The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-02-14
NEW ORLEANS SUNDAY MING FEBRUARY I4 1859.


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retire, MIS-. Lock called her attention to,a doc
uncn6 that hung over the martel- piece, in a
richly gilt frame Laura had observed ii. and
seeing that it occupied the place of honor, sup.
posed it to be seaa5 felgs-of ssome departed
hero-a letter, perhaps, Written by Washinrton
himself. She coRld scarcely then conceal her
surprise, when Mr. Lock, drawing her CLOSE up
TO tbs inaStel-piece, Sid
-"See that, Miss LAMBERT Now, If yori make
my chiidfeu smart enough 10 win such an
honor as that dipomay conferred on me- II ask
nothing better and they may snap their fingers
~ I I,.o witt as good an education
Laura bowed her assent, and taking q last
looked at the fipurisaing lie issued by the Acad-
them goodnight.
Reaching her room she found a little tiarki,.
blowing mp q bright wood fire in a chimney.
pig enough to hold an old-time Christmas was
sail Drawing her table close up to it, she at
once commenced o long letter to her mother,
hlled with every incident, thought and feeling
that had tranpired since they parted. ~ .ssa
Among the occasional visitors Mt the pianfa-
ton was Mr.. Rockwell widower--yefy
handsome, very rich-tfle representative of the
polftic party in the State, the Ge-
danghtersto dispose Of Il WAS evident. "a every
one that ne had taken a great fancy TO Laura
ut first sight, and she, finding him cuIfi-
waited md kind, and ola enough to be her fae
ther. felt no restraint in showing that she re-
It was not long, however, before this state Of
things, backed by various attentions in the
way OF books, papers, and flowers, became
Hoised abroad, and produced o hard-toned fit
of indignation among the scheming mammas
and ambitious, jealous daughters.
That such q chit OF o giri-a poor teacher.
should presume TO set herself UP as the equal
of their daughters, and practice all kinds of
artfnl tricks, and affected innocence and sim
piictty to catch the best match in the country
was not to be borne and Mrs Lock must be
demonstrated with npon the folly of employing
such child, as If she could teach girls nearly
as old as herself. OF course, they had suppos
ed that she had engaged o middle-aged, settled
down woman, instead of such n presaming
firt as Miss Lambert proved herself to be. I
Accaydingly Mrs! Lock soon found but the
one subject alluded to by her visitors, and
yet the constant inuendoes in ono quarter and
the outspoken sentiment in another. began
slowly to take the desired effect. >. n
One evening, as Mr.. Rockwell was taking
leave of the family, reaching the door, he sud-
denly turned and addressed Mrs. Lock: a
: BY the way, Mrs. Lock- had almost fcrzz1
gotten one of the objects of my visit here to-
night; 1t is this. i have met several times a
young gentleman in town, whom IySould like
very much to introduce to some of our resident
families. He is q stranger in the country, and
though i know nothing of his antecedents, still
Twill stake q1y-xcrd th&t-he- Is a gentlenaIa.n
Bring him. by ah means he'll be heartily
welcome. And that reminds me that we are
going to havea dinner company on Thursday,
for our new minister, and a few others to meet
him so, Mr. Rockwell, will yon not come too
and bring your new friend with youf It shall
never be said of Sarah Lock that she shut hsr
door in the face of a stranger II
=" Your hospitality, madam, is too widely
known for any aspersion of that sort. shall
certainly be'with you on Thursday so now,
ladies, au TerOirp - IL
What strange way Mr.. Rockwell has of
bidding lady good by" said Mrs. Lock, when
he was safely out of hearing.
have never Observed anything very pecu-
" Why, don't you notice that his last words |
nearly always is, o ri-verP I am sure I CAN'T
see any connection between us and river, un- I
less, indeed, he has o fancy for spending his /
Fortunately for Laura, at this moment one |
of the children ran into the room with some
special call on; her attention; so she had her
quiet laugh without Mrs. Lock suspecting her
blunder to be the cause 15- % !
The day for the dinner party arrived, and |
children and governess, in honor of the ocea-
sion, were free from duty at 12 o'clock. Laura !
offered her services in arranging flowers for the I
table-a very novel idea to Mrs. Lock, who
thought that only such things as could be eaten |
were proper But as she was ready to learn /
'city-ways," she gave her assent, and was /
astonished and delighted with the result. No
less 50 was Laura, when she saw the large I
amount of silverware that was brought forth /
from its hiding place to deck the feast; but when
Mrs. Lock appeared, radiant in purple satin
and diamonds, She began to realize how far a
passion for show can absorb all sense of every
lay comfort and the refinement OF q uniform
taste. As she had been requested to q look her
best, RfieschOse for this occasion Mario Louise (
blue silk ahdeoral ornaments; A Honiton lace
collar and u red iaponica placed inTfhe golden
waves of her hair completed her toilet and
allotted loud demonstrations on tho part of the
lhildfen, and q pasTonizing approval from
Mrs. Lock as to her success, t-ss--=1+2-1+f
Shortly after, Mr.. Rockwell w.as seen ap-
the house, and Laura felt the blood
11ount co her face as se recognized in his cUrn-
1anion the handsome stranger of the ErfnSi- 81
% Why exclaimed MIR. Rockwell, ON seeing
;tle11 IIest MS OLD UqUatntAncee, thOaEdt L
hat I had prepared treat of novelty for Miss
Lambert How 10 1t, Mr.. HaSanJ that you
never told me of your former acquaintance