The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-01-11
Aunt Laura's Room.


At school. and who lived in par, Of the ccunsv
several hundred nses from where rssdod. rhers
was going 70 b. , grand rnusicsi festival in tss
cath edra town near which her family resided. and
they were anxious that should arrive In time ia b
thoroughly rcrted before 10 took plsoe orc,nn-
stances however, prevented my reaching thsnp ~
the very evening before the commencement, Of The
festival; and ,boush was greeted with the vsrmnss
welcome yet was good deal annoyed 10 ind
that my letter had not been received. Tley had
naturally concluded ths, there was probability
OF my making my appearance smong them snt
from the numerous party assembled. and the whis-
pertng' that perceived going 90 between nv
friend Lucy Manners and her mother I infvrcd
that my accommodation FOR the night was not likely
TO b. effected without inconvenience. I expressed
my regret, but Mrs. Manners assured me ,hsi Z
should have her daughters room, shere shonlS
be very comfortable and Lucy SAID abe and AIMS
would have no objection In the world W sleep 10
Aunt Lsurss room.
"But why no, put me thcre'" Inquired Ard
leave you in possession Of yonr own room. I. -
| hsuntel'' added, seeing look that I could nos
very well interpret exchange between them.
"os dear nor" was the reply; but IL IA ,eh
WY hi'oh1 Iiha0N W etN wv III Wv hahh ~
putting strangers there"
| IN that Is nll, am 90 tired thai II will make
| very little difference where am shut up for the
nish. a. shall SION he in sound sleep: ami sup
pose may have candle in the morning, II be to-
dark " sce 70 dress iherc wlthou, opc,'
Lucy volunteered 70 be my companion during hs
night as she said she thought / might feel rsthor
nervous alone and when the party separated shous
| an hour after my arrival, we took our courss Up
and down several sights Of s:ars and through son,s
gloomy PASSAGES nl we entered tho door Of large
apartment and my irt exclamation was, "wh,s
| very strange room!"
| The door was covered with black cloth, and the
| wall. were hung with the same maternal N. WIN.
dow-cursains Of black velvet, sad the drsre-v
| Of the bed was Of n similar dcscr pton vhiH -
canopy was surmounted with punches Of ssb's
| plumes, which nodded in the night breeze We
entered, for the window had been len open rnsts
the fire bum up more quickly.
The Counterpart was Of black velvet, with .
broad white border exactly resembling pail, .nd
the rest Of tho furniture was Of the mos, sahls
hue.
Poor Aunt Laur, spent several years in this
room" said Lucy "anl II you arc not too tired.
|
halr."
60 amer We hai STATED ourselves by the blazing
fire, be,an ty saying " should have thought
that mclnnchoy-loo.inF gentleman bad boon ,bs
occupant Of this room =" and pointed to . snan
picture the fireplace Of a very Handsome, bus
extremely wrotohot.looking, young man, who wus
leaning his back against a trse and gazing upon .
river flowing before him With what thou Sht mis-
nnthrorcal and bitter look.
Lucy said that picture was not rlsccd there IN
her aunrs days and thea -sScd II her aunt were
an Old Iody when immurcd here.
Just three. and-tv'u!y," was the reply, when
she closed thi, door upon the world for ever; and
very handsome. Mamma one day met with an on.
| craving, which she said reminded her so much Al
what Aunt Laura was on the day Of mammals mar.
rage She showed It to her, and told her 80. dare
say YOU may have seen H. IL Is called the Brides
maid,' and n lovely thing IL Ia.
Aunt Laura said that day had been . verv
wretched one H. her. But must frst tell you VT a,
! an odd will grsndpspa made. lie was 40 .,rnd
lest shy one should marry bis daught ers for uooev
that he len this house and estntc 10 them Jointly ~
long as they we're single; but they were " give up
| all their share Of 1t wheno~er they married, ana
were to have no icht t. any Of the properly mi
they became widows when il WAS again 10 be the,r
| home ifthey chose II.
"N1w Aunt Laura was TO he rnarri~i forth vh,
| after mamma, aud II was very natural she shonld
he fa ut the idea OF this place being let 10 stranger,
for nobody knew how many years. and ii a. poitb ~
she nor her sisters could occupy II ngnin I'll MANY
sorrowiul scenes had been passed through but she
| was always very superstitious nud When a. school
ste ana COMPANION hid one evening stolen ont "a
save their fortunes told BY gypsy. Her comnsp D..
| ions doom vas destined 10 be an Early death she
had long forgotten tho predictions but that nornlns
tho account Other friends death had roach ed new
| and she could not Danish nom her mind tho yor1.
which tho g'psy had addressed 10 herself that r,
tween Ter cug bridesmaid and bri IL The inter.
vnl would lie verg shor, but between the bride and
| the widow shorter stu
"she tried to fancy the srell was broken, bv h,,
having ohiiatel once as brdesmad, when lh,ls
girl IN Indie, before the pre- ctIon was uttered :
hut Il was Of no use, and she became unhappy shs
was distressed, too when she recoleced how ht,l.
che knew Of Nj Ashhournc, whom she should .,
coon promise 10 lOye, honour and obey = and .ho
felt alarmed lest tie cloud she 81 often saw on his
brow should become settled there, and that shs
might not always lie abe 10 make him cheerful a.
she coul at present.
"Acither mamma, nor my other auntA nor thei,
husbands par culGrly lkod Nc AsAhourne, thou n
ttege Was moth NJ that cogld positively he asii
against him but there was moolincss aud ab.
stEsct.on that never le him, except In Aunt LsurAs
presence To others he always ApI ID ~ In Il a,
pl tITo YOU were looking a. just pow.
The marriage took place, but about Q week Al.
ter Mr.. Ashbourre was taken III At usrrowg.,o-
w9cu they bad lust arrived and in less shan an.
other week Aunt Laura was widow, and npa,r Al.
sole inhahtAnt Of Ihis house Of course her So.
came 70 her hut lhe did nJt wish them 10 rcmnIn
and Ehe very soon mad this room and dress .r1C,,
htIoi IN as you now see, and never assIn Len
| them.
MAMMA could not help fearing her mind va.
accic from her conduct ~ this respect az well ,s
from thr sran'e account she gave 81 Mr., Ashb1ur,
nc's ho,otn.ag NJ nor was II FOR some wears thh,
tbs egl Ia ned satisfactorily. She said thatLe
tore their marriage, Mr.. Ashbourne La! told her h.
q rhouln no man could ever !OryVc l. a vii. ~ .