Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-07-01
Select Gales.
FOUNDED ON FACTS.
CHAPTER |.

Portable, l am indeed. See, | have my cloak
on, and your shawl; besides you know we must
pay our rent tomorrow; and unless finish this
Jacket, shall not have the money. | am watch
ing little Henry, too; he is very restless and does
not seem at all well. You have been working
hard to-day, mother SO don't say another word,
shall soon be done, and then will retire
So replied Edna EtheriI to her consumptye
mother, one very stormy night.
The dim light Ackered on a small table close
by the hearth, for the rushing wind like spirit
with restless wings, moaned through the dark
and almost empty room.
Edna, with a very pale, yet interesting face,
sat with her head bent forward, stitching around
a white linen jacket Her unnatural position
had been acquired, by sewihg-thc weary task,
two long years.
Her form might be the perfection of lowell
ness, it might not, for it was enveIoped in a grey
coat, a battered relic Of oud decency,' and above
that was shawl, ditto; so that her appearance
was not the most interesting
Beside her was a cradle, broken at the head
aud foot, but Within sweet child of three
years old; his face flushed TO deep scarlet
hue his sleep broken, while occasionally a.
slight moan as of pain, issued from his parted
lips
In the opposite corner was bedstead cover
cd with piece of tattered carpet, on which re-
posed feeble woman, yet in the prime Of life,
wasting slowly ard surely away
The room, itself, was very large, and adorn-
ed with nothing save the heavy beams across
the ceiling, and the variegated hues Of the damp,
dlscolored plasterny.
A large, well-worn chest was on one side Of
the room, which was of course, table and seat
An ancient, broken clock stood over the man
tie, but no merry tick responded to the swing of
the pendulum. 1t was rusted and going to de-
cay.
The room was in the upper story Of an old
faohioned house in North Square; place well
known by all who live at the North End of Bos-
ton.
The house was recently standing, two or
three doors from the corner of what is called
little Prince street, 1t is now rebuilt and oc-
cuped as Sailors Home. But to return to
the subject Of our story.
Edna worked on sometimes starting as the
hingeess shutter struck the narrow window
frame, or the whisting wind roared through the
crevices in the door, or down the chimney puff
fng very tiny cloud of smoke from very few
embers, smouldering in the ashes
She knew not the hour, she had needed not
the iron-ongued note Of the church clock near
her, yet she felt that she was, perhaps, the only
one in that great house, awake,
There were, at the time of which speak
seven or eight families beneath that roof II
was rented by mserably hard-hearted woman,
who herself lived there. Her name was Gle
ment
When Mrs. Etheril first moved there she had
very decent furniture; but, being for a long time
quite sick, it was taken from her by the merci-
less landlady, for rent.
1t was to pay this woman that Edna was toll
ing the live-ong night.
OH many large tear rolled down her
white cheek, as bitter thoughts crowded upon
her mind.
What dreadful night she murmured, as
the rain poured in torrents and dashed against
the panes.
Then she hid her face in the old cloak, and
bent down low, to smother her hollow, frigbtfuI
cough.
But it would not do; again her mother started,
exclaiming,
Edna, dear child you must come to bed
If you will not, | will get up and sew with you.
But, mother demonstrated the girl, 'remem-
Der what Mrs. Clement said, that if we did not
pay tomorrow, we must leave, or else give her
our feather bed, and how can you spare that,
mother, while you are SO unwellr
4 will not work but an hour more, and then
perhaps it will be finished. You know we owe
Mrs. Clement dollar, and am very sure
she will not spare us, if we fail to pay by this
time
4 had rather give up my bed than that yor
should lose your health, dear Edna, so | must in
sist that you lie down instantly
With a sigh, the worn out girl folded up he
work, after gazing sorrowfulIy at the unfinished
part remaining, and prepared to obey her moth
er's command.
The light burnt very low in its socket, ant
she now perceived the oil almost gone. Hast
raising corner of the dark curtain, she hal
uttered an exclamation Of surprise.
1t was daylight From ten in the eyenin!
had she sat, working on that linen jacket, 70
which she was to receive the patry sum of TWEEN
ty-fve cents.
i shall not finish it in tme,? thought She
Il must not sleep if lie down, for promise
the jackets to-day, OH | almost wish Their
was no night
Poor Ednal Her weary body had but toucl
ed the bed before her heavy eyes were closed
deep slumbcr, and the tired girl lived over til
toilsome hours in her dreams
CHAPTER II.
When Edna awoke, her mother was bendin
over her She had been a long time trying
arouse her from her corpse-like sleep
what time is it, mother!' she exclaimed
springing up almost before her eyelids were III
closed