The Columbian fountain., 1845-11-15


per's home Seven years before, million
aire-now sleeping his last sleep in the
dead-room Of an Alms-House, and his beg
gard wife and children weeping over him in
hcart-broken and hopeless sorrow. t.s
From that time the energies Of Mary and
Anna seemed paralyzed; and it was only
with strong effort that Mrs. Graham could
rouse herself from the stupor of mind and
body, that had settled upon her. yy
Mrs. Graham and her two daughters had
nearly finished their evening meal, at the
close of the day alluded to some pages back,
when the sound of rapidly hurrying foot
steps was heard on the pavement. Ina mo-
ment after, heavy blow was given Just at
their door, and some one fell with groan
against it. The weight of the body forced
il open, and the son and brother rolled in
upon the floor, with the blood gushing from
a ghastly wound in his forehead. His as
sailant instantly fled. Bloated, dis6gured,
in coarse and worn clothing, how different,
even when moving about, was he from the
genteel, well-dressed young man Of few
years back! Idleness and dissipation had
wrought as great change upon him as it
had upon his father, while he was living
Now Represented shocking and loathsome
appearance. myI > 9
The first impulse of Mary was to run for
a physician, while the mother and Anna at
tempted to staunch the flow of blood, that
had already formed pool on the floor
Assistance was speedily obtained, and the
wound dressed; but the young man remain
ed msenslble. As the physician turned from
the door, Mrs. Graham sank fanting upon
her bed. Over-ried nature could bear up
no longer. ,ag."En ..,...,.. .,.-..
"Doctor, what do you think of him -
asked the mother, anxiously, three days af-
ter, as the physician came out of Alfreds
room. Since the injury he had received,
ne had lam In stupor, but with much
fever ""# 1H
( $ His case, Madam, is an extremely crti-
cal one. have tried in vain to control that
fever.n
"Do you think him very dangerous,
Doctors" Mary asked, in husky voice
:" certainly do. And, to speak to you
the honest truth, have, myself. no hone Of
his recovery. think itrght thatyo should
know this'' StA s.'lt
'.No hope, Doctor % Mrs Graham said,
laying her hand upon the physicians ann,
while her face grew deadly pale. ssNo
hopefully only son die thus 10! Doc
tor, can you not save him 20 "
" ! wish 1t were in my power, Madam.
But will not fatter you with false hopes.
1t will be little less than miracle should he
survive t
The mothers and sisters turned awav
with an air of hopelessness from the phvsi-
clan, and he retired slowly, and with op-
pressed feelings.
When they returned to the sick chamber,
a great change had already taken place in
Alfred. The prediction of the physician, il
was evident to each, as all bent eagerly over
him, was about to be too surely and too
suddenly realized. His face, from being
slightly flushed with fever, had become
sunken, and ghastly pale, and his respira-
ton so feeble that it was almost imperccpti-
be
The last and saddest trial of this ruined
family had come. The son and brother. for
whom now rushed back upon their hearts
the tender and confding affection of earlier
years, was lingering upon lie's EXTREMIST
verge. 1t seemed that they could not give
hm up. They felt that, even though he
were neglecdul of them, they could not do
without him. He was a. son and brother;
and, while he lived, there was still hope of
his restoration. The strength of that hope,
entertained by each in the silent chambers
of affection, was unknown before-its trial
revealed It's power over each crushed and
sinking heart. .... .t .:..
But the passage of each moment brought
palmer and more palpable evidence of ar
preaching dissolution. For about ten min
utes he had lain so still, that thev were
suddenly aroused by the fear that he might
be already dead. Softly did the mother lay
her hand upon his forehead. Its cold and
clammy touch sent an icy thrill to her heart.
Then she bent her ear to catch even the fee
blest breath--but she could distinguish none.
''He is deadp' she murnured, sinking
down and burying her face in the bed
clothes.
The cup of their sorrow was, at last, full.
full and running over
Stunned by this new afflction, which
seemed harder to bear than any of the ter
rlble ones that had gone before, Mrs. Gra-
ham sank into state of half unconscious