, 1879-05-03
GREYSMEAD NOOK.


~ rractical i1au to name his house With
Ia -,r, ,1c 1crard to the cuphony Of the name.
q Wc NAV wish to sell it some day." he said,
...nd an inviting name may add percentage
-. lie sala:'' then adding, "Engiishmen have
= veakuess respecting 'nooks.'"
had no weakness respecting "nooks ~; they
,,.ongnt to nv minds eye the corner Of the
arrserv where was made to stand for hours
for auy trintng fault that my stepmother's keen
eres never failed to detect
Nv mother died Of decline when l was
a months old. Poor mamma! She had
taken it into her head to become
~aortnriap, and, as it suited my
;ather's purse, cfter feeble renonstrance he
let her 20 ncr own length in the matter, and it,
brought her to the grave An altered diet:was~
sdouted sitter consumption had fatally de-
re}oped, but Of course it came too late. Miss
Ellis. during the last six months OF my mothers
illness, was her most devoted nurse and friend;
and so well did sheact her part that at hisWife's
death-bed my father acceded to the request that
he would finally choose none but Miss Ellis to
tage the place Of wife and mother in the house
hold so soon to be made deso'ate.
When had been motherlcss ten months, my
father married Miss Ellis Some well-meaning
folk called it sheartless, p but my new mamma
sighed p1aintiYcly, and said it was all done for
the sake of the dear motherless babe, who was
mining for mothers care.
The first illustration Of mothcrly care the
adcar babe ~ remembers was my being seized
aud carried off to the nursery, my arms being
violently slapped the whole way upstairs, for
having dared to pick up aud examine the
slyer.bells Of my step-parent's first baby
girl. If ever my father: took me in his
arms on bis return from town, was made to
suffer for it for days,-such was his wife's jea1-
Gus tyranny. One day, for refusing to be
eoreed with por7idge,-heE own child would
not touch it, WAS sent into the snowy garden
and told to play. Poor little mite! The snow
soon filled my thin shoes, and the cook, coming
out 70 see after me an hour later, found me in
the old summer.house at the end OF the garden,
croucning down In comatose state. / nearly
died, Had it not been for the consequences, I
an sure my stcpnother would have been glad
If nv eyes had closed forever.
husband; and indeed, had he known anything
was wrong, he would have been powerless to
set it right. What power has 4 man who will
eacrlhce ANYTHING, even principle itself,
for "peace'' over an impetuous, ~,
hold her own in an iron grasp3
/ was fed on the conrsest OF food, fat pork
and cabbage, al1ernated with porridge, her plea
being that q child OF consumptiVe tendency
could have nothing better than porzicge, and
that int was requisite to give due heat to
feeble body. When,. for appearances sake, l
was allowed to come down to the dining-room,
on the return OF papa to dinner, l was told that
| took cake, when handed to me, far too grecdl-
IL. No doubt | did, being the only dainty I
ever tasted, and that but seldom. OF course
papa believed that / eyinced the same greed ut
ali dimes; he Was also given to understand that
the silence that arose from timidity wis sullen
il1-tcmpcr.
By slow degrees began to understand that
mr. father locked upon the thin, pale, silent
child as quite different being from the plump,
merry, audacious girl who ran to meet him
daily.
Twas about 10 when he bought. or rather
built, Grcysmcad Nook. The meadow on which
the house was built was his own. hence tic name.
Alaree roomy dwelling Of about twenty rooms
was erected, for my father had plenty OF money,
also plenty of children albeit to his regret they
were all girls. Uh, what tagging life had
Although a nursemaid was kept, how could one
pair Of hands wash, dress, and Keep tie ward
robe in order Of seven girls, tic Youngest being
III arns2 Accordingly the charge Of the lattel
aiways fell to my share. Ny arms ache now as
I Think how used to plod from one room te
consolation while they we're babies, the CHILDREN
always loved me, ana so little of that commod-
ttv did get tnat me smallest crumbs were as
% Asmy - stepsfstcrs M began 70 reach; etrlhood, a
clever daily eoverness directed their studies;
To SAFE appearances, was sometimes allowed
to have lessons With them: and, being fond OF
music. and Miss North considering
bad ,sift OF musir' she s.tnsinm encouraged "a
reward her pains by my progress, wnen, one
day, during mv hours practice, jealous ears
caught the sounds from the schooiroou, and
from that time the moment that l touched the
piano Miss Marion'' u was Invariably wanted u
] was deeply disappointed, and many night
did | c:s myself to sleep. Ono day 1 suddenly
came urou some Of the Wavcrler Novels, which
helped to dry my tears, and every spare moment
devoted eagerly to their pcrusal. 4 golden
time followed. for continually lost my ONT
identity in dreaming Of the grand scenes End
heroes ip those fascinating pages.
One evening, while straining my eyes at the
window in the lingering daylight,-1 was fever
ishy eager to finish chapter OF The Fortunes
Of Nigel,'-the book. was suddenly, snatcilec
sister, confronted me. In tone Of indfgna
ton she asked how T had dared tt
tsks tss ,, a book .+ from the nc5 bra5y' rrn
Of astoniEhment overspread her teatures,-m,
presumption was too grcnt to be replied TO
With warnin. gesture sbc left the room. II
a few seconds up came "mamtna*" Never sha!
forget that Storm! Her eyes -ld!I15. E!A4cu
aud her hands opened and shut conyulslvcly
for was fully reused, and in 1ny trouble 1 CT
pect uttered few plain truths.
1t all euued in my being transferred to II
apartment at the other side Of the house.:
drcary place enough at the best of times. But
welcomed the change; for could go out ut VII
b. and roam in dense thicket at the, end Of III!
orchard, where, ii I had only had my belovet
books should hare beeu quite happy N,
meals we're brought to inc regularly bS tn
Nurse, who, when unobserved, alway:
showed me the greatest " OF Kind
ness. The cook also sent b1
her hands many sweet little cake or dainty
Having no other resource, I stitched away in
cessautly. But life was very heavy on MI
hands, and began to form vague plans OF run
ming away, although I feared adventures 1ikt
those Of Margaret in s'The Fortunes Of Nigel
we're out Of date. One evening when purst
brought my tea, she told me, under great prom
~ase Of secrecy. that was going away to school.
Are you sure?' ASKED, hope succeeding
astonishment in nv breast.
well, Miss Marion, YOU see it's begun to &c
ABOUT little as to how they was a-golng OF
with you, and master was afeard as how h1
good name might be split; so he has been ask
ny tue master OF a friend Of mine where hl
oaughters go to school, and it's my belief he'
a7Golng to send you.:' .-.- :
:. .'Aad !.ad where is it to bel" asked eagerly.