injudiciously
and selfishly fell in with this child's foolish and wicked notions, and
in order, as he thought, to remunerate this darling child for her great
trial, allowed her to live almost entirely abstracted from the family
circle.

She was allowed to have a room entirely by herself, which was the
largest and best in the house, and in all respects to maintain a
separate interest. No one might interfere with this or that, for it
belonged to Miss Louise.

Her father said, at any rate, she should not be annoyed by any
participation in the care of the little ones, as she left no one in
doubt of the fact, that above every thing she disliked children, and
especially the care of them. Certainly, he said, they should not
interfere in any way with her in acquiring a "liberal education." And
thus she lost the sweet privilege of acting the honorable and useful
part usually assigned to an "elder daughter," and an "elder sister."

To atone for her isolated and unfortunate situation--made unfortunate by
the contracted and selfish views of this ill-judging father--her father
made another mistake under the circumstances, for, instead of sending
her to a good select school, where she would come in contact with
children of her own age, and her intellectual powers might be sharpened
by coming in contact with other minds, he procured for her _private
teachers_, and she had not even the benefit of a good long walk to and
from school in the open air.

Thus was this mere child, day after day, and hour after hour, confined
to the piano, to her drawing and painting lessons, and her worsted work.
She became a proficient in these external accomplishments, and was by
some considered quite a prodigy--possessing a rare genius, which often
means nothing more nor less than a distorted character.

Her health for a time was sadly undermined, and her nervous system was
shattered by too close attention to pursuits which imposed too great a
tax upon the visual organs, and too much abstraction from common
objects.

Who would not rather see a young daughter--the merry, laughing companion
of a group of girls--out after wild flowers, weaving them into garlands
to crown the head of some favorite of the party, making up bouquets as a
gift for mamma, or some favorite aunt--cutting paper into fantastic
figures, and placing them upon the wall to please children, or dressing
a doll for little sister? Who would not rather see their young daughter
a jumpi