, 1865-09-29
DR.. Lees Wife.
OR, THE ORPHAN NEIcE.

I
ing for her child save that old red house, and
that is worth but a few hundred dollars"
"What is to become Of Amy2 what is father
going to do with herP
"Bring her here | suppose and make lady
of her-she will expect to assist you to enter
tain your gentlemen friends in the drawing
room"
"And she may expect, but it will amount to
nothing. won't have the country thing in the
parlor do think father is crazy if he intends
to bring her here"
ooh, that is one of the pleasures of having
poor relatives, but hope when you marry, you
will choose man whose family is at least equal
to your own"
/ wonder if Mrs Stanhope forgot sohat her
family was l wonder if she forgot how she
used to work, when girl, in her fathers tailor
store, making vests and pantaloons. But par
don me- gentle reader have not yet introduced
you to the two ladies' whose interesting con-
yersation have transcribed above
Mrs Stanhope was the bride Of wealthy
merchant, living in style, in the gay metropolis;
he had been attracted by her pretty face, when
she was a mere girl. Her father was his tailor,
and when Mr.. Harvey died, leaving his child an
orphan, Mr.. Stanhope had married her, and
steadily they had climbed the ladder of prosper
ity and now stood upon its topmost rounds
Mrs. Stanhope, naturally weak-minded and
frivolous, was much elated by the improvement
in her husbands circumstances, and assumed
the aifectation and airs-so common among vul-
gar women of wealth. Mr.. Stanhope was a kind
hearted, noble, generous man, and loved to make
others happy around him Two children had
blessed their union, one daughter, whose con-
versation with her mother the reader has listen'd
to- Amanda, at the time our story opens was
seventeen years of age; she was a large, snowy,
dashing looking girl, and much like her mother
in spositon-Harrie, boy of four years, deli
l. e, ~.
fathers petan comfort. Mr.. StanhOpe's sister,
whose funeral he had left his home to attend
had only one child, beautiful girl of sixteen
summers Amy Alleben was all that was lovely
and interesting, and when she entered her nm
cle's stately dwelling, robed in the deepest
mourning, Amanda felt that she had to cope with
a formidable rival.
Mrs Stanhope and Amanda treated the poor
orphan with the most chilling Formally, and
as she sat in her room-three days after her ar
rival, she felt sad hearted and lonely; the tears
were coursing down her cheeks, as she muir
j mured-
"Alas, now that thou art gone, my mother,
have no one to love me-"
81 loves you" said child's sweet voice at
her elbow turning, she saw little Harrie stand
ing, gazing upon her in surprise.
Dear little fellow, " she said, lifting him into
her lap and half smothering him with kisses
then She added, as she united the curly ringets
of his haxcn hair-"Why do you love meP'
cause you amt cross to me like ma and
Manda-Iloyes you and loves papa"
1t was pleasant to be loved by that little
child it was balm to the wounded heart of the
orphan; she was lonely no more, for little Har-
lie was ever her companion, and she cared not
to see the lively visitors in the drawing-room;
she preferred to sit in the library and read to her
uncle, while little Harrie slept soundly upon
her breast, and Mrs. Stanhope was content so
long as she did not interfere with the company of
her daughter. Thus week after week, month
after month passed by. A confidence and
friendship had gradually grown up between
herself and her uncle. When they were cozily
seated in his library, after supper, she would re-
late all that had transpired during the day; re-
peat any cunning speech that little Harrie had
uttered. Oh, how much she enjoyed those quiz
ct evenings, and with what feelings of pleasure
Mr.. Ssauhope looked forward to the evenings
enjoyment during the hours of the day.
BLESSINGS brighten as they take their flight"
Little Harrie was taken suddenly very i'll, and
Amy watched by his sick couch The evenings
in the library were at end, for a time at least,
for Mrs. Stanhope and Amanda were so much
engrossed with company and parties, that they
had no time to spend in the sick-chamher Ev-
erv morning Dr.. Lee came to see his little pa
tieut, but he grew no better, as day after day
rolled by, and then the doctor came twice day,
a few moments longer than the last
Harrie had been i'll some two weeks when
Miss Amanda suddenly became aware of the
fact, that DR.. Lee, wealthy, unmarried man,
and excellent catch,'' was daily in the soci-
ETY. of Amy.
'"Mother, what if that huzzy should use her
powers of attraction and secure the Dr.?
'Ineyer thought of that before--let me see,
the DR.. usually comes at ten, andyou had better
be dressed in a morning wrapper, and seated in
the sick chamber when he arrives, and speak of
the poor child's restlessness during the night,
giving him to understand that you have sat up
with him all night. Use every means in your
power to secure his attention and draw the at
tention from Amy. If it is not too late you may
be able to secure him"
"Trust me III use every means in my power
l wish had thought Of it before"
This conversation was held in the breakfast
room, as the two ladies were slipping their cof-
fee. The evening previous, DR.. Lee had called
and finding little Harrie so much worse, had re-
mained in the sick room all night Amy had
never left her post by the little sufferer couch,
for moment, during the whole long night. Dr..
Lee left the house before the family had arisen
and as a matter of course they were perfectly
ignorant of his stay He had told Amy he
would call again about ten o'clock. few mo-
ments before the clock struck ten, Amanda en-
tered the chamber, arrayed in a gaudy silk
morning gown and flung herself In an arm
chair She had been seated but few moments
before Dr.. Lee entered.
''Ah, good morning Miss Stanhope you look
weary this morning"
eyes, have been up all night with my little
brother" No blush stole over her face as she
uttered this falsehood, and the Dr. could not re-
press a smile as he inquired Of Amy bow Harrie
had rested. After many days Of intense suffer-
ing, little Harrie went away to the angels.
"Like an Ideal thought he came
A star upon Loves crest,
Then vanished like sunset fame,
That warns the ardent West,
And like a thought of priceless worth
Filled with ambrosial leaven,
He passed up to his second birth,
Above the Pleiades seven
One angel less upon the earth,
One spirit more in heaven"
Until little Harrie dying hour, Amanda e1-
erted herself to receive the good opinion of Dr..
Lee, and she fattered herself that she had made
an i'm preston, and was even heartess enough
to say to her mother the morning Of the funeral: