. Family secrets; or, Hints to those who would make home happy. place but determined manner,about some of the customs of the East. This conversation was only interrupted by the servantbringing in tea, which we took alone, there being nodisposition in those we had left at the dinner-table to joinour party. The tea-service had scarcely been dismissed, whenMiss Somerville was called out of the room, and suchwere the confused and mysterious sounds in the hall,which immediately followed, tliat I unconsciously, and bya sort of natural impulse, opened the door. What, then,was the horror I experienced
. Family secrets; or, Hints to those who would make home happy. place but determined manner,about some of the customs of the East. This conversation was only interrupted by the servantbringing in tea, which we took alone, there being nodisposition in those we had left at the dinner-table to joinour party. The tea-service had scarcely been dismissed, whenMiss Somerville was called out of the room, and suchwere the confused and mysterious sounds in the hall,which immediately followed, tliat I unconsciously, and bya sort of natural impulse, opened the door. What, then,was the horror I experienced, on beholding the almostsenseless, and deathlike form of Mr. Somerville supportedin the arms of his servants, and borne, as quietly as theycould carry him, to his own chamber. My attention,however, was chiefly directed to the figure of hisdaughter, who had placed her arms beneath her father,with his head resting on her shoulder, and his whitehair against her cheek, and who in this manner took herpart—the most arduous of all—in bearing the •Si 1 ^S5 SOMERVILLE HALL. 185 Shocked at having been the witness of such a scene,I still persuaded myself none of the party had observedthat I was so; when Kate Somerville, on returning to theroom, entered immediately upon the subject by alludingto what I had seen. I am little skilled, said she, in keeping my feelingsto myself And why should I attempt it, when the causeof my disquietude is so obvious. My poor father And as she uttered these words, she covered her facewith her hands, and burst into an agony of tears. You know, she continued, as soon as she hadpartially recovered her self-possession, that he used tobe fond of sitting long at the table over his wine. ButI never thought it would come io this ! And that man—that cruel man—keeps humouring him up to his bent,and I have no influence with him whatever. Have you tried your influence ? I asked. Haveyou spoken to him on this subject, kindly and candidly? Why,
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