Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-10-09

At this moment the door-bell was violently
rung, and pale and almost breathless the OBJ
Jet Of then commisseration rushed in:
For Gods sake come to my child, Mary
Mrs Harrington, cried Beaumont, come quick
ly, nv boy is dying Oh loose not moment,
carriage is at the door.
Without waiting even for bonnet, Mary flew
down stairs, followed by her husband and the
distracted flther, and in few moments was at
the door Of Beaumont's residence
With hasty steps she peoceeded to the nursery
and softly pushed open the door. In the little
cradle ike blighled lilly, lay the dying boy,
his blue eyes fixed and dim under their halEclo-
sod lids, his features wasted by suffering, and his
beautiful golden hair, seemingly already damp
with the dew Of death, resting upon his pallid
brow Ike sunlight upon snow.
Blythe side of the cradle on the floor, was Ara
bell in rich ball Dress as if summoned from
some festive scene to the pillow of the dying boy,
wrngng her hands and shrieking, oh my child
! my child---don't let him dle---my child
II The nurse with hel apron thrown over her
head was sobbing Ito all appearance) in the cor
f ner. A word of sympathy to the unhappy moth
cr, and then Mary bent down over the cradle
and looked the poor babe, she felt its little hand
its cIammy limbs, she pressed the blue dissever-
ed lips with her own, and listened to its feeble
breathing.
What is the matter, nurse, with this dear
, boy and how long has he been i'll
Oh maam, nothmg's the matter, only dwin-
ding away, maam. He is most gone, the dear
Again ArabelI shrieked wildly.
Has the child taken any anodyncF said Ma
ry
No, indeed, Ma'am ? answered the nurse
| Because, continued Mary, this looks to me
| like child suffering from the effects of lauda-
S mum or some other powerful opiate.'
'Loadaaami opioten exclaimed the nurse,
pcrtly, The mercy knows who should give it to
HIN have not, I'm sure. never do such
dreadful things notI Mrs. Pettis aloayS said
S says sho,'
V Mary lifted the child from the cradle aud not
withsandng the reservations Of the nurse inqui-
r rcd how long since physician had seen the babe
She was told that none had been called in, as the
t nurse had said it would be Of no use and only
irighten4be little dear to death---She cOuId do al
S that was necessary,
o Let a physician be summoned instantly cr
II ed Mary to Beaumont, your child may yet be
r saved
In few moments the doctor was there.
+ This boy has been taking laudanum. said he
| after looking at the babe and feeling its lttlc
+ pulse.
+ ooh no, no, doctor he has not 7 said Arabcll
d Hov shoQH you hp0~" interrupted Beau
S mont fixing his eye sternly upon the culPabl'
mother.
d Cull the nurse for as the doctor cnterettha
parsonage had disappeared
it what have you been giving this chiIdr h,
It asked, us she re-entered the room
Nothing at all, sir, but little cordial for thu
II colic-poor thing
'The hWtd, woman, and at oncep cried tn
doctor, this is the effect Of stronger opates than
Is cordial; what is t!'
g Nothing else, sir, upon my word
IF Y0w 'rordi Woman you are telling me
l. Observation-Disclosures not to deceive me. You hGg
5eca giriog it Iaadqaamr
G The nurse lifted up her hands and rolled vi
her eyes in horror at the accusation, and stoutl
{! maintained hcl innocence.
9 The doctor seized her.
o Now, madam, you wear pocket about you!
? 'Ye-c-es, sir
Empty it this moment
Not for you OF any man livingp screamed tn,
u woman, turning pale, and striving to free herseI
from the grasp Of the doctor.
n You won't Well, then I eciiN and, not
withstanding her struggles, phial labelled L2ud
e anum and another Elixir were drawn forth.
o The guilty woman at first persisted in her in
nocencc. Lut finding it vain, at length confess Il
l. that she had always been in the habit of admins
: terng one or both as she pleased to the misera
e BILE inant-that the child having disturbed he
: much the night previous because it was sicJ
e from tcctdjng, she had given him larger dos
i than she intended
h At this confession the conscience-strickeI
Z, Arabell, with thrilling shrek, tainted and wa
bore from the chamber
Is WomaaP exclaimed Beaumont, hoars will
is passion as he shook the nurse by the arm, if m,
IS child dies, g0M life shall answer for it !
But the child did not die Better perhaps
/ would have been had it done so, for when after
long and dangerous fever Arabell at length re
- covered, she found her boy an idiot.
f Dreadful punishment for her loes
e Beaumont is possessed of too much goodnes
Is of heart to treat the now repentant wife am
mother otherwise than with Kindness, but his at
lection and confidence she can never regain--
loss irreparabIe! Her husband cannot logot til,
past How can he, when his eyes rest upon hi
"a idiot boy--a constant, living reproach to thu
t, Wretched moher
G Harrington is a tender, aifectionate husband
a proud father, and the happiest of men
d Mary neglects none of her powers of peasin.
d now that she has secured the love other husband
She still wears the same bright smiIe---she still
II ornaments her rooms with flowers and practice
his favorite airs, she dresses with the same sim