The Path of Duty, and Other StoriesCaswell, Harriet S. (Harriet Sophia)
General
The Path of Duty, and Other Stories
Caswell, Harriet S. (Harriet Sophia)
Country life -- Fiction; Family -- Fiction; Friendship -- Fiction; Pastoral fiction; Short stories
After tea, Mr. Leighton requested me to favor them with some music.
Accordingly I seated myself at the piano and played several pieces, with
which he seemed much pleased. He remarked that they were quite at a loss
for music since their eldest daughter, Laura, left home for school, as
their two youngest daughters had but recently commenced taking lessons.
As I rose from the piano, Mrs. Leighton enquired if I sang. I replied
that I sometimes sang to oblige my friends. She asked if I would favor
them with a song. Resuming my seat, I began the first song which
occurred to my mind. It chanced to be that much-admired song, by Foster,
called "Willie, we have missed you." When I concluded I was surprised to
find Mrs. Leighton in tears. She informed me, by way of apology, that
their eldest son's name was Willie, and that he had been absent for some
months in England, on account of the death of a wealthy uncle, who had
made him his heir. She remarked, further, that he was the life of their
dwelling, and they had indeed missed him very much. I said that I was
sorry to have given her pain. She replied that the song had afforded her
a pleasure, although, said she, "I could not refrain from tears while
thinking of my absent Willie."
In order to change the subject, Mr. Leighton remarked that they were
fortunate in securing a governess who could both sing and play, as he
was very fond of music.
When I left Mrs. Wentworth's school I was called an excellent performer
on the piano, for I was very fond of music, and had devoted much time to
practice. We also enjoyed some very pleasant conversation during the
evening, and the more I saw of Mr. and Mrs. Leighton I felt disposed to
like them. When I retired to my own room I kneeled and thanked my
Heavenly Father for directing me to a home where I had a prospect of
being useful and happy.
It is not my intention to give a detailed account of the events of the
next two years; and a few words must suffice for that period of time.
If I had trials of temper to endure from my pupils,--and who ever yet
was a governess and had not,--I also enjoyed much pleasure in their
society. The eldest of my pupils gave me more trouble than did both the
others. Her memory was not retentive; she had also a certain
listlessness of manner during lessons which was at times very annoying.
But it was a very pleasant task to instruct Birdie; she drank in
knowledge eagerly, and possessed an excellent memory. In music she made
astonishing progress, for a child of her years; and she was of a most
affectionate disposition, which made the duty of imparting knowledge to
her doubly pleasant. The progress of little Lewis was equal to that of
most boys of his age. I found less trouble with him than I had at first
anticipated. I found him to be a child that would never be controlled by
harshness, but he was easily restrained by kindness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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