Catharine Maria Sedgwick

“ Jane stared at her cousin, as if she had been smitten with distraction. "Elvira," she said, with more displeasure than was often extorted from her, you are an incurable trifler! How is it possible, that at this time you can waste a thought upon Erskine or his duel?"
"Oh! my spirits run away with me, dear Jane; but I do feel very miserable," she replied, affecting to wipe away the tears from her dry eyes. Poor David!—I am wretched about him. He has disgraced us all. I suppose you have heard, too, about Lavoisier. Every body has heard of mother's cruelty to him and to me. Oh, Jane! ”

“ The maniac fell on her knees—Jane knelt beside her: she had caught a spark of her companion's enthusiasm. The singularity of her situation, the beauty of the night, the novelty of the place, on which the moon now riding high in the heavens poured a flood of silver light, all conspired to give a high tone to her feelings. It is not strange she should have thought she never heard any thing so sublime as the prayer of her crazed conductor—who raised her arms and poured out her soul in passages of scripture the most sublime and striking, woven together by her own glowing language. ”

“ No, no, Sarah, he an't so bad as the Woodhulls, but he has been a wilful spoilt child from the beginning: he is a comely man to look to, and he has a glib tongue in his head; but he is all for self—all for self, Sarah. You might as well undertake to make the stiff branches of that old oak tender and pliable as the sprouts of the sapling that grows beside it, as to expect Miss Jane can alter Erskine. No—he alone can do it with whom all things are possible. We have no right to expect a miracle. ”

“ Lloyd was really a disinterested man. He had so long made it a rule to imitate the Parent of the universe, in still educing good from evil, that, in every trial of his life, it was his first aim to ascertain his duty, and then to perform it. He could weave the happiness of others, even though no thread of his own was in the fabric. In the present case, he resolved still to watch over Jane; to win the friendship of Erskine, to endeavour to rectify his principles, to exert over him an insensible influence, and, if possible, to render him more worthy of his enviable destiny. ”

“ Jane felt kindness, though she knew not how to receive gallantry. She thanked him, and they walked on together. When Edward parted from her, he wondered he had never noticed before how very interesting she was, "and what a sweet expression she has when she smiles; and, oh!" added he, with a rapture quite excusable in a young man of twenty, "her eye is in itself a soul."
"Jane," said Mary Hull to her, as she entered her room, "you look as bright as a May morning, and I have that to tell you, that will make you yet brighter. Mr. Evertson has been here, inquiring for Mr. Lloyd. ”

“ A few days after Erskine's departure, Mrs. Harvey entered Jane's room hastily,—"Our village," she exclaimed, "is the most extraordinary place in the world; wonders cease to be wonderful among us."
"What has happened now?" inquired Jane, "I know not from your face whether to expect good or evil."
"Oh evil, my dear, evil enough to grieve and frighten you. Your wretched cousin David Wilson has got himself into a scrape at last, from which all the arts of all his family cannot extricate him. ”

“ Then you do not love me, Jane, for love is, and ought to be, blind; but I am willing to make the trial, I will never have it repeated to me, that 'if you knew all, you would withdraw your affections from me.' No one shall say that you have not loved me, with all my youthful follies on my head. I know you are a little puritanical; but that is natural to one who has had so much to make her miserable: the unhappy are apt to affect religion. But you are young and curable, if you can be rescued from this quaker climate and influence. ”

“ Lloyd.
"I cannot, Erskine, look propitious on your sneers against the principles of my excellent friend."
"Perhaps," replied Erskine tartly, "his practice will be equally immaculate in your eyes. And now, Jane, I beseech you for once to forget that Mr. Lloyd is your excellent friend; a man who bestowed some trifling favours on your childhood, and remember the rights of one to whom you at least owe your love—though he would neither accept that, nor your gratitude, as a debt." ”

“ Will not our readers pardon Mary, if Mrs. Harvey inferred from the smile of pleasure that brightened her face, that she had sagaciously guessed the truth. Let that be as it may; all parties promised, and what is much more extraordinary, preserved secrecy; and all that was left of Jane's hopes and plans was the consciousness of having acted right—from right motives. Could any one have seen the peacefulness of her heart, he would have pronounced that consciousness a treasure that has no equivalent. ”

“ Lloyd, Mary Hull, and little Rebecca, stopped at Mrs. Harvey's door; Jane, arrayed for a journey, stood awaiting it on the piazza; old John, the basket-maker, was beside her, leaning on his cane, and good Mrs. Harvey was giving Jane's baggage to James, who carried it to the carriage. "Farewell, dear Jane," said Mrs. Harvey, affectionately kissing her;—"now go, but do not forget there are other 'friends' in the world, beside quakers. Return to us soon; we are all impatient to see you the happy mistress of the house in which you was born." ”

“ I have planted and I have watered, and if it is the Lord's will to withhold the increase, I must submit."
"Oh, aunt!" exclaimed Jane, interrupting and advancing towards her, "do not—do not, for your soul's sake, indulge any longer this horrible delusion. You have more children," she continued, falling on her knees, and taking one of her aunt's hands in both hers, and looking like a rebuking messenger from Heaven, "be pitiful to them; be merciful to your own soul. You deceive yourself. You may deceive others; but God is not mocked."
Mrs. Wilson was conscience stricken. ”

“ Mary dead! Good God! Hell has no place bad enough for me;" and then rousing himself, he said, with a deep tone, "Jane Elton, I am a ruined, desperate man. You thought too well of me, when you imagined it was for that poor girl I was doing this deed. No, no! her cries did not trouble me; but there are those whose clamours must be hushed by money—curse on them!" ”

“ Jane had been gently led in the bands of love. She had been taught even more by the example than the precepts of her mother.
She had seen her mother bear with meekness the asperity and unreasonableness of her father's temper, and often turn away his wrath with a soft answer.
The law of imitation is deeply impressed on our nature. Jane had insensibly fallen into her mother's ways, and had, thus early, acquired a habit of self-command. Mrs. Elton, though, alas, negligent of some of her duties, watched over the expanding character of her child, with Christian fidelity. ”

“ Jane did not join in his laugh; but replied, "There is a book, Edward, that contains the creed of the Quakers; a creed to which they have never presumed to add any thing, nor have they taken any thing from it; the only creed to which they think it right to require the assent of man, and from which no rational man can dissent—that book is the Bible! ”

“ It was impossible for her to conceive of the reasons that controlled Jane, which would have been no more to Mrs. Wilson, than were to Sampson the new ropes he snapped asunder at the call of Delilah. She felt so fearful, at first, that any investigation would lead to the discovery of the real criminal, that she had not communicated the fact of the handkerchief to any one, even to Elvira, whose discretion, indeed, she never trusted; but, after she found that Jane was in a dilemma, from which she would not extricate herself by any explanations, she thought herself the mistress of her niece's fate ”

“ Ah, Miss, the great thing is how we live, not how we die."
Jane felt the anxiety, so natural, to obtain some religious expression, that should indicate preparation in the mind of the departed.
"Surely," said she, "it is never too late to repent—to beg forgiveness."
"No, Miss;" replied John, who seemed to have religious notions of his own—"especially when there has been such a short account as this poor child had; but the work must be all between the creature and the Creator, and for my part, I don't place much dependance on what people say on a death-bed. ”

“ Our club are men of honour and spirit, high-minded gentlemen; a few disputes, misunderstandings, might arise now and then, as they will among people who do not weigh every word, lest they should chance to have an idle one to account for; but, till the last evening, we have, in the main, spent our time together as whole-souled fellows should, in mirth and jollity. As I said, last evening unfortunately——"
"Tell me nothing more, Mr. Erskine; I have heard enough," interrupted Jane.
"What! you will not listen to friend Lloyd's reproaches; not listen to what most roused his holy indignation?" ”

“ Jane's situation, at her aunt's, was rendered more painful than ever, from the events of the school and the exhibition. Mrs. Wilson treated her with every species of vexatious unkindness. In vain Jane tried, by her usefulness to her aunt, to win her favour, and by the most patient obedience to her unreasonable commands, by silent uncomplaining submission, to sooth her into kindness. It was all in vain; her aunt was more oppressive than ever; Martha more rude, and Elvira more tormenting. ”

“ Jane had been so much absorbed in the mournful scene, that the necessity of her return before the breaking of day bad not occurred to her mind, and would not, perhaps, if John bad not, after a few moments pause, reminded her of it, by saying, "I am sorry Miss Jane, you have had such a walk for nothing; but," added he, "to the wise nothing is vain, and you are of so teachable a make, that you may have learned some good lessons here; you may learn, at least, that there is nothing to be much grieved for in this world but guilt; and some people go through a long life without learning that. ”

“ The morning was clear and bright; and stimulated by the pure air, and nerved by the counsels Mary suggested as they walked along, Jane entered her new home with a composed, timid manner.
Perhaps her timidity appealing to Mrs. Wilson's love of authority, produced a softer feeling than she had before shown to Jane; or perhaps, (for scarcely any nature is quite hardened,) the forlornness of the child awakened a transient sentiment of compassion,—she gave her her hand, and told her she was welcome. ”

“ No one shall be permitted to accuse you, or suspect you; you can surely explain these accidental circumstances, so that even your aunt, malicious—venemous as she is, will not dare to breathe a poisonous insinuation against you, angel as you are."
"Ah," replied Jane, with a sad smile, "there are, and there ought to be, few believers in earth-born angels. No, Mr. Erskine, I have no explanation to make; I have nothing but assertions of my innocence, and my general character to rely upon. ”

“ I always knew she was an artful jade; 'still waters run deep;' but she shall be exposed, the mask shall be stripped from the hypocrite."
"Aunt," said Jane, in a voice so sweet, so composed, that it sounded like the breath of music following the howlings of an enraged animal, "Aunt, we are in the chamber of death; and in a little time you, and I, and all of us, shall be as this poor creature; as you will then wish your soul to be lightened of all injustice—spare the innocent now ”

“ Wilson, occasioned Jane a good deal of diversion. Still it was not at all calculated to inspire her with confidence in the guide, whose wild and fantastic humours she knew it to be impossible for any one to control. Her resolution was a little shaken; but, after all, she thought, "It is possible I may find the house without her. I know the course I should take. At any rate, I should be miserable if any evil should come of my neglect of the old man's request. There can be no real dangers, and I will not imagine any." ”

“ Wilson should have manifested such anxiety to throw the blame of this affair on Jane; but however a parent may seek by every flattering unction vanity can devise, to evade the truth, the misconduct of a child will convey a reproach, and reflect dishonour on the author of its existence.
Jane and Elvira crept to their beds without exchanging a single word. Elvira felt some shame at her own meanness; but levity and selfishness always prevailed in her mind, and she soon lost all consciousness of realities, and visions of dances and music and moonlight floated in her brain ”

“ Lloyd. Jane rose, embarrassed for her aunt and herself, and walked to the window. Mrs. Wilson attempted to speak, to rise; she could do neither, and she sunk back on her chair, convulsed with misery and passion. Mr. Lloyd mistook her agitation for the natural wailings of a mother, and with instinctive benevolence he advanced to her, and kindly taking her hand, said, "Be composed, I pray; I have intelligence that will comfort thee." ”

“ Every one who has followed a dear friend to the grave, remembers with shuddering the hollow sound of the first clods that are thrown on the coffin. As they fell heavily, poor Jane shrieked, "oh, mother!" and springing forward, bent over the grave, which, to her, seemed to contain all the world. The sexton, used as he was to pursue his trade amidst the wailings of mourners, saw something peculiar in the misery of the lone child. ”