Year: 1863

Hnrk, the rustic Of dress,
Stiff with lavish cOstlineSs


Here comes one whose cheeks would flush


But to have her garments brush


'Gainst the girl whose fingers thin


WOve the weary 'broidery in


Bending backward in her toll


Lest her tears the silk might spoil,


And, in midnights chill and murk,


Stitched her life into the work"


Half buried in the velvet cushions of one
of the luxurious arm chairs of an apartment
furnished with magniiicencc an Eastern
Sultana might envy, sat an elderly lady hab-
tied in costly and most elaborate undress
Her face had been fair to look upon but
by long practice in the fashionable art of
conceaing all expression, she had succeeded
in wiping out from her features everything
of the kind, save one of cat-like distrust
and naughty self-conceit.


Listessly reclining upon ayielding lounge
was young lady of seventeen or eighteen,
with a set of features most rarely beautiful.
Still with face and form of perfect symmetry,
the long lashes of those usually downcast
eyes could not conceal III their occasional
overnight flashes, the pride and discOn-
tent of Il heart warning within itself; also i'll
the pettish curl of her faultless lips, and in
the naughty arching of her exquisitely PEN
ciled brOws could you read the same.


Beautiful as had been the mother, and as
was Bertha, her favorite daughter, 10 one
for an instant could accuse the elder daugh-
ter, Caroline, of being even good looking.
Hopelessly homely, her face expressed most
plainly that she had never forgiven either
father or mother for her i'll looks, nor her
sister for being so favored.


Like stray sunbeam i'll q scowling pic
ture was the presence in that family group,
Of Clarice the youngest daughter. If she
was pretty, she did not know it. Her de-
light lay, not in herself, but in the tame birds
and squirrels in Strauss ard Labitzky's
waltZes-which she was forever playing ;
in dancing fancy dances and in ditfusing
the warmth and joy of her own sunny tenn
per among the ever-contending members Of
her family.


"Clarice, do stop that intolerable drum
ming on the piano! | wish to read some
thing to mother"


Certainly, ifyou wish it, sister Caroline (;
for my fingers fairly ache with the last at
tempt" replied Chricc, WALKING with the
lightness Of fairy across the room, her
voice softly echong the air she had just
been playing.


You might as we'll be a humming top,



zing as you keep up"


What were you going to read to me,
Caroline ?" said Mrs. Winslow.


AN announcement of the death and fail
ure of Mr.. Walter Lee"


"Of Walter Lee Caroline, did you say
of Walter Lee p


Il think spoke sufficiently plain for you
to understand the name


Walter Lee How shocking When did
he die p


Very suddenly, last evening and the
paragraph states that his death was proba-
bly, occasioned by the startling announce
ment of the failure of the house in which
all his property was invested"


~ suppose his widow and daughter will
look to us now for their support, said the
hitherto silent Bertha"


DO tell me, Bertha Winslow, if you have
aroused yourself sufficiently to make such
wise remark" sneered Caroline. 81
! thought you had been fast asleep ever since
breakfast. All can say is, if you suppose
| it-I suppose Walter Lees family will not
be SO weak as to imagine they have claim
upon us merely because Mrs. Lee happens
| to be the sister of my father"
Ruth Lee has many accomplishments
She will doubtless conclude TO maintain her
sell and her mother by her own industry,
said Mrs. Winslow.


| do not recognize any claim they have
upon u.s." persisted Caroline. If people
are careless in business, it is no reason they
should depend upon those who are more
prudent"


At the first word that announced her uu