The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-08
FROM BIA clSwoodas .Nagazine.l
LINDA TRESSEL.

mother to.you. I will not say that |
have done my duty by you
You have, aunt, always said
Linda, taking her aunt's hand and
pressing it affectionately.
But have found, and I-expect to
find, child's obedience. 1t is good
that the young should obey their
elders, and should understand that
those in authority over them should
know better than they can-do them
Linda was now altogether astray
in her thoughts and antelope
tions. Her aunt had very fire.
quently spoken to her in this strain;
nay, week did not often pass by
without such speech But then the
speeches would come without the
solemn prelude which had been made
on this occasion, and would be caused
generally by some act or word or look
or movement on the part ofsLinda, of
which Madame Staubach had found
herself obliged to express pdisappro-
baton. On the present occasion the
conversation had been commenced
without any such expression. Her
aunt had-even deigned to. commend
the general tenor other life. She
had dropped the hand-as soon as her
aunt began to talk of those In author.
ity, and waited with patience till the
gist of the lecture should be. revealed
to er. hope you will understand
this now, Linda. That which I shall
propose to you is for your welfare,
here and hereafter, even though it
may not at first seem to yeu to be
agreeable
I. What-is it, aunt7" SAID Linda,
jumping up quickly from her seat.
Sit down, my child, and will tell
YOU" But Linda did not reseat her.
self at once. Some terrible fear had
come upon her-some fear of she
knew not what-andashe found it to
be almost impossible to remain quiet
at her aunt's knee. AsSit down, Lin
da, when. | ask you" Then Linda
did sit down; but she had altogether
lost that look of quiet, passive endu-
rance which her face and figure had
borne when she was first asked to
listen to her aunt's words.
1.-THE time in your life has come,
have to think whether it is not well
LUdL you
" But LIDO notwant to be married, "
said Linda, jumping up again. a
My dearest child, 1t would be
better that you should listen to me-
Marriage, you know an honorable
state" nv ao
8 Yes, 1 know, of course. But,
aunt Charlotte = rs
!" Hush, my dear, 4
A girl need not be married unless
she likes. =
I"-If | we're dead, with whom would
you live2 Who would there be to
guard you and guide your -
:" But you are not going TO die.
s Linda, that.is very wicked"
[" AndsNhy can | not guide myself"
= Because you are young, and weak,
and foolish. Because it issright that
they who are frail, = and timid, and
spiritiess, should be made subject to
those who are strong and able to hold
dominion and to exact obedience.
Linda did not at ALI like being told
that she was spiritless. She thought
that she might be able to show spirit
enough were it.not for the duty that
she owed to her aunt. And as for
obedience, though she were willing to
obey her aunt, she felt that her aunt
had no right to transfer her privilege
In that respect to another. But she
said nothing, and her aunt went on
with her proposition. 4
s"Our lodger, Peter. Steinmarc," has
spoken to me, and he is to- make you.
his wife"
Peter Steinmarcl"
Yes, Linda; Peter Steinmarc"
odd Peter Steinmarcl'
s" He is not Old What has his be-
ing old to do with IT %
= [ will never marry Peter Stein
marc, aunt Charlotte.
Madame Staubach had not expected
to meet. with immediate and positive
obedience She had thought it
probable that there might (, be
some opposition shown to her plan
when twas first brought forward p
Indeed, how couldSit be otherwise,
when nlarriage-Was suggested abrupt
" to such girl as Linda Tressel,
even though the suggested husband
had been an.sApolio? What young
woman could have said, 'Dh, certain Z.
ly, whenever you please, Aunt Char 4
Eotte,' to such proposition. Feel
ing this, Madame Staubach would
have gone to work BY degrees, WI uld
have opened her siege Sby gradual
trenches, and have approached the
citadel by parallels. before she at I
tempted7to take it by storm, had she
known Eanythfng Of the ways and
forms of such strategy. But though
she knew thatthere. we're sucH ways
and forms of strategy among tile un-
cody. out in. the world wifh the
worldly, she had practiced non4 such