Year: 1860

My voice was raised to louder key;


but no response came. So bent to my


work once more.


But this uncertainty as to where the
child had gone, and what she was doing
could not very long be borne. The time
came when | dropped everything, AMI
started, in some concern of mind, from
the room. I looked into my own cham
Der, but she was not there. called,
but got no answer. Then [ ran up to
the third story, and pushed the door of
one of the rooms open hastily. In the
middle of the bed sat my little truant,
busily at work, with a pair of scissors,
on an elegant lace cape which had cost
me fifteen dollars.


With a quick exclamation and an ex-
cited manner, sprung toward the little
destructive, who, frightened at my tone
and appearance, suddenly threw up her
hands, and 1 saw the sharp points of
the scissors she held, enter her cheek
just below the eye. A scream followed
as the blood ran over her face. What
sickening sense of pain and fear fell
suddenly upon my heart. For some
moments 1 was half paralized with ter
ror and bewilderment. Then catching
up my little darling, I made an effort
to compose myself, and responded to the
sober call of duty. I carried her down
stairs, and though almost fainting at the
sight of her blood, held back my agita-
ton with strong hand, and proceeded
to wash the red stains from her face, and
find out the extent of her injury.


The wound, happily, was not of a Sc
rious nature; but the imminent danger
of losing her eye that she had escaped,
made me shudder whenever the thought
passed through my mind, and so affected
me, that [ grew weak and nervous, and
on attempting, after soothing her to sleep,
to resume my work, found that my
strength was gone.


And SO, in my over eagerness to 'make
good day of it, had compassed the
loss of day.


After trying, with an unsteady hand,
to make my needle do it's work, [ threw
down my sewing in despair, and went
over to the chamber where | had laid
Hetty to sleep. The dark red scar, just
on the orbital verge, rebuked me as
strongly as if it had been living voice.
Dear child! How could | have so for
gotten the needs Of her opening mind?
How could [ have so failed to realize
that, while [ was absorbed in my own
employments, she must have something
to do?


For several minutes I stood bending
over her. Then going to the drawer i'll
which her wax doll was laid, I unlocked
it, and taking out the beautiful effigy,
placed it on the pillow beside her. How
sweet the two faces looked; the living
and the inanimate. [ gazed at them
until my eyes were blinded by tears; and
then went back to the sitting room where
L made another effort to resume my
work. My hand had grown IL little
steadier, but the heart was gone. For
a very short time [ endeavored to force
myself to keep on with my appointed
task; but my mind and body dissented
SO strongly that the garments [ had
hoped to complete were finally laid aside,
not to be touched again until to-mor-
row.


AS I was doing this, sigh for my
lost day passed sadly from my lips. At
this moment 1 heard Hetty's feet and
voice; she had awakened, and finding
Dolly by her side, had forgotten all the
past, and was as happy as child could
be.


"Dear, dear, sweet DollyW she was
singing as blithely as if grief had never
laid finger upon her heart.


ooh, mammal she exclaimed, as she
entered the sitting-room. "You are so
good to give me Dolly to play with
and she came dancing to me, with her
dewy lips put up to mine for kiss.


There was no rebuke on those pre-
cious lips. Oh, no. That kiss was loves
own best expression; and yet it stung me
with remorse.


Hetty trials were over, her grief for
gotten. But ON my bosom was laid the
burden of regret, and could not throw
it off. Her state of disturbance had
passed like the morning cloud and the
early dew; but mine kept pulsing on and
shadowing the hours that might have
passed in cheerful work.


I counted that day lost, except for the
lesson it taught me; for, when I laid my
aching head upon it's pillow at night,
[ could not look back upon any useful
thing accomplished. There had been
fruitless efforts to do many things; but
my restless state kept me fitting and
changing, and my half formed purposes
wrought out no sure results.-Arthur's
Maqazine