Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-07-24
.ase 40 in toll, confinement, and self-neg-

AT the opening Of this sequel, she 81.
and bent low over her fine sewing, rock
iur her baby ana lullng it with a low
swee, melody. She lay down her work in
her lap moment, when she saw two
beautiful heads raised in listening attitudes
from a low bed near her; and, smiling,
sang again." is the pillow of my
head,' &c, peace is the pillow OF my
head, TOO, mamma" repeated her oldest.
dear girl of eleven. "Peaee is the pill.
low ormy head too" echoed curly.headed
Willie, two years younger. He smiled on
his mother, half asleep although he was
The children Doth Rugged their pillows
close, if they felt that they were indeed
peace" said Good night, mamma" and
in moment were fast asleep
Two between these and The baby in the
cradle our mother had lain away to sleep
in the green church-yard near. She
thought ofthem then; and weary and lone
" az she was, now that the children were
asleep and Louis had not come, she a.
most wished that il was Tor her, her other
children, and her hest beloved, her failh.
full one, to lie down with them, that she
might rest; and that they might not be
left to atnnggIe on through The cold world
without her. But it was only tor mo-
menl; and so transient her strong will
made all seasons of hear,.sickness. They
would come upon her sometimes, ay,of'en.
in spite of her purposes of perfect resig-
nation under every trial that might be
laid on her. The room in which Mary
sat was their only one-upon the second
floor Of a large house of many tenemenls,
opposite the splendid building they occu-
pied in the early years Of their married
life, 1t was neatly but simply furnished
Many articles Of taste were there, such as
drawings, card-cases, alum, wax and shell
baskets. There wos a pretty but cheap
sideboard, on which were ranged their
books, few large shells, and bits Of coral
On each Of The south window lodges
were flower pots, one containing rose,
the other geranlum now in full flower
These simple articles we're their only lux
uries, Mary often said with a cheerful
smile; and dearly were they loved. Mary's
clothes, her husbands, and the childrens,
were relics Of the wardrobe Of their more
prosperous days--made to look amlist as
wee as new" by her ever busy fingers
While Louis yet ,arries. and Mary lis
tens for his football ON the stairs, we will
explain briefly wha, has brought them 10
this. Avarce, i, was, in the heart Of Lou
is father, which, although he was already
rich, near his grave, and with only one
child, was continually crying more!
more! in his ear. This passion, which
had always ruled HIM with a tyranica
sway, grew more clamorous in It's appeals
for indulgence the nearer the old man
felt himself drawn to that point, beyond
which there is no work no device" The
eastern land speculation mania seized him
al last, and he made a desperate plunge
! His own property, and much Of Marys IA
TIERS he slaked; and it was lost Then
came sickness for Mary occasionally, on
giving birth TO her children; sickness aud
death for two Of her little ones, and, at last
whea times were al their hardest point,
when Louis had just secured good clerk.
ship after weeks Of Ruthless search, then
came protraeed debility and dependency
on him.
Sill Mary ioiled, and sang, and smiled,
even in The darkest hour. Still she de-
cIared, and sincerely, that she was hap
| pier than when she went through the days
and Years full OF restless and frivolously
employed activity, aud conscious Of living
to no purpose. Surely this is beautiful
once unable 10 do an hours sedentary la
Dor, now never needing how much she
might be hurried, or how long, if the work
might be done, and if the bread might
come: once impalieu, Of control, FESTIVE
under self denial, fond Of display, now
meekly and patiently bending her head TO
every yoke; in fine, once the maiden and
now the wife and mother--lhis was the
change in our good, our best Mary. She
was not, then. "poor Mrs Alden, as some
who knew nothing of the true glory Of
woman's character, often called her. No.
But Louis has come. He has told his
story, il seems, while we have been telling
ours; for he says You know have said
all along, Mary, that l only wanted per-
manent employment 10 make me perfectly
content. hope now this is secured, ]