Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-05-05
:, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENN'A.
OLD SERIES, VOL. 26, NO. 80.

!, with her eyes too wide open, Martha; is
rather unsocial, likewise. She wanted to get
out of the way of the weddings, and posi-
lively refused to be Apgelinc's bridesmaid ,
"Ah - sighed Martha. chats it. Poor
FOOLISH chii,i, think of falling in loven-- r
l almost jumped off my chair. "I'll not
,ieur a word of it-I declare / will not Pll
neeP ,ne young fellow off my premises with
Inh;. and spring guns. Ill go back to
",.n,,m you tell NE of another engage
mo chance of that ~ and Martha sboo,x
her head more tllearily ,han aver ..ponr
child, fear it is an unlor,uno,a attach.
; ment ~
1rghtened up-so much go. that nv
sister looked, nay, gently limited, her con.
viction that was 'bruten She exuec,ad
| would have been as sorry as she was!
"No, Martha; am rather glad. Glad
after my experience of these fortunate love
affairs. to find that one of my sisters has the
womanly courage, unsefishness, and sim
piicity to conceive an unfortunate attach.
ment.ih' E H.o ...fr.. -. ....-.... ..
Perhaps this speech hurt Martha, and yet
it need not. She and both knew and re-
spected one another's youth; and if we diff
fered IN opininn concerning our middle age,
why-l WAS as likely to be wrong as she
:
/ out comment, she explained to me her unea-
siness about Constantia. The girl had long
played contidant to Mr. Archer in the matter
of Angelina, and, as often happens, the con-
fidant had unwItlingly taken too great
interest in one of her principals, until she
found herself envying The lot of the other.
When Mr.. Archer's dismissal finally broke
off all intercourse with our family, there was
one of my sisters who missed him wearily,
cruelty, and that was-nOt Angeine.
! l was touched. Now, no doubt Constan-
tia had been very foolish. Little doubt,
likewise, that the feeling would wear itself
out, or fade slowly away in the stern truths ;
but ut present it was a most sincere passion,
/ sad and sore
! Martha ard held counsel together and
acted on the result. We took Constantia
under our especial charge; We gave her
+ books to read, visits to pay, work to do;
keeping her much as possible with one or
other of us, aud out of the way of the child
ish Irritation of Cuthbert and Charlotte, or
the formal phiandering of Sir Rowland and
the future Lady Griffith Jones. And ii.
sometimes, as Lizzie told me-my little
Lizzie, who laughed at love and lovers with
the lghtness ut siXteen-Constantia grew
impatient with Lotty's careless trifing, aud
curled her lip scornfully when Angelina pa
iadtd the splendors of hpr tr0ussedu. we
tried to lead the girls mind out of herself.
and out OF dreamland altogether, rs much
as possible. ..
But suppose" Lizzie sage.y argued
suppose, when Angeline Is married. Mr..
Archer should come back He always liked
Constanta extremely. Who knows but
I shook my head, and desired the little
castle. builder 10 hO,d her tongue
! She WAS our sole sharer OF the secret and
i must say, though she laughed at her now
and then, Lizzie Was extremely loving and
/ patient with Constantia. After time, we
/ lett tue two girls wholly to one another,
more especially as my time was now taken
up with my new friend Launceston.
! o the comfort "a real honest man-who
had some sterling ain and object in life
some steady work To do-snme earnest in
terest in the tvance of the world, the duties
ana pursuits of his brother men; who was
neither handsome, witty, nor accomplished ;
! who rarely shOne in ladies' society in fact,
rather eschewed it than otherwise. For, he
said, nature had untitled him to act Ihe part
! of II mere admirer, and adverse fortune for
bade him to appear in the character of Il
lover; ST. he kept aloof, keeping his own
company and that of one or two old friends
like myself.
| wns fond of Lannceston | wished my
family TO like him too but they were all too
busy about their own affairs. Evening after
evening, could not get any of my sisters to
make tea for us, or give us a little music
afterwards, except the pale, dull looking
! Constantia, or my bOnny rose of June, little
Lizzie. AT last, we four settled into small
daily company, and went out together, read
together, talked together continually. ]
kept these two younger ones MS much AS
possible in our unromantc practical society.
that not only my mind. but Launceston's in
its thorough cbeertulness and healthiness of
tone, might uneonsciously have good infu
ence upon Constantia.
The girls spirit slowly began to heat
She set aside her dreaming, and took with her
ull the energy of her nature TO active work
-wOmen's ork-charity, school teaching,
villagevisiting, and the like She put II
little tco much "romance' into all she did
still hut there was life in it. truth. sincerity
"Miss Constance will make an admirable
lady all work." said Launceston in his
quaint way, watching her with his kindly
and observant eyes. "The world wants such.
She will find enough to do"
And so she did: enough TO steal her too
from my side, almost as much as the three
fadceeS. The circle in my study dwindled
gradually down to Lizzie, Launceeston, and
me.
We were excellent company still, we three.
| had rarely had so much Of my pet sister 5
society; | had never fopRd it SO pleasant.
True, she was shyer than usual, probably
from being with US two, Older aud wiser
peope-meu likewise-but she listened 20
our wisdom so sweetly-she bore with our
dry, long worded learning SD patiently-tha
my study never seemed itself unless had
the little girl seated at my feet, or sewing
quietly in the window corner And then
she was completely "a little girl.n had nn
forward ways--no love notions, or, ten times
worse, marriage notions, crossing her limo
cent brain. felt sure could take her into
my closet heart, form her mind and princi-
Piles at my will, and one day make noble
woman of her, after the pattern of-but l
never mention that sacred name. .., ...
loved Lizzie-loyed her to the core of
my heart. Sometimes with fatherly, more
than even brotherly pride, used to tar tn
Launcestou of the child's sweetness, but he
always gave me short answers. 1t was his
way. His laconism in most things was re-
ally astonishing for man under thirty.