we do, the

air they se

them ev

ey sha

read jud

shall

INNOC

door, whose cold eye seemed to say, she comprehended at a glance that we were in mischief, and no effort s

how the young lady is, and whe

away my dressing-gown, and gave the last touches to the room; while Mrs. Roberts looked on sardonically, and then told Kitty to go and call her master. I had hoped this order of things would have been reversed, and that Mrs. Roberts herself would have gone to summon my dreaded visitor, leaving me a moment's time to recover my composure, under the genial influence of Kitty's

ng to an absurd degree, I listened for the approaching footsteps in the hall. The door opened, a

g about its being better, while he sat down beside me, and with wonde

ine's-I who had pulled the wool alike over the eyes of governesses and professors-I, who had enjoyed, if ever any did in that establishment, the privilege of doing as I plea

t and in character, above those they are supposed to govern, as were to be wished, and as they sincerely desire to appear. Narrow-minded pedantry and injudicious ignorance often rus

y galling to my pride, for being at the most sensitive period of adolescence, nothing could have been more humbling than to be regarded as childish and immature. Such considerations did not add to my ease of manner, or grace of deportment, and all Mr. Rutledge's well-selected topics of conversation fell to the ground for want of a sustaining power on my side. At last relinquishing the attempt, he turned to Mrs. Roberts, and gave her minute instructions in regard to my medicine and diet, felt my pulse, and pronounced me very much improved; but he judged it, he said, very mu

e is finer from this window than from any other in the house. The slope of the lawn is beautiful, and that opening in the pine grove on the

last illness; she sat a great deal in that window, and your father had it cut to suit her fancy. I remember the very morn

ber something of it.

on. "She died the next spring, when Mr. Richard was in his

, I

ll back into insignificance and oblivion before the iron domination of some stern memory, that touched with ruthless hand, his tenderest affection, that humbled his pride, and baffled his indomitable will. This much I could see, in the restless light of his dark eye, as it wandered over the familiar sc

ing to come in, when Kitty had got nicely fixed with her sewing at the furthest window, and find some excuse to send her away for half an hour or so. Bu

against the window, looked thoughtfully out. The sun had but just gone down, and left the horizon still glowing with his light, without a single cloud to break the unruffled calm of sky and lake. Not a breath of wind stirred the dead leaves that lay thick beneath the trees in the park-not a sound broke the stillness. How hushed and silent the dark house was! How much more to the past did it seem to belong, than to the living actual present. And turn my eyes or thoughts whichever way I might, th

the twilight waxed dimmer and greyer, and the dying fire smouldered on the hearth, and the stillness remained unbroken. Where was everybody; or had I slept over a few years, a

was past service, and could not for its life, have raised flame enough to light a candle. Every minute the room grew darker and chillier, every minute the silence grew more and more oppressive. I began to think of what Kitty had said of the voice that stil

thout than within the room; through the long hall and distant corridors, not a footfall, not a motion; the rustle of my own dress awoke the only echoes. I dared not look toward the end of the hall that I had learned so much to dread; but starting forward and leaning over the balusters I ca

pened on the opposite side of the hall, a light app

ave been difficult to say just

beg your pardon. D

rest. Mr. Rutledge explained that Kitty had been sent to the post-office, and had not returned yet; he was very sorry she had not been at

eary enough; I am afraid you will take cold. You had better co

of its marble pavement, and the darkness of its heavy panels, only made the library, as we entered it, doubly attractive. The fire that would have made any other room uncomfortable at that season of the year, only warmed pleasantly the wide and lofty apartment. As Kitty said, "those great windows let in no end of air, and it took a power of wood to make it fit to stay in." And a "power of wood" now lay, "a

g rows of books, that stood one above another, from floor to ceiling, in every variety of bindi

one who likes books," said Mr. Rutledge, sea

up to the case on the right side of the fireplace, wher

and leaning back, shading his eyes with his hand. "It is rather general, I admit; b

books I like

the sort

I can't tell you exactly-but I like books t

ed smile, "that your answer, I must confess, doesn't give me much light; some people might consid

y knew as well as I, that we had very different tastes, and that my favorite books were as unknown and indiffe

al history. Now, a great many persons

th an effort not to care what he thought of m

ive to those of your age and sex. Now, leaving of

teful, how could I honestly say I liked history? Yet I knew there were some historical works that I had as so

others, if we can only get at them. Suppose you take any shelf, for instance, the lower one

ead off the name, "H

umbled upon history in earnest. How do you s

ve my reasons, which would have involved me in utter dismay and confusion, for in common with mos

asked Mr. Rutledge,

h's Animat

t like that.

iversal History.' I haven't read 'Buffon,' and I th

e shelf

, sir, is 'Irvi

u ever

ad given it to me to

nd it ti

nking how Goldsmith would love Mr. Irving, if he knew about it! Next, sir, comes

en give you Ma

ibrary, and she did n

ou think of hi

idea of extracting a criticism of the great historian from such a chit as I

caulay is probably the most brilliant writer of the century, he is the one who has done the least good.

Mr. Macaulay are so unhappy as to differ on some

nd says even prettier things about Lord Stafford; I know it vexes me when he elevates Cromwell 'into a man whose talents were equal to the highest duties of

o not agre

e wit

that you don't look upon the death-warrant of Charles as the 'Major Charta' of England? Do you mean to say

dead bodies of honor and obedience, faith and loyalty! A

your patriotism as an American, and your veneration for Washington? Were th

marching under very different colors, that Washington fought for; no more the same deity tha

and my own impatience. I altogether forgot my diffidence and alarm; I was too angry and excited to think who it was I was talking to; I only knew he was opposing and tripping me up, and saying the most hateful things in the coolest way, and exasperating me to the highest degree, and not being a bit exasperated

you think just as I do, and have on

spect me of such duplicity?" he sa

ght, such as was now knitting his brow, and fixing his attention over some political debate or Congressional transaction. I might smooth my ruffled temper at my leisure; no danger of interruption or observation; I might solace myself with what consolation was to be found in the reflection, that whatever I had said savoring of exaggeration or absurdity, was by this time doubtless entirely forgotten by my companion. But it was a slim comfort,

ppeared, very fresh and rosy from her walk, and entering,

ing out his hand for them, "the mail is late to-night.

imself to the newly-arrived papers, of whose contents he possessed himself with surprising celerity; and before the servant announced that tea was ready, I had watched his eyes scan rapidly every column of every paper; and looking up from the last one as Thomas made his announ

ed did he appear in his own thoughts; and I, for my part, shrinking behind the urn, considered myself sufficiently taxed in swallowing a cup of tea, which almost choked me, as it was. It was not till the tea-things were removed that Mr. Rutledge allowed himself to open his letters, doing this, as everything else, at great disadvantage, and with some

have considered herself basely deceived, I am afraid, if she had dropped in upon us this evening; the two objects of her solicitude taking tea co

y, sir?" I asked

ning it; but he answered very civilly, that it was rather painful: whether old Sartain had made some blunder in setting it,

ess; and he had been so careful of my comfort, too! Perhaps from that reflection, I was very prompt to drop my book in my lap, and be

your aunt for a l

an five years, sir, s

n at school a

ll. Aunt Edith went away the year after I wa

iderably older tha

st month, and I shall be seventeen the 28th of

u remember th

d in the country, and excepting when we went to town for a visi

land together, and I saw them very

lutions, "do tell me about them. Is Josephine taller than I, a

ions overwhelms me. First, as to height; well (thoughtfully), let me cons

ect before him for three full minutes, while, with

I resumed my seat, "I should say that there was not th

t that odd! It's very nice, isn't

ay you were

osephine used to be such a thin, dark, old-looking lit

ou are; though your additional shade of health and robustness will, I fancy,

my aunt go a great deal

will be the same in New York. In

hand, and looking thoughtfully into the fir

uch wonder upon that; you will like it but too well. Wonder

ent before his eyes; then catching my wis

there,' and have seen its best and its worst, and tasted eagerly of both; and have spent years in its service, and are only disgusted when they find that it will

ght to warn us, if they see our da

d not be heeded. You all have to go through it, and how you come out is only a questi

ant to bel

r youth in vanity, and not reap vexation of spirit; that you can go cheek by jowl with hollowness, and falsehood, and corruption, and yet keep truth and puri

nd I had rather know it now, at the beginning, if I've got

tance; but there are few of us who would not rather take our chances for

ld kind mothers and friends take the young girls they have the charge of, into it? Why sho

across my companion's face at my que

ursuit of pleasure. And then, they must be established in the world; their temporal interests must be attended to. And the myriads offered up on that altar, it would freeze your young blood to know of! And then," he continued, with an amused look at my perplexity, "then there is another very potent reason why they cannot be kept in the nest-for before they are well fledged, the willful litt

keep my resolution. And even if I should see that it was best for me not to go out till I am older, but to stay at home and study and improve

ignoring all beyond the present. That's the snare I would warn you of, my little friend. I know perhaps, better than you do, the trials that lie before you; so when I tell you that you will have need of all the courage, and self-denial, and resolution that

es from the firelight, gazed fixedly upon vacancy, and some time had pass

how many plans of mine in the head. And it is impossible to tell how many days it may be before I am able to travel, even if y

t here very well. I am not in the least hurry, and I hope y

nd he should tell Mrs. Churchill, when he wrote, that I was in a fair way of being made a strong-minded woman; between Mrs. Roberts' austere example in the conduct of the household, and his own invaluable mor

should get away from the subject, I quickly reverted to his letter to my aunt, asking when he should write, and desiring permission to i

ss requiring much time and application, and possi

e for the offer, but considered it, he said, entirely too much to ask of me. I must remember I was still an invalid. I laughed at the idea, and the r

ed under the necessity of writing without demur of myself as "the little girl," and "your young niece;" but there was nothing to be said, a

ther letter. It was one on business, full of law terms and dry details, but fortunately not very long, and wri

uired, taking a fr

re not

wrote the date, and with my pen suspend

my heart failed me, as the teasing French verbs rushed on my bewildered ear; but rallying insta

I would not appear to read it over, of course, for purposes of correction, any more than I would have done the English ones. I managed, however, while looking for an envelope, and wiping my pen, to glance hurriedly and anxiously through it, and was so

t coming downstairs to my meals. He should be most happy to have a companion whenever I felt well enoug

out of the door, which he held open for me, and which he was

and indirectly and respectfully endeavored to ascertain whether I had found master as formidable as I had anticipated. I did not wish to commit myself on this point; but finding that Kitty herself stood in a little wholesome awe of him, I

kind master, is

ngs go on like clock-work, and the Rutledge farm is a perfect garden, everybody says. Better a good deal, I guess, than it used to be in old Mr. Rutledge's time, though there were twice as many men on it then, and twice as much money spent on it; b

rthur Rutledge whe

rthur, and brought on a dreadful fever, and for weeks they couldn't tell how it would go with him. Mrs. Roberts nursed him day and night; I guess she was the best friend he had, for he was the last of the family, you see, and hadn't a relation in the world, and though he had plenty of fine folks for h

y. I pictured to myself the lonely boy, coming back to life with no one to welcome him in the changed house. I fancied him pale and melancholy, wandering through the deserted halls and empty rooms, finding at every turn something to remind him of his grief. I could not blame him when, as my informant

ounds put in order; the farm began to show the presence of a master. The reform did not stop here, however. For more than fifty years, there had been no church nearer than Hilton, a distance of six miles, which the family at Rutledge nominally attended, when the weather was fine; but, unhappily, Sunday and Sunday duties were by no means of paramount interest at Rutledge; and, naturally, master and tenantry fell into a criminal neglect of all the outward duties of religion. In the village which lay about a mile to the south of Rutledge, th

ve here much of the time. I should think he would b

im to like it here; besides, it's very lonesome. He does his duty by it, but I don't

ture of which we had been talking when Mr

ike to see it

ly as I listened to her retreating footsteps. What business had I to be prying into family secrets? I was involuntarily ashamed of myself, but how could I help it? How could I resist the temptation? It could do no harm; I should only just look at it, and should be no wiser after all. I

said. "Their pictures are in the din

I could not define, that suggested coldness and insincerity; something that repelled me when I first looked, but seemed to disappear after a longer scrutiny. The features were regular and strikingly handsome, the skin a clear olive, the hair dark an

ur years a

efore old Mr. Rutled

me, and only returned it to her as she wa

o go to my trunk to put it away, for Dorothy, the cook, sleeps in

illow. I wished it anywhere else, however, af

world to darkn