Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-08-23


morning for a poor female in fancy store.
You seemed TO have been acquainted with
her previously
Only for a short time replied the young
lady i was directed to her by Mrs. Frisby,
for whom she was doing some work that |
was DESTROYS to see. Poor girl IL fear she
had hard task-mistress. Since then have
sometimes employed her to do little sew
ing for myself
What is her situationP
One of extreme poverty. | found her
with nothing to depend upon but the labor
Of her needle, and the earnings of that to be
shared by suffering mother, who also re-
quired large portion Of her time. She in
terested me extremely. In addition to the
attractions Of her beauty, which you must
have observed to be remark able, she has the
manners of lady, and young as she is, an
education superior to my own. And now
what anguish she must endure, deroted as
she was to her mother this is sad mis-
cradle world we live in = And Helen shook
her graceful head and sighed with look so
significantly melancholy, that her visitor
knew she must be rejecting upon some grief
of her own as we'll as that Of another. What
grief it was he readily OWNED.
You promised to visit her this evening,
did you notP he asked
Il did, replied Helen, coloring; but the
escort | expected 10 hafe-that is, expected
to have the company ola friend, and am dis
appointed
Mr.. Stafford understood more than she
supposed. 1T would be a pity said he,
that the needy aud afflicted should suffer
rom such a cause. Will you allow me TO
attend you? Ii is unnecessary TO say that
the appearance of the young woman interest
ed me, as my enquiries must have proved
that, and shall be happy to aid you in serv-
ing her
! They were soon on their way, aud Helen
led her companion through a dark alley in
an obscure part of the city. They assembled
a flight of steep, narrow wooden steps, and
through division Of the scanty curtain Of
the window, which was without shutters,
hey bcheld the object of their mission.
She was sitting at table, with single
lamp upon it, and even then sewing. Hell
ems hand trembled as she laid it impressive
y on the arm Of her companion, for in the
size recognized garment for the dead
Covered with white cloth and extended
upon chairs, at the farther side of the room
lay what they knew TO be the corpse; aud
beside Alice sat an old woman who seemed
intent upon sharing her mourniul task, bu
who. from the tremuous motion of her with
cred hand, and her apparent difficulty o
sight, could have been of little assistance
She opened the door at the gentle tap o
Helen.
Alice looked up but did not rise from hel
seat. Her face was white as marble, anC
in her stupor of grief seemed scarcely les
rigid. Helen advanced towards her, ant
taking her by the hand attempted to speak
but unused to scenes of sorrow, her voic,
failed her, and she burst into tears. Tn,
consciousness of sympathy enabled Alice L
give vent to her feelings, she wept till large
bright drops rolled down her fingers, an,
fell upon her work in her lap. Mr.. Staffor,
had never been a comforter of woman, an,
not knowing what to say he remained silent
There lay large volume, in an embroidered
cover, on the table beside Alice, and me
chemically he took it up. 1t was a Bible
and on one of the fly-leaves there was an in
scription which arrested his attention. Ii
examined it closely, gazed moment a
Alice, and then hastily crossed the ROOM
The old woman followed him with candl
which she had lighted at the lamp. 'Wonl,
you like to see her, sirF she asked I; 'sh
is a beautiful corpse : and she removed tn
cloth from her face.
1t was indeed beautiful, not less so in tn
finely moulded lineameIits than in the be
attitude of expression. through which tn
power of triumphant death had restored t
them the aspect of youth. Mr.. Staffor
bent down and turned pale.
you had better come away, il affects 70
SO, SIR said the aged attendant; many pei
, sons can't bear TO look at corpse il
natural to them and they can't help il, an
she replaced the covering. MIR. SlalIor
made no opposition he had seen enough
) that the body was that Of Eugenia.
, The two girls were now talking in 10,
! broken tones, and he made no attempt t
5 interrupt them. Helen arose TO 90, an
they had walked some distance before h
q could command himself to speak,
t Poor Alice + said his fair companion
on one point she is almost distracted-th;
a of having her mother buried at the publ
; expense. ! have promised her however, /
d interest my father for her, and hope
: shall be able to prevail on him 30 provide
S place in some respectable burying-ground
: That shall be my charge, Ileleni ] ha,
n a lot in the 49, Cemetery, and she sha
: be there taken. You will be surprise
+ when | tell you, that in the corpse | reco,
d nize that of the most valued friend of II
n early days There seems palpable GU
e dance of Providence IN my going there L
night, for had not the faintest idea of sue
result. Her name in the Bible which il
4 uol,IntariIu / nnnned aud Which l nom r