Turns of Fortune, and Other Tales

er affairs; the hardness and the tyranny she had borne for so many years had become habitual, and her own will was absolutely paralysed by inaction. Jacob Bon

far from her, she knew not where. The mourning for herself and her servant was ordered from a neighbouring sh

ew, to herself, which she ordered to be curtained all round. Some said this indicated pride, some said ostentation; but it was simply shyness. And soon after she p

lowing week she had numerous applications from various charitable bodies, to whom she gave generously, they said, while she reproached herself with narrowness; to all, however, she positively refused to become a yearly subscriber; and when closely

aughter, yet her reserve and quietness prevented the fulfilment of their wishes. Weeks and months rolled on; the old house had been repaired and beautified. Mr. Cramp, Sarah's law agent and 'man of business,' advised her to let the house, of which she occupied about as much as a wren could fill of the nest of an eagle; and, strangely enough, finding that the house of her childhood was to let, she took it, removing thither all the furniture which h

gements were strangely at variance with what could not be called public gifts, because she used every effort in her power to conceal her munificence. She did not, it is true, think and calculate, how the greatest good could be accomplished. She knew but one path to charity, and that was paved with gold. She did not know how to offer sympathy, or to enhance a gift by the manner of giving. Her fat

morning in particular; when he was obliged to do so while the rain poured, he exhibited a letter, sealed with a large black seal, to the parish-clerk, saying he wished with all his heart Miss Bond had remained at the old manor-house up street, instead of changing; and where was the good of taking her a mourning letter such a gloomy day? it would be very unkind, and

quired the post-boy, turning round

the door to witness her departure. "On straight!" Why, they must wait the post-boy's return before they cou

ringing with her her niece, a girl of about eight yea

" she exclaimed; while Sarah Bond did not know whether she ought to combat her wilfulness or applaud the tender care of herself. It was soon talked of throughout the village, how wonderfully Sarah Bond was changed; how cheerful and even gay she had become. Instead of avoiding society, how willingly, yet how awkwardly, she entered into it; how eagerly she sought to learn and to make herself acquainted with every source and system of education. No traveller in the parchy desert ever thirsted more for water than she did for knowledge, and her desire seemed to increase with what it fed upon. The more she had the more she required; and all this was for the sake of imparting all she learned to Mabel. She

er aunt sat, as she always did, opposite to her, that she might, when she raised her eyes from off the Italian lesson she was conning for her especial edification, hav

put as much new furniture as you wished int

pping her worsted with the

old you before that my dear father desired I should

ld furniture on that account;" but she did not say so. "Have you go

r it; I suppose my father lost it. I have danced to its music befor

unted by a long head and face, round which an abundance of gray hair was folded; for by no other term can I describe its peculiar dress; her cap plain, but white as snow; and a black silk gown, that had seen its best days, was pinned and primmed on, so as to sit as close as possible to a figure which would have been greatly improved by heavy and abundant drapery. Mabel, lithe and restless, buoyant and energetic, unable even to wish

s and reels. No, Mabel; I can neither open the spinnet nor dance quadrilles; so y

pinnet? Do break it open, aunt; I wa

ng the marquetre on the cover, which I should not like to do. My poor mother w

the pretty Mabel; "why di

dear, she h

oor mamma had none," sighed Ma

the poultry, and make the butter, and cultivate the flower-garden, and help to do the house work; and then in the evening we would run in the meadows, come home laden with wild flowers, and tired as we were by alternat

o her feelings were soothed by wandering from place to place, or table to table; but after a considerable pause, she said-"I wish you were a little older, Mabel; I wish you to be older, that I might convince you, dear, that i

ted the thoughtless gir

in direct opposition to her father's desires; so that to those who could not understand her motives and feelings, she appeared every day more inconsistent. "It is difficult to judge of motives in any case. I am sure, if he had only gone abroad into the world, and seen distress as I have seen it, he could not have shut his heart against his fellow-creatures: but his feelings were hardened against some, whom he considered t

e, dear a

xed upon seeing you a rich heiress,

ier you were when you were all poor toge

n riches; but having once been rich, it would, I think, be

was gathering flowers-bunches of the simple white jessamine you love so mu

ually rather than from feeling; "too much

hild's voice singing a tune full of mirth, and I went softly, softly on; and there, under a tree, sat one of my morning acquaintances, making believe to sing through a stick, while the other danced with bare feet, and her very rags fluttered in time to the tune. Th

orget the crust of bread was their

in England a crust of bread should

of staying at home to watch his-his-money, he would have thought it right to share what he had. It is an unnatural thing to shut one's self up from the duties of life; one gets no interest for any other outlay to do

were with you, and you loved me, my dear aunt. Still, I own I like to be rich, so as to have everything I want, and give everybody what they want;

rance of the servant, who told Miss Bond tha

in," said

o see you al

rry him!" exclaimed Mabel, heedless of the servant's

while stooping to kiss her wayward ni