The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-01-20
OUR KEzIAH.


Mr.. Carlton was rich merchant swhe
resided in the West Indies, and Keziah
was his only child, having lost ket
mother in infancy. / remember when
she first came to the school where I was
taught the 'humanities." 1t was SEM
mary under the care of two. Quaker
ladies, in Race, street Philadelphia. One
line morning, a great while ago-I never
remember dates--a beautiful carriage
drove up. to the door OF our quiet man
sion, and tall salloW-looking gentle
man, richly dressed, descended from it,
and handed out a little fairy OF a girl,
about dozen years old, and conducted
her into the ;parlor, where they We're re-
ceived by the elder OF the two ladies
having charge of the school.
The coming OF new scholar is great
event In a boarding school sand thought
| myself fortunate to be present and hear
| the negotiation for her admission. The
| usual inquiries were made, terms settled
on the most liberal scale, and prelimi-
| naries all arranged, and still, to my
great astonishment, there was not a
| word said about her studies.
| At last Miss Placid,,our preeeptress,
| inquired, "What branches dost thou
| wish thy daughter to attend tor"
"Teach her self-control," replied the
father, II have observed,o he continued,
''that persons of your persuasion in
religious matters, acquire early the
habit of controlling those passions and
| desires which are apt to occasion us, un-
lucky people of the world, some of our
greatest troubles and perplexities. 1t
is from this reason that l have brought
my daughter to your school. Teach her
selfeontrol. The rest I leave to your
own Judgment"
! When Keziah commenced her noviti-
ate with US, she was a wayward little
| miss. Indolent, as West Indians are apt
| to be, quick-tempered, volatile, needless;
4 but very plaeable and warm-hearted; !;
she gave the good Miss Placid world
OF trouble, fell out with dozen OF us in
turn, and ended by winning the hearts
OF the whole school before the first term
i was over.
| Keziah's odd name was sometimes a
| source of modification to her. 1t had
been borne by an old maiden aunt, who
had been very kind to her and had won
her very tender regard; SO that any dis
management of the name by us, thought
! less imps, was SO much the more pain
full to her.
One day there came word that Mr..
lCarlton was dead, and we afterWard
learned that he died insolvent. So
iKeziah was obliged to leave school and
70 and live in the country with her old
maiden aunt. Sad enough were we all
when she went away. But her course
was nearly completed. So we should
soon have had to part with her at any
rate.
After I had left school myself, re-
ceived an invitation from Keziah to pass
a month with her in the country, some
forty or fifty miles from Philadelphia.
You may be sure did not fail TO go, for
! was very desIrous to see her again,
and to know OF her welfare.
1t was late in the forenoon when ar
rived at the residence of Keziah's aunt,
snug little cottage on the decllvity of a
hill overlooking the Susquehanna. l
was ushered into neat little parlor,
where found cheerful fire, before
which, seated on either side of q work
table, were KeZiah and her aunt.
Miss Primrose, Miss Keziah's aunt,
was a singular person. Reserved and
stern in her department toward her
neighbors and dependents, and penuri-
4 GUS in her housekeeping, she was devo-
i tedly attached and generous to her
niece. All the tenderness of her nature
was lavished upon her nearest Ielatives,
and nothing which could contribute to
her qualification was spared.
Miss Primrose was understood to be
In the enjoyment of small in-
come from property in Philadel-
/ phia. She received her rents regularly,
paid her bills punctually and asked no
favors. Her neighbors regarded her as
q person well to do in the world; but
rather close in her expenditures. She
received but little company, and since
the arrival Of her niece, she had ap-
peared to center her regards chiefly on
her.
On the morning after my arrival an
elegant gig drove up to the door and "a
1 young gentleman alighted from it and
was usnered into our little parior. He
was introduced as Mr.. Manly--a very
suitable name, by the way, as he was
fine, bold, frank-hearted .young man as
one could desire tG see. Tall and COM
manding in his stature, easy and cour-
teous in his manners, and so handsome
He paid the most marked and deferen-
tial attention to miss Primrose, and his
look and smile when Keziah addressed
him, spoke volumes. / almost enyied
her admirer; for such he evidently was.
i indeed, when he was gone made my
friend confess that he had effected some
progress in gaining her regard. and
could not help frankly telling her that |
wished "Heayen had made me such a
man."
During the month Of my soiourn III the
country, Mr.. Manly was a daily visitor
Miss rrlmrose an.cted not to under.
sGano ms ~1yect; and when, near the
CLOSE =" >. my visit, he made formal
=, proposition to her to marry her neice,
Land take her off with him to New York
She professed the greatest astonishmeni
at his presumption, and gave him not
the slightest hopes OF success.
Il Now came Tor Keziah the usual
struggle between duty and affection
Tne lover was urgent, the guardian in
flexible, and she, poor soul, after u con.
test with her own feelings, which drove
1.-the color from her countenance, and
wrung her heart with agony, came tt
the conclusion to remain and comtori
the declining age of her relative, and Il
dismiss for an indefinite period one wht
seemed formed to render her the hap
piest Of women.
Twas choked, outraged, at the selfish
ness of the woman; and l told Kezial
| that would not have given up SO hand
isome a lover for all the old maiden aunt
4 in the world. But KeZiah took itall S,
gently, reproying my outbreakings, ant
Reminding me that her aunt had been 81
Kind to her when shc was little child
ana had loved her parents so much an,
had treated her so affec tionately OF late