Year: 1871

When my mother was girl, some
rumors began to steal through the town
where she lived, about something hav-
ing gone amiss with old Mrs. Wharton:
for, if Mrs. Wharton was not known by
all the townspeople5 she was known and
respected by SO many that it was really
no trifie when she was seen to have the
contracted brow, and the pinched look
about the nose that people have when
they are in alarm, or living a life of
deep anxiety. Nobody could make out
what was the matter If asked, she
said she was well. Her sons were un-
derstood to be perfectly respectable, and
sufficiently prosperous and there could
be no doubt about the health, and duti-
fulness, and the cheerfulness, of the un-
married daughter who lived with her
The old lady lived in house which was
her own property; and her income,
though not large, was enough for COM
fort. What could it be that made her
suddenly so silent and grave /? Her
daughter was just the same as ever, ex-
cept that she was anxious about the
change in her mother. It was observed
by one or two that the clergyman had
nothing to say when the subject was
spoken of in his hearing. He rolled
I
at the ceiling, and then stuck his chin
deep in his shirt-friIl: but these were
things that he was always doing, and
they might mean nothing, When in
| quired of about his opinion of Mrs
| Wharton's looks and spirits, he shifted
his weight from one foot to the other, as
he stood before the fire with his hands
behind him, and said, with the sweet
voice and winning manner that charm
ed young and old. that, as far as he
knew, Mrs. Wharton's external affairs
were all right; and, as for peace of mind,
he knew of no one who more deserved
it. If the course of her life, and the tenn
per of her mind did not entitle her to
peace within, he did not know who
could hope for it. Somebody whisper
ed that it would be dreadful if a shock
ing disease should be seizing upon her
whereuPOn he, Mr.. Gurney, observed
that he thS b he should have known
if any sucH~l-ing was to be apprehend-
ed. As far as a fit of indigestion went,
he believed she suffered occasionally !;
but she did not herself admit even that.
DR.. Robinson, who was present, said
that Mrs. Wharton's friends might be
quite uneasy about her health. She
was not troubled with indigestion, nor
with any other complaint People
could only go on to ask one another
what could be the matter. One or two
agreed that Mr.. Gurney had made very
skillful answers. in which he was much
assisted by his curious customary ges-
lures but that he had never said that
he did not know of any trouble being on
Mrs. Wharton's mind.


Soon after this, like mysterious
change came over the daughter; but no
disasters could be discovered to have
happened. No disease, no money loss
es, no family anxieties were heard of !;
and, by degrees, both ladies recovered
nearly, but not altogether. They ap-
Peared somewhat subdued, in counte-


nance and bearing, and they kept a
| solemn silence when some subjects were
talked of, which often turn up by the
| Christmas fireside. 1t was years before


the matter was explained. NV mother
was married by that time, and removed
from her smoky native town, to a much


brighter city in the SOUTH She used to
tell US, as we grew up, the story of Mrs.
| Wharton, and what she endured: and


we could, if we had not been ashamed.


have gone on to say, as if we had still


been little children, tell us again. -


When we are going into the north to


visit our grandparents, it was all very
well to tell us of coal wagons that we
should see running without horses, or


iron rails down in the roads : and of the