Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-06-03
Select Gales.
From The Columbian Magazine for June.
THE MOTHER AND SON.
BY T. 8. ARTHUR.

In richly furnished chamber a young wo-
man with pale, serious face, recllned upon
bed. Even without the fulness and flush of
health, beauty was stamped upon every feature
Her forehead was broad and white; her eyes
dark and brilliant; her lips most delicaely
formed, yet over the whole proud spirit had
written characters that all could read, even
though it was plain to be seen that she had sul-
fered, for some cause deep humiliation of
Esprit.
1t was night, and she was alone; but her eyes
were frequently turned toward the door with a
look of interest, and she seemed all the time
listening as if for the approach of some one
who was expected AT last woman, past the
middle age entered as she did so the invalid
rose up with look of inquiry.
Has it been done! she asked in a very low
voice.
Every thing is ready. Will you not see
himr
mol MOI replied the young woman raising
both her hands as if to hide some disagreeabe
object from her sight, and turning her head
aside.
He is sleeping so sweetly, and looks as inno-
cent as an angel said the woman; you may
never see his face again
pray Heaven | never may! No-no-no, |
cannot; / will not see him. Let all be done
as | have directed and the speaker sank
back upon the bed, and buried her face in the
pillow
The woman withdrew, and she was again
| left alone. For an hour the invalid lay almost
as motionless is if life were extinguished The
woman with whom she had held the brief con.
ference we have Just recorded came back again
after the lapse of ten minutes, but her entrance
was not apparently noticed. Years of misery
were crowded into that one hour thus spent in
selEcommunion; aud years elapsed before its
deeply cut record was effaced 1t was only
covered over for time by other mementos but
never ehaced.
1t was dark, cold night in December; since
the day closed in, snow had begun to fall and
was now filling the air, and whiring about in
the mourning gusts that swept along the streets
and eddied among the houses, scattering its
white favors broadly over the earth, creeping
quietly into hooks and corners, now lightly fall
ing upon the window panes, and now rushing
ferceIy against them with heavy rafting sound
that fell off quickly into low, retreating sigh,
1t was night to make those who gathered a.
round the warm Preside feel thankful for the
good gifts they enjoyed
In narrow court, far away from any of the
neighborhoods where wealth built up her splen-
did mansions, stood low frame dwelling, in
which lived poor widow named Oliver. She
had three young children, and her only means OF
subsistence were in her ability to work with her
hands.
The widow Oliver had finished her days
work, or rather all the work she happened to
have in the house; and after putting her little
ones to bed, sat down by the light Of single
tallow candle to sew for herself This, in her
estimation, was more like recreation than work
Her work was what she daily performed as a
means of obtaining money with which to buy
food and clothing for herself and her little ones
All the time she could gain from this necessary
toll, TO make and mend her own and her chill
dren's clothes, seemed to be like holiday, and
was enjoyed quite as well and even better than
some persons enjoy their hours of recreation.
The widow Oliver, though poor and with
small means, had a woman's heart. She loved
her children and worked for them with as much
earnestness and far more real pleasure than a
merchant works for the wealth he seeks to &C
cumulae While her affection prompted her
to do all in her power to supply their wants, it
also prompted her to teach them to be content
ed with what they had and to love one an
other
She had finished her days work, as we have
sad and had drawn her chair close to the small
light emitted by poor candle, in order to sew
for herself as she called it. This sewing for
herself was making some coarse aprons for her
children, to cover and protect their Clothes
She had not noticed until now that it was Storm
ing The day had been cloudy, but snow had
not begun to descend until after night-fall. A
rustling against the windows first gave her notice
of the change that had occurred without A
slight SILVER passed through her frame, more
from the idea Of GOODNESS than from any rea
change in her bodily sensation, and she moved
that was burning cheerfuly upon the hearth.
e Thus alone the widow sat and piled her busy
needle, no sound falling npon her ears excep
the murmur of the blazing fire, the clicking o
her thimble, and the occasional rushing of the
storm against the windows, or its deep hollow
moaning, as it swept around her humble dwell
l. ing She had been sewing for nearly an hour
when she stopped suddenly and Istened she
u laid down her work, and taking the candle il
her hand went up stairs into the room over thu
n one where she had been sitting ana where he
children lay asleep. Two were in bed upol
. the floor, and the third, who was little more thai
a babe, lay in the middle of her own bed Sh
held the light close to the face of this one AM
saw that he was not only sound asleep but ha
: not moved since she laid him there She the
looked at the other children fol moment o
d two After this she went down stairs and resu
med her work. She had not taken many stitch
chn