American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-01-27

He gazed at it in silence for some time,
and then murmured GLOW like ~
"You knew our mother !" exclaimed
Harry in surprise.
I" mean, how like your sister," said
Mr.. Nicholson, handing the miniature to
him,
so, yes there is strong family re,
semblance," said Harry "But since you
will not have any more sherry, suppose
we go up to your room, and smoke pipe,
while Susan makes tea"
| When the old man and the young
one had settled down to the mutual alb
sorption of a nice time, the latter referred
again to the subject of his personal affairs.
1.-The only thing | regret said he, is
the way in which my sister is shut up
1t must be a dreadful thing for her, poor
girl, to be alone all day and it is bad for
her to be without any companion of her
own sex"
Have you no relatives or friends ?"
asked Mr.. Nicholson.
Our relatives cast us off many years
ago, on account of a family misfortune.
But there were some friends who got me
my present appointment, and who would
have taken charge of Susan We declined
because of that family affair, for Susan
thought, and thought, that it would per-
haps be brought up against her, if she
mixed in the society to which these
friends would have introduced her. OF
course we did not put our refusal upon
that ground Susan said that she would
not leave me :; and believe they think me
very wrong and selfish. / am not quite
confident that am right myself; and vet
the pride which shrinks from raking up
an old shame can hardly be a false pride
can it ?"
1t is not anything to decide in moment
the degree of pride which every man
ought to allow himself-to point out
where the Proper ends and the False be-
gins-to beat the parish bounds between
self-respect and vanity No wonder that
Mr.. Nicholson putled hard at his pipe in
silence. 1t was evidently no lack Of in
terest that held his tongue, however, for
he turned away his head, and his hand
shook as though he were palsied. And
probably Harry did not look for a reply
he was thinking aloud as much as talking
to the other and presently he perceived
this, and said with laugh-"A pleasant
sort of a companion | must be with my
egotism My excuse is the
relief it affords me to speak out, and there
is no one else upon whom | can inhict the
ideas which sometimes plague me for, of /
course, lwant Susan to think | am as free
from care as lap-dog. And then | seem
to have known you all my life | forget |
that it is hardly six months since we left .
the house together one morning, and both .
walking citywards, fell into conversation.
But | know you will pardon me-
There is no need of pardon" said Mr.
You do me favor by
taking me into your confidence. am
lonely old fellow, who has spent the bet
5er part of his life away from his
country"
"Ah! where?'
"The last few years at Simancas; be-
'ore that in Paris; before that, at Got
ingen. | am little more than musty
Did book-worm crawling from library to
library; living so in the past, as to have
ost all connection with the present. You
lave recalled feelings, sympathies, associ-
ltions, which thought were lost to me
orever," He paused for awhile and then
aid abruptly" How you must hate that
member of your family who brought
lpUn it the shame-of which you speakr
80 no, no, no" cried Harry. You
title think-But | will tell you all about
t some day. | see that you have finished
our pipe, suppose we go down stairs
gain
Sad subjects of conversation did not
recp up again, and the rest of the even
ng, though musical was not ''melan-
holy"