No More Learning

/
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? ROSE AND EMILY } OK,
CHAP. VI.
One afternoon Mr. Blandford called up-
on Mrs. Sydney to apologise for the ab-
sence of Emily, who had been engaged
to visit Rose; she had a bad cold, and
was rather feverish; "I have ordered
Ruth," he added, "to put her early to
bed, and I trust that to-morrow she will
be quite well, and atone for her absence ofj
to-day. " Mrs. Sydney requested permis-
sion to see her, but Mr. Blandford re-
plied, that he considered her as so very
slightly indisposed, it was a kindness he
would not require; the paths being
dirty, and the evening damp. "Do not,"
said Mrs. Sydney, "imagine me so sel-
fish a being as to be deterred by such
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? SKETCHES OF TOUTII.
77
trifling inc6nveniences from performing
a common office of humanity; I shall be
humbled in my own estimation if I hesi-
tate any longer; besides do not you
know I am the village doctrcss? " "Ah
do,*' said Rose, "let mamma see Emily;
she will cure her I am sure, for she un-
derstands all complaints, and then she is
so kind. ' "Bring my bonnet and hand-
kerchief, my little prattler," said Mrs.
Sydney, "you love to speak in praise of
your mother. "
Mrs. Sydney and her daughters ac-
companied Mr. Blandford home, Rose
expressing all the way her alternate hopes
and fears. "Perhaps, mamma, we werfe
too long by the river side yesterday; 1
fear she caught cold, but I hope she will
soon be well; and I am sure if any body
can make her so, you can, mammah
Mrs. Sydney replied only by a smile, and
a tender pressure of her darling's hand.
As thev'entered Mr. Blandford's house
the screams of Emily, who was in a warm
contest with Ruth, struck a pang to Mrs.
? 3
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? 78
ROSE AND EMILY; OR,
Sydney's heart. "I won't go to bed,"
shrieked Emily, " I won't; get away you
good-for-nothing old woman. " "But
you shall go to bed," said Ruth, jn a tone
equally violent, "your papa desired me
to put you to bed, and I will; I don't
jH. ind your fighting, not I; I can fight
again, and I am stronger than you, sp
go to bed you shall. " Mrs. Sydney's
cheek turned pale, and she was advan-
cing to the staircase, when Mr. Bland-
#>rd, with an agitated look, hastily pass-
ed her, saying--** Stay here, madam, I
intreat you, whilst I go to my poor way-
ward child. " She uttered a more pier-
cing scream when she saw her father, and
complained of the harshness of Ruth,
who, equally loud, defended herself on
the ple. a of doing what she had been de-
sired to da Mr, Blandford bade her be
quiet, and endeavoured to sooth his
child ; but she still t ried passionately and
piercingly. Mrs. Sydney is here," he
said. "Oh let me go to her," exclaim-
ed Emily. Mrs, Sydney, who had heard
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. 79
every word and sound as she waited in
the little parlour from which the stair-
case led, could no longer refrain from
hastening to the chamber; as she enter-
ed it, Emily lifted up her head from her
father's shoulder, and sobbing aloud,
stretched out her arms towards her; Mrs.
Sydney expanded her's by an involun-
tary emotion, and in a moment the poor
child's head was sheltered in her bosom.
"Bless you, madam," said Mr. Bland-
ford; and, overcome by his own sensa-
tions, hastily left the room. . Mrs. Syd-
ney begged Ruth to leave them for a little
time whilst she endeavoured to compose
her. "You will find plague enough be-
fore you can do that,'' muttered Ruth,
as she went down stairs; "I am sure I
can't manage her, I never saw such a
child in my life. "
Mrs. Sydney pressed her lips to poor
Emily's cheek, rocked her in her arms,
soothed her with the accents of affection,
till her cries subsided into sobs, and her
sobs sunk into sighs; but the heat of her
e4
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? 80
ROSE ANB EMILY; OR,
cheek and hand indicated increasing
fever,--and after quietly undressing her,
and laying her softly on her pillow, where
she soon began to doze, Mrs. Sydney re-
turned into the parlour, and earnestly re-
commended Mr. Blandford to send for
Mr. Prices When the good apothecary
. came, he pronounced her in some dan-
ger* Mr. Blandford heard the declara-
tion, though conveyed in the most cau-
tious and gentle manner, with an agony
. bordering upon delirium. "I shall lose
her," he exclaimed, "lose her as I did
her mother. " "I intreat you, my good
friend,'' said Mrs. Sydney, "to be calm,
I will attend her, I am experienced in
the disorders of children, and I will nurse
her as my own, I will not leave her. "
"Heaven bless you,'* said Mr. Bland-
ford; "save her, and I will adore you. ''
His frantic expressions of grief shocked
and alarmed Mrs. Sydney; and it was
determined that the apothecary should
remain there part of the night, as much
to alleviate the apprehensions of the fa-
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. 81
ther. as to render benefit to the child.
While Mi s. Sydney watched by her bed-
side, Rose and Isabel were sent to Far.
mer Bloomfield's.
During Mrs. Sydney's short absence
from the chamber, Emily had been in an
unquiet sleep, and, on awakening, gave
every sign of delirium. She called for
Mrs. Sydney, in whose arms she was sup-
ported bade Iluth not touch her, and
asked for her papa, who was hanging
over her. The medicine Mr. Price had
given hery assisted by the attentions of
Mrs. Sydney, produced its proper effect;
the fever. somewhat abated, though ;n the
morning the little patient discovered the
eruption of. the. measles, but she was
quiet and submissive; and the watch-
ful tenderness of Mrs. Sydney, which she
insisted on continuing, gave, even to the
father, hopes of his darling's recovery.
In this exercise of humanity, in this
discharge of her duty as a christian, in
once more feeling herself useful, and in
a partial return of her debt of gratitude
E5
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? EOSE AND EMILY J OR,
to Mr. Blandford, Mrs. Sydney expe-
rienced a temporary relief from her
own sorrows; and this awakened inte-
rest appeared to. renovate even the de-
clining powers of her constitution. She
watched. Emily three successive nights,
reposing only a few hours in the day,
yet her health in no degree suffered. In
the course of a week she had the satisfac-.
tjon. of seeing her little patient recover-
ing; a cough and weakness were the only
remaining symptoms of the disorder.
Rose, who had had it, intreated to see
her. "I fear, my love," said Mrs. Syd-
? ney, ** you may talk. too much, and dis-.
turb Emily. " Oonammado not say so? *
indeed I will only look. at her and wait;
upon her, and will not speak a word. I;
will walk. on tiptoe, and. . do as ? you bid
'me, if I may but see? her j but tell mea
mamma, may I not kiss. her and take her
hand gently, very gently? " When Rose's
wish was mentioned to Mr, Blandford,
with her promises. of being quiet, he
immediately sanctioned her visit, and
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. S3
Emily also expressed a desire to see
her.
The next day Rose accompanied her
mamma, who observed her very atten-
tive to a little basket of flowers, which
she seemed anxious to arrange in the most
picturesque manner. She placed them
in a corner of the room, as she entered,
and advanced on tiptoe towards Emily,
while the varying colour of her cheek be-
trayed the passing emotions of her little
heart; and, when Emily made an effort;
to meet her, unable any longer to sup-
press her tears, she threw herself on her
neck, and sobbed out her joy at seeing her
again. When this overflow. of affection
had subsided, Mrs. Sydney reminded
Rose of her promise not to agitate or
disturb; Emily, and desired her to have
more command over her feelings. Emily
had wept a little, but leaning her head
on Mrs. Sydney's. shoulder, was soon
tranquilizedi
When the tears. of the tender hearted
Rose had been wiped away; when she
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? 84. ROSE AND EMILY OR,
had spoken to her friend, looked at her,
kissed her, and held her hand, she
thought of her little basket; and. step-
ping lightly to the corner. of the room,
began to take out the flowers, holding
them up to Emily, as she selected one
from the other. "You may speak, my.
child," said Mrs. Sydney, (perceiving how
difficult was the restraint of silence to,
poor Rose,) "you may speak, but. not-
too loud. " Delighted. to have the pro-
hibition removed, she began in a low
voice--" Here is a heart's ease, Emily,.
that's for you; and here is one for. my-
self too" "Why is heart's ease foij
Emily and you? " said her mother smiling. ,
"Because," she replied, " we are both so
happy > she is happy to get well, and I am
happy to see her so*. Then she is. happy
to have such a good papa, and I am happy
in having such a dear mamma--so heart's
ease must belong to us," "What is next,
my little moralizer? " said Mrs. Sydney.
"The next ia a beautiful lily, so fair and
upright, that I think it is like Isabel. '*
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. 85
*' And what have you ? for me V* asked
her mother. "Nothing mamma--I
could find nothing like yOu--I looked
every where; but there was nothing I
could fancy except this balm, and that is
not pretty enough; yet I heard Mr.
Price say you poured balm into every
body's bpsom. " Mrs. Sydney caught
the little prattler to her heart, and bade
her go on. "I have but one more that
has meaning in it," she said, " and that
is a rose, my ownself-->>. tb. e last that re-
mained upon the tree--the youngest you
know. Phcebe brought methemallto day;
but under the flowers is something else--
a*huneh of grapes for dear Emily. Phoebe
knew I liked grapes, so . she gave them to
me; but when I said poor Family was ill,.
and. I had rather she should h#ve them
than I, Phcebe told me. 1 might part with
them to her, if I chose, but she hoped I
would not forget she gave them to me;
and that I would love her for it. I said
I would, and so I do, better, ah! tea
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? 86 ROSE AND EMfLY } OR,
times better, than if she had insisted on
my eating them myself. "
When she had ended this rhapsody of
fancy and affection, to which Emily had
listened in placid silence, her mother,
smiling, told her she found she had not for-
gotten the fables of Flora; a beautiful cot-
lection by Dr. Langhorne, in which the
properties and feelings of persons are ap-
plied to flowers. She replied, " No
mamma; but it was the playyou read to us.
last night that made me think of this--
I thought how I should have liked to
have been Perdita, and presented the
flowers as she did. "
The judicious treatment of Mr Price,.
and the tender nursing of Mrs. Sydney,
soon restored Emily to health. Mr. .
Blandford considered her as the preser-
ver of his child, and was unbounded in
his expressions of gratitude; whilst
Emily, on her part, clung to her with the
fondest affection.
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH.
CHAP. VII.
The summer was now passed; and the
? uncertain state of Mrs. Sydney s health
had prevented her commencing the plan
she had proposed for the support of her-
self and children. She still lingered on
the spot so many years the seat of all her
happiness, and thought with anguish on
the moment when necessity would. oblige
her to quit it. She had no near relations
to whom she could apply for assistance -T
some distant ones had the power, and
probably might have the will to. serve
her; but she knew how reluctantly the
hand opens to the relief of such as solicit
its aid; how chilling are the good wishes
"that accompany a gift requested, and she
. shrunk'from. the mortification. of a bene-
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? 88 ROSE AND EMILY } OR,
fit that would at most but procrastinate,
not prevent, the hour of her departure.
The lengthened evenings of autumn,
unenlivened by social intercourse, were
tedious and unpleasant to Mr. Bland-
ford, and he secretly wished again
to change the scene. As his seclusion
from society was the effect of a trifling
disappointment, the sense of which time
had, in some degree, worn away; so
his desire to. return to it, originated in
the same caprice.
Alas, poor Emily! what will be thy
fete, with a parent so uncertain in his
own steps, so unfit to direct thine! Yet
Mr. Blandford's heart was the seat of
many noble virtues. In the exercise of
benevolence and charity he often dis-
played firmness and perseverance. The
eye of sorrow was never lifted up to hiin
in vain, nor did he turn away from the
voice of the mourner. These appeals
to him were so certain of exciting
his sympathy, that the semblance of
misery was often borrowed, the tale
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH.
of woe often fabricated, and he became
the dupe of the designing. A discovery
of such impositions never failed to pro-
duce those feelings of misanthropy which
led him for a time to shun society.
Mr. Blandford was an only son; every
gratification that money could purchase,
every indulgence that affection could
grant, was his from infancy to manhood.
Uncontrouled in all his wishes, it was pe-
culiarly fortunate that he possessed a
good disposition, or the most fatal conse-
quences might have ensued. ;
On the death of his parents, he visited
the continent, chiefly residing in Italy,
where he married an English lady of
great beauty and merit; but the same
hour which gave a daughter to his arms,
deprived him ef an amiable wife. To
sooth his affliction, he had again recourse
to travelling, and in change of place and
objects found a temporary alleviation of
his misery; but this plan, at first adopt-
ed as a relief to his mind, became at last
ne. cQss. ary from habit, .
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? 90 ROSE AND EMILY; OR,
This unsettled mode of life was ill
adapted to any system of education,
which Emily's age began to render ne-
cessary; he therefore hired a house in
London, with an intention of engaging a
well-informed woman to instruct her;
but unfortunately in the families with
whom he associated on his first arrival in
town, he met with daughters whose edu. -
cation had been shewy and superficial;.
who practised a little of every thing, and
understood nothing; whose manners were
elegant and polished, but when he at-
tempted by conversation to draw forth
the qualities of the mind, he found it
composed of childish trifles, with the
shreds and patches of fashion, and he
turned disgusted from accomplishments
that merely gave a varnish to the exte-
rior of woman.
A prejudice in some minds becomes a
principle of action; and when we are
guided by extremes, we generally lose
the object we aim at. Mr. Blandford
determined to avoid altogether, what he
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. 91
conceived to be, t he dangers of education,
and to consign Emily to the care of an
old servant whose fidelity and integrity
had been proved, and whose entire igno-
rance of all "lettered lore," he con-
sidered a recommendation rather than
an' objection. This servant, whose name
was Ruth, was of the meanest birth, un-
couth in her manners, and blunt in her
expressions; but she appeared honest
and undesigning, was really fond of Emily
when she gave her no trouble, and was
obedient to her master.
Mr. Blandford sometimes attempted
to teach his daughter himself, but she.
disliked every species of constraint; and
to be quiet, for even the short time that
the first lessons required, seemed to her
a punishment; to avoid which, she had .
recourse to every little stratagem; her
father found a tear irresistible, a smile
rendered her too endearing, and a fit of
passion made instruction useless ; so. that
lessens were generally relinquished as
soon *s begun, and either caresses de<<
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? 92 ROSE AND EMILY J OE,
v
tained her by his side, or reproofs sent
her back to Ruth.
Whatever were the faults of Emily,
she was less an object of censure than
compassion. No tender mother watched
over her infancy, to correct her errors or
reward her good conduct; and here, let
me remind you, my young readers, who
are blest with parents, of the love and
duty you owe them; they are your guar-
dians in this life, and your guides to the
next. The most devoted affection and
obedience only can repay them for the
care and anxiety with which they at-
tended to your early years, and never let
this debt of gratitude be forgotten.
To your teachers and instructors, those
who patiently lead you up the difficult
ascent of science; who stimulate your
exertions, reward your labours, and re-
prove your errors, be gentle, attentive,
and submissive ; and rejoice that you aro?
not left, like poor Kmily, to the injudi-
cious indulgences, or capricious punish-
ments,. of an ignorant dependents ?
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. 93
The desolate situation of Mrs. Sydney
had excited in Mr. Blandford sentiments of
the most respectful compassion, and hav-
ing been instrumental in procuring her a
trifling annuity, afforded him heartfelt
satisfaction; but this, however accept-
able, was in itself so inadequate to the
necessities of a family, that he revolved
in his mind many plans, in order to ren-
der her a more essential benefit, but was
unable to determine upon any. The
single taper that dimly lighted her little
cottage, the frugal fire that scarcely
warmed it, (though in a part of the king-
dom where coalsare cheap,) threwa gloom
over the scene that heightened its misery
and desolation. s '- /'
Isabel, in whatever she was engaged,
displaj'edva cheerfulness, a fortitude, and
an activity, that he had never before seen
consistently combined in a girl of fifteen.
Rose, always affectionate and good hu-
moured, was his little play-thing and de-
light, and the increasing interest, esteem,
and pity which he felt for this family,
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? 9* ROSE AND EMILY } OH,
made him reluctant to leave the village
while they were in poverty and sorrow.
The parsonage was still unoccupied, and
as the present curate refused to reside in
so retired a place, it was at the service of
any one who wished to hire it. A spring
and summer's neglect had occasioned
everything around itto grow in wild luxu-
riance; he knew Mrs. Sydney's attach-
ment to the spot, and, could he once
more obtain it for her, he might have the
satisfaction of reflecting that he left her
surrounded by, at least, local comforts;
but how was she to support herself? This
thought suggested another, and no sooner
was it admitted, than he ardently desired
its accomplishment. Would she receive
Emily as her child and pupil--would she
but allow her to share in the lessons of
Rose, he should consider himself fortunate.
He had, for some time,painfully remarked
the rude and unaccommodating manners
of his child; and when he contrasted them
with the playful simplicity and obliging
sweetness of Rose, he felt a pang some-
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? SKETCHES OP YOUTH. 95
thing like self-reproach, and he ardently
wished she could profit by the instruction
of Mrs. Sydney, and the example of her
children. He weighed the whole. plan
in his mind, and resolved to apply for the
parsonage, as a preliminary step to the
proposal he intended to make to Mrs.
Sydney. The application was acceded
to by Dr. Blake, and the village work-
men were instantly ordered to begin the
necessary repairs.
It was one chill evening in the month
of November, when Mr. Blandford was
seated by their little fire, conversing with
Mrs. Sydney and Isabel, that Rose, who
had been on a visit to Phcebe, hastily
ran into the room with the news that
the parsonage was repairing, and that
somebody must be going to reside in it.
A faint crimson passed across Mrs. Syd-
ney's cheek at this intelligence, and
Isabel's mild eye was instantly suffused
with a tear. After a short pause, she
said--" I am glad of it my child; may
its destined inhabitants be as happy as
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