Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-03-11


unable TO resist the attack, and since that period
the wife who had been the faithful partner of his
cares and his tolls, had at least SO far succeeded
as to MAINTAIN her children without the assistance
Of charity, whether public or private.
+ "Why not have written to me when this bank
ruptcy took place? p inquired the old man.
"Alas, dear sir we HAD before heard of that
terrible hurricane in which,
: Gin which" said the old man, filing I'M with
stern composure the sudden pause that from n
mixture of delicacy and sympathy had arrested
Margaret Lesles words" in which the planta-
ton where resided was laid waste, my house
levelled to the ground, and my wife with four
hopeful children buried in the ruins In striving
to rescue them, this thigh, striking the withered
limb with hazel twig-" this thigh was broken
l owe my preservation to the gratitude of an
emancipated negro but for months, for years, all
nature blank before ME have sometimes
wondered how | could have survived such a
biow-for what purpose was spared The doubt
was sinful, ana finds its rebuke, its thrice merci-
TAI rebuke, in this blissful hour. You heard of
my losses, then, dear Margaret? Poor William
heard of them 20
I'VE were sure that something must have gone
amss, from receiving no reply to the letter which
announced the birth of our boy. and claimed your
promise of standing godfather at his christening,
William did not like to write again upon such an
occasion it would have seemed like encroaching
upon your too generous spirit But when the
news OF that awful hurricane arrived, and Mich
o!as Hume and the Collins made inquiries in
London and aseertained that your plantation had
indeed been amongst those laid waste, then your
silence was too we'll explained. l heard this sad
news first, for it arrived during the dreadful ILL
ness which proceeded my husbands bankruptcy
And when he reganed much breathing.tme
after his own mislortunes TO ask news of you,
no tidings could be obtained; all trace of YOU
seemed lost. Oh that he had lived to see this
day his will be done But oh, that my hus-
band had lived to see once more the kinsman he
loved well -
The old man pressed her hand in speeches.
emotion, and Margaret, smiling thro' her tears,
went on
' You must live with US, dear uncle, and we
snail wait upon you and work for you, and be-
happy together-as happy as we can be without
him-after all. My Annie is a caod pirl-ob
such good girl and pretty is she not, dear
uncle and poor Michael, your namesake, is a
boy OF Thousand. We have much TO be thank
| iul for. Farmer Rogers, the oyerseer. whose
books my husband kept, dtile Michael keeps
them now, as well, the farmer says, as his father
| did) supplies US with milk twice a day. Mrs
| Lascel'es, the rector's wife, employs Annie and
me constantly liz neeaiewerk for her large family
and if we can but keep our pretty cottage-if we
can but keep that cottage at whose porch poor
William planted the honeysuckle and the China
rose, and the vine which now half covers the
! thatch-that cottage where we worked and went
| together, and where he died the death of thu,
| rlghteous-if can but live together there, within
the sight of the turf that covers his dear remains
should ask for nothing better on this side of the
grave"
The widow s tears flowed afresh, and once again
| the old man pressed her hand
is there any doubt of your retaining this
beloved habitation, dear Margaret? And docs
my coming cause that doubt?
Oh no no dear uncle, not in the slightest de.
gree. The cause ofdoubt is chat we have no lease.
that Miss Collins, she calls herself, poor vii
lam's cousin, wants it for some purpose or other
| people say with some view Of marrying. But this
Is idle talk vilag9 gossip. What is certain. is,
that she wishes 10 lake it, and is willing TO give two
pounds year more rent than now give or Gun
afford to give. lf our old landlord, MIR. Godfrey,
had Stayed, he and Lady Elizabeth had promised
that should remain; but the hall and the village,
and he whole estate are sod and the new lord of
the manor is coming this evening Ilark you may
hear the bells ringing even Mr.. Godfrey and
Lady Elizabeth intend staying few days ct the
rectory you them ride by with their dogs,
they have promised TO speak in my favor to the
new landlord they mentioned it even nov. and
the good rector and his excellent lady will sscond
my petition still -
"Be of good cheer, Margaret EYen G yeg
should leave your pretty cottage. would wager
something - The old man checked himself, and
resumed, in an indifferent tone, "WIo is this new
lord of the manor3 VIVA, is his name -
/" The property was purchased by Mr.. Prices
bat he is understood to be agent, and have
not heard the name of the real proprietor, who is
said to be an elderly gentleman, and SO rich that
he will hardly be tempted to tnrn an old tenaRa
from her cottage for trang an addition of rent.
Nevertheless -