetic countanence, there was
nothing to frighten or embarrass, bat the
red grew deeper in the brown check
1t is painful subject she said nj
last falteringly. "If you viii please eN
cuse me"
Pray pardon me. Madam. II was
farthest from my wish or thought to give
you pain he returned. with grave cour-
4 tesv His manner, after this, was even
kinder than before. II became his Gus
evening.
She commenced to decline: but as he
invaribly insisted upon a reason. it was
not always easy to find one II She gave
household cares. he called one Of the
servants to attend to it Once. she frank
" told him il was not agreeable, bat she
never did it a second time; for, Il week,
he had wrapped himself in impenetrable
reserve, looked cold and gloomy, never
/ speaking, except from necessary ciyility,
At last, the poor housckecper could
bear it no longer After tea, without an
invitation. which had not been extended
since that night, she took her Knitting,
and went into the parlor. The first APP
proach to q smile she had seen on his
face for many days frightened it then,
/ but he did not say 4 great deal.
After this, it became the regular cgs
tom There could be no danger to him
in the gray hair, the seemingly aged face
and figure before him; but WAS there
none to her, evening after evening. sit
ting opposite the manly, handsome fellow,
knowing his goodness, and lar9e-heartea-
ness, listening to his intelligent and
polished conversation
One morning he was speaking of the
great loss to children, in being deprived
Il never knew mother. he said.
..She died before my earliest rccolloc-
tions | believe that, man as am. If |
had a mother, | should 90 TO her with all
my gricfs. as little child would. / have
sometimes thought of asking you to act
as mother in the quiet evenings, when /
have longed to contiic in some one.
NV mother would have been about your
age. | think
Again there was vivid color in the
brown cheek of the houSehecper, such
as is rarely seen in the aged, and it was
accompanied by quiver Of the mouth,
and a snothered noise. which ended in
cough. but both mouth and check were
quickly covered with handkerchief and
qlte a violent fit of coughing succeeded.
Mr. Dayton, however, had not seemed
TO notice, though he had given her one
curious glance. instantly withdraw. and
he continued For in stance. respecting
matrimony whose advice of 50 much
value as = mothers. Who 50 quick to
see through character. and make Z wise
selection : Had YOU son, who aHoat
here would YOU select fora daughter in
law, Mrs Franklin 2
Il am not acquainted with any of the
young ladies, Mr. Dayton, she answered
family. after pause during which she
seemed to wait for an answer
True. but yol have seen them all,
and are, I should Judge. a good diserner
of character, from observation VINO
should you select from those You have
seem he persisted
She Redeemed and pa,el
Il have heard the Misses Grandson
highly spoken Of Their appearance
would seem to prove the truth l doubt
not YOU agree with me she returned.
quietly.
1t was now his turn to color, which he
did. slightly.
Il do agree with you, he answered
emphaticallv,
Il IS to be. then. as supposed. said
+ the hoGsckeeper to herself. a. she went
up to her room
II was late in September Nr Dayton
a1i the house Epp,1e- y-ora 18Th - tho