The Governess [pp. 93-100]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
you owe to those who love you, and arouse yourself
from the indulgence of feeling that may unfit you for
all enjoyment.'
In about three m o nths fro m the time of the above
conversatone tn, Miss Beverly was near ly at the end o f
her long journey. It was autumn, yet few of the evidences of the dying year w ere a round her. Aln
unclouded sun was pouring his last rays on the verdant
foliage of the trees, whose giant arms overshadowed th e
road through which t he ca r riage wound its way, and
the bland air wh ich cam e wooingly to her cheek,
brought with it no chill to the frame o f the young
stranger.
IL was night when she arrived at the plantation of
Mrs. Math ews, and she ha d little opportunity for
making observations on the appearance of h e r newll
home. When the carriage drove up to the do or, nearly
a dozen black servan ts rushed fr om the house to see
who the new comer was; an d as Constance aighted
from the vehicle, she heard one of the m say t o his mistress, who was standing on the gallery, " dat it was dat
you ng lady eomed, who was to gib young massae and
young missusses dere larnin."
Mrs. Math ews a dvan ced t o me et her, with out stretched arms, exclaiming, in an affected tone " I ama delighted to welcome you to Ailingham manor,
Miss Beverly. Your society will lighten the tesdium
of many weary hours; and I am certain, that you will
provea o nob ie ne b a d congenial fiend-such a fiend as miny forlorn
heart has sighed for since it lost i ts de al partner. Such
a man! my dear Miss Beverly. Ah! my too keen
sensibility!" oand the lady put her handker chief to
her face, as if much affected.
During this nonsensical tirade, Mrs. Mathews conducted her astonished companion through a wide hal l
into a large a nd handsome ly furnished palorje where a
fire dispelled the damps of evenisng. Determined on
playing the sentimental, Mrs. Mat hews threw herself
on a s ofa, a nd sighe d deeply, while her sable handcmbaidens disencuidbeased Constnatce of her shawl and bonnet.
Miss Beverly then turned to take a look at her hostess.
She was a small, thin woman, with sharp features and
a cadaverou s complexion: there was nothing striking
in her face except its extreme insipidity. She wore
black for her husband, but her person was loaded with
or naments; even her large cMhal ky forehe ad was tI ade
to l ook yet more chalky b y having a black band passed
across it, and fllstened in front by a clasp of jet. SMye
had read of marble brows, a nd irmaginred h er own one
of that class. It was easy to prcesive that a desire to
shine was hler rulin, passion, unfortunately combine d
with no ideas either nat ur al o r acquired, except s uch as
sighed at the p ro spect r ofa s uch a compani ons ut Ms.
Mathews did not long allow her to indulge in re flections.
"MA]y dear Miss B~everly, I halve sinned against foxier ~shlip in not before inquiring of my charming and tenderly beloved Louisa —Mrs. Somaers I mean. My eldest
daugh5ter is called for her. A charming child, I assure
you —such eyes too! exactly like her poor, dear father.
(Here the hanldkercl. c~was applied.) But about Louisa,
she was my cheepramy, as the Frenchl say; we were verly
intimate —like " two cherries on one stalk,)' as my favor ite poet Gray says. A char ming poet —don't you
think so?" She stopped to take breath, and Constance
She is a woman who has managed to appear well in the
world, without the advantages of education, or early
intercourse with good society. A spoiled child, and a
fortune, she married young, and returned to her native
state as ignorant as when she left it to receive the
advantage of a year's polishing in one of our eastern
seminaries. I am told that her husband improved her
very much, and of late years she rather affects the bas
blez,. He died about a year since, and left her with
three children-two daughters and a son; the last a
little spoiled to be sure, as he is an only one, and the
youngest child, but that can easily be got over; and
you, witlh your winning ways, can soon gain his affections, and man mag e hi ret throung m hi s feelings."
" If he has fe elings," said Constance. " Spoiled
children are usually too selfishc to have much feeling for
Tany on e but themaselv es. But y ou have not told me
where Is. Mlathews resides."
" Ali true-I for-got-she is a native of Louisiana, and
the interests of her children compel her to remain where
their property is situated. She cannot bear to be separated fi'om them, and therefore wishes for a private
teacler who cal devote herself to them."
"But it is so far away from all I love," said Constance, silling deeply. "Could I not be as well situated nearer lhomye?"
" I think not: and, besides, your health has suffered
lately. I have observed that you have a bad cough,
and I do not like the lassitude of your step. Remember,
tmy love, that your mother died with consumption, and
you should be careful of yourself. She was scarcely
nmore than your age when she died."
" True," said Constance, an expression of anguish
passing over her features, which Mrs.- Somers scarcely
believed could have been caused by her allusion to her
mother's fate; " true —and perhaps it had been better
had her child have gone with her. Say no more, my
deal madam, I wvill go to Louisiana, if LMrs. Mathews
'ill accept toy terms."
There was a silence of some miomenits; and Mrs,
Somers laid her hanrd impressively on that of her young
94
compaiiion, and
"Const,ince, I would not be impertinent; but, my
dearchild,coii,ideintiiefrleiidofyourmother. There
is something painful wei,liing on your mind: I know it
is not your situ-,ttioii-that you can strug,-Ie againstno, I see with pain, it is coti. —ealed anguish, wfileli robs
your check of i-s blooiii, and 0-al-k-CDS your spirit with
a deeper sorrow than even the losses you have sustained
should warrant."
The pale check of Constance became scarlet, and she,
saiilt bacli on her scat, for some, moments incapable of
speakiii,. Sliea-Llen,,tlicoiainiandedherselfsufficleiitly
to say " I will not Conceal from you, dear Mrs. Sot-iiers,
that you are not mistaken; yet, believe me, bad the
cause of my sorrow been such as sympathy could alleviate, I should loti.- since have confided it to my best
and dearest friend. Tli-iie will enable me to conquer
tl,,e wealness in which I have iiidul,-,ed. ay no more
on the subject-I cannot bear it just now. Pi-ay lot us
talk of my intended journey.''
Irs. Soiiiers kissed her affectionately, as she rnurniui-ed,
" Be it so, my Constance; yet, i emeniber the duties