Who set her on the path she walked in? It was her parents' hands
which led her, and her parents' voices which commanded her to accept the
temptation set before her. What did she know of the character of the man
selected to be her husband? Those who should have known better brought
him to her, and vouched for him. Noble, unhappy young creature! are you
the first of your sisterhood who has been bidden to traffic your beauty,
to crush and slay your honest natural affections, to sell your truth and
your life for rank and title? But the Judge who sees not the outward acts
merely, but their causes, and views not the wrong alone, but the
temptations, struggles, ignorance of erring creatures, we know has a
different code to ours--to ours, who fall upon the fallen, who fawn upon
the prosperous so, who administer our praises and punishments so
prematurely, who now strike so hard, and, anon, spare so shamelessly.
Our stay with our hospitable friends at Rosebury was perforce coming to a
close, for indeed weeks after weeks had passed since we had been under
their pleasant roof; and in spite of dearest Ethel's remonstrances it was
clear that dearest Laura must take her farewell.
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