The Waldorf family . had justcounted her fifteenth birthday. Her character wasone of rare excellence. Quiet and gentle in hermanners, she yet possessed a degree of firmnessand self-control, which is seldom found combinedwith so much sweetness of temper. She had won-derfully clear views of right and wrong. Fromher infancy she seemed to have had an innate ideaof truth, and never was known to deviate from thestrictest integrity of word or deed. Her skill inmusic had long been the delight of her father, wholoved nothing better than the little family concertsin which Edith and her mother would play
The Waldorf family . had justcounted her fifteenth birthday. Her character wasone of rare excellence. Quiet and gentle in hermanners, she yet possessed a degree of firmnessand self-control, which is seldom found combinedwith so much sweetness of temper. She had won-derfully clear views of right and wrong. Fromher infancy she seemed to have had an innate ideaof truth, and never was known to deviate from thestrictest integrity of word or deed. Her skill inmusic had long been the delight of her father, wholoved nothing better than the little family concertsin which Edith and her mother would play duetson the piano, while he accompanied them on theviolin, and Wilhelm, the eldest son, joined themwith the flute. The boys differed widely in disposition, thoughthey were closely united in the bonds of was grave and quiet in his demeanor,fond of books, and rather retiring in all his was a lively, spirited boy, full of talent, andpossessed of great vividness of fancy ; while Philip 12. =^-—- 8^^ -- ,.\ _- was yet too young to exhibit any great peculi-arities, except a degree of tenderness and affection,which made every one love him. But little Bertha,the three-year-old darling of the family, was thepet and plaything. She alone was privileged totoss over Ediths daintily-kept drawers, and cabi-nets of knick-knacks; she might tear Wilhelmsdrawings, or break Franks kites, or toss Philsballs into the fire, yet no one dreamed of beingangry with little Bertha. She was a creature ofrare beauty, with a loving nature and a most mis-chievous spirit, which bade fair to make her theonly spoiled child in the house. Mr. Waldorf had long been desirous of persuad-ing his old father and mother to end their daysunder his roof, but it seemed so long and perilousa journey for them that he hesitated to urge hiswishes. But when the death of their only re-maining daughter had left the old people alone inthe home they had occupied for forty years, thenthen thoughts beg
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Keywords: ., bookauthoremburyem, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, bookyear1848
