South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1874-10-23

going.
Doesn't her ball dres Gt?'
Yes, beautifully
What is the matter then 2
Indeed, ma, | cannot tell. You bad
better SO up and see her. Il is the s,ran-
gest notion in the world. Why you could
nj hire me to stay at LONE
Mrs. LlNpLEY went up stairs and enter
ed her daughters room, found her sitting
on the side of TIE bed, With beautiful ball
dress 10 her hand
1t isn't possible, HELEg, that you are
not going to this ball z she said.
HELEN looked up with a half serious,
half smiling expression on her face.
I've been trying for the last b a!f hour ,
she replied, 'to decide whether ! ought to
60 or stay at home. | think perhaps
ought to remain at home.
But what earthly reason can you have
for doing so? ? Don't you Ike your dress ?
or, yes, very much. | think it beau
tiful!.
Doesn't it fit your
AS well as any dress ever had
Very well.
Then Why not 60 TO the ball 1t will be
The largest aud most fashionable Of the sea-
son, You know that your father and my =.
self are both going We shall wan, to see
you therc of course. Your father will re.
Qnire some very god reason for your alb
sence.'
HELEN looked parplcxoi at her moth
er's last remark
DO you think father will be disp,cased
if remain at home 7? she asked
i think be gill, unless you can satisfy
him that your reason for doirg 20 is a We
rs good one. Nor shalt fee You are do
ing right. | wish all my children to act
under the government Of sound Judgment.
Impulse, or reasons net 10 la ,poken Of
freely to their parents, shoull in no case
Influence their actions
HELEN sat !houghtfu,ly for moro than a
minute, and then said, her eyes growing
dim as she spoke, Il wish to stay at home
for EDWARDS sake
And why for Lis sake, ny d arp
'llo doesn't 90 to the ball, you kuoE.'
'Eecause he is too young and too back
ward. You couldn't hire Inn to 90 there.
But that IS 10 reason Why you should re-.
main at home. You would never par,akc
OF social amusement, were this always to
influence you. let him spend the evening
III reading. lie must rot expect bis sisters
10 deny Themselves all .ccreation iu which
he cannot or will not partieipae'
'lle does not. | Euov Be you'd not
hear TO such thing as my staying al home
on bis account
Tuen why stay +
because | feel that / ought to do so
This is The way have felt all day when
ev9r thought Of goipg Il | we're to 90,
know that ! would not have n moment :
erjpyment lie necd know why ! remain
at home. II tell him that did not wish
to 90 will satisfy bis mind.
= shall not urge the matter, IfELEw.'
Mrs, LINDLEY said after a silence of some
moments. You are old enough to Judge
in matter of this kind for yourself. But
must say, / think you rather foolish.
You will not fad EDWARD disposed to sac =
rifce so much for you
OF that DO do not think mother. Of
that ] ought not to think
perhaps not. Well, you may DO ~ you
like. But 90 rot know CHAT your faith
er will say.
Mrs. LINDLEY then isft the room.
EDWARD LINDLEY was at the criticalsro
Of eighteen; that period when many young
men, especially those who haze LigLly en-
j,ycd bail But EDwARG was shv, tim
ii aud basbful in company, aud could
hardly ever be Induced to 90 out to par,
ties with bis sisters. Sill he was intoi-
gent for bis years, and ooWpooionabIe
Ills many COOL qualities eBdearod him to
hi' family, aud drew forth from his sisters
toward bin a vc.y tender regard.
Among bis male friends we're several
about his own age, members Of families
with whom bis owl was on friendly terms.
With these he associated frequently, and
with two or three others, quite intimately
For a month or Two HELEN noticed that
one or another Of these young friends call
cd every now and then Tor EDWARD in the
evening, and that be vent out with them
aud stayed until bedtime. But unless his
sisters were from home, be never went out
Of bic own accord
The fact Of his being out with these
young men bad from the first troubled HE-
bEN, though the reason Of her feeling
troubled she could not tell EDWARD had
good principles and she could not bring her
self TO entertain fears Of any clearIy dehn.
cd evils. Still a sensation Of unessiness
was always produced when he was from
home in the evening
Her knowing that EDWARD would 20
out, after they had all left, was the reason
why HELEN did not wish 10 attend the
ball. The first thought Of this had produ-
ccd On unpleasant sensation in her mind,
which increased the longer sbe debated the
question ofgong away or remaining at home.
-Floal'y she decided that Sue should not