Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-03-25

been given her. ar M
So she grew, chesrfui and happy
but when were chserfulness and hap
piness ever let alone lssNevsr, certain
ly, since the 6ra intermeddler in the
business of others ame. intothe world.-
Bertha MAS wandering in the vilIsgr
graveyard rs she dearly loved TO do
aud ~ Uery child has passion for do
Jug. There is something beautiful.
poeiical in il. As our first parents
wandered in Eden, unconscious N death /,
so do little children seem to play wdh
the iombs IN the garden Of graves-all
unconscious that dearh has entered the
world. IL un,aught by silly nurses to
attach terror and gloom to the quiet ST.
l-nce Of the spot, they find II place Tor
their gambols, which is chiefly remarka-
BILE for furnishing quaint and singularly
interesting head-s,ooes and tablets when
they are weary. And what are, then,
infant. gamboIs but life in epitome p
What is life itself hu, game Of hide
and seek with the grim archer, which
sooner or later must be ended by STUN
ble, not over the grave like ch'ld's fall,
hut INTO il Silly ms children, but not
80 innocent, are those who trlfie their
hv~s through, without thought OF the
inevitable close.
Strange that yon, Of all children, can
play here said a woman that looked o.
ver the wall.
Bertha looked up, all wonder-her
fair face mocking the chubby angel in
III. stone against which she leaned, and
her bright eyes sparkling with half awe
struck curinsity. Her face was in a
glow with ruddy health, aud her hair,
beautiful in its Negligent curls. danced
upon her shoulders 10 the ligh, air that
played, like her and no less innocently
than lhat) amid the graves. The pic
inre of trusting happiness what could
hav. been the womap's thoughts who
marr~d II ?-B-riha a, length said
Mother told me ] might
'Your mother He,gho ? and here
n long drawn sigh and lugubrious shake.
Your mo,hrr sleeps under your feet
Bertha. horror struck, looked down
~ II the grave were yawning beneath,
md withdrew from the spot trembling
with puzzled terror. 'My mother =
vhe wo,nnn was gone. Little Bertha
hurried home and ran from room To room
illl she found her whom she only kne"
as a mother, and burying her face in that
bosom which had so dearly cherished
her, cried a. il her heart would break.
She told me you was dead asleep
hui here you are, and VIII never,
never leave you again.
CHAPTER III.
], WAS calm and beautiful sunset
The fragrance OF the early summer flow
ers came into the open windows with d
weigh almost oppressive. The foliage
spark led NJ II grm,ned with diamonds
aud each leaf bent under their weight
The earth bad been refreshed with a
summer shower, and the slanting rays Of
the sun twinkled, not only in the rain
drop. on the leaves, hui shone in the
tears which trembled on B-riha's eye
lids. Nlairon and child had been weep
ing, but were calm Tor as the rain toI
:he thirsty earth, so are tears to the wea-
ry spirit.
But you are my mother, for all ? in
quired Bertha, with a tremulous voice.
The answer was long and ardent en-
brace. No words further were spoken
none were needed. Mrs. Malcolm
had been telling her ward and more than
daug ghter, the melancholy story how her
own mother had died for the hint
thrown out by the meddlesome woman
had made such communication neces-
sary. Perhaps II was as well that the
ch,ld should know the truth. IL now no
more she loved her kind friend with the
blind affection of instinct, her heart
every day expanded more and more with
gratitude to her who, when ~ death her
mother lorsook her, had been prompted
ol Heaven to take her up.
Poor Bertha She was old enough
10 think aud what a world OF care that
aye brings with il /! Her cheerful sun
nv hours were cIouded. She knew III. {
children have fathers as well as mothers
until death comes Ia sunder the parental
tie. Hitherto, when her widowed pro-
trc,or had spoken Of Mr.. Malcolm, she
had listened altentlvelv and afirctionaie-
w, AZ tn memories Of father. Bnt this
she perceived, could no longer be-
II We were usually IN the habit Of Civ
ing children credit Tor the faculties they
possess, aud the observations they make :.
Mrs Malcolm might have divided Ber-
tha's thoughts, and would have been ST.
lent aud guarded on that subject, She
was the reverse. The establishment, of
confidence between her and Bertha,
led her to speak often Of her own lost
child whnm Bertha had succeeded, and
ol her husband whose loss had betn her
first sorrow. When she kissed Beriha's
forehead, and fondly said you fiji the
place oi borh my chIld and its faith er,
Bertha sighed. She did not speak -
but she longed to ask, who was my ia
,her ? How much may " thoughilpss
word inhrt-and how llile did the Gu
rious, ofhcious woman Who clouded
B-nha's paradise suspect, as she saw
her growing more pale from day to day. .
that u was TO her own foolish tongue the