. Family secrets; or, Hints to those who would make home happy. ating the coarsest bread, servedin the humblest manner, though they had every appear-ance of enjoying their meal as much as if it had been ofthe most costly description. For a long time he hadleaned against the side of the window, and gazed withfixed attention on this scene without the little party beingaware that he was a spectator; but no sooner did one ofthem make the discovery, than it was whispered to therest, and almost instantaneously something like a shadowfell upon them all. Their cheerfulness subsided, theirlaughter died
. Family secrets; or, Hints to those who would make home happy. ating the coarsest bread, servedin the humblest manner, though they had every appear-ance of enjoying their meal as much as if it had been ofthe most costly description. For a long time he hadleaned against the side of the window, and gazed withfixed attention on this scene without the little party beingaware that he was a spectator; but no sooner did one ofthem make the discovery, than it was whispered to therest, and almost instantaneously something like a shadowfell upon them all. Their cheerfulness subsided, theirlaughter died away, and the pleasant schemes they hadbeen forming for all that was to be done in their mothersabsence, and the promises they were making her, sunkinto silence on their lips ; while they ate the remainder oftheir breakfast without a word or a smile. Frederick Bond shrunk back into his room; he wouldwillingly have shrunk into the centre of the earth. Am I so horrible a monster, he exclaimed, that Icannot look upon my own children without witheringtheir joy ?. DANGERS OF DINING OUT. ^^ As he said this, he caught a glimpse of his figure inthe glass; and his wonder, if he had felt any, might wellhave ceased. His face was sallow, his cheeks had falleninto deep hollows, his eyes were red and glaring, hisblack hair was matted into separate locks, that seemed asif starting from his head. He was wrapped in a loosedressing-gown, and all his movements were accompaniedby a certain degree of muscular distortion; especially hisface, which was once handsome, but which had latelybeen disfigured by convulsive twitches, at which hisyounger children laughed, while the older ones wereafraid. No wonder, said he, they shun and hate me. Ienvy them the power of escaping from such a monster ;but how shall I escape from myself? He then swallowed his accustomed morning draught,and before his wife had come to take leave of him, hehad begun to feel more the master of himself. Frederick, said Eleanor, ret
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