Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-07-08

place
Mother, she exclaimed, while so many are
happy, why can we not enjoy the privilege of
the holy Sabbath! Why should we be smitten
with sickness, and crushed by poverty! If it
were not for this damp room and the exposure of
little Henry while moving, he might have lived,
| but now he will die, am sure he will die, moth
er; and would it not be blessed thing if we
could all die together! Oh, wish we could
| wish we could.
A low rap at the door announced the physi-
clan. He entered, and STOPPING over the child,
for Edna he'd seated herself upon the only chair,
looked at him long and earnestly.
'Wi he live, docton' asked both the mother
and sister in one breath.
Not in this house, said the physician, scan
ming the wet walls, who rents you this misera-
Bile room!' On being answered. he muttered,
she ought to live in it herself and on being
told all the particulars, his brow darkened, and
his eyes moisened with tears Of sympathy
She'll have to answer for the murder of that
child he continued for it can't live twenty
four hours, and large drops wet the baby cheek,
as poor Edna moaned low, and the mother wept
aloud.
1t was hard, how hard, let the sore and broken
heart tell, to lose that beautiful and promising
boy; to lay the cold sod on the widows treasure;
but the sun as it waned in the west that evening"
shed It's beams for the last time upon the living
form of little Henry.
Yet Edna bore up. Sixteen years of sorrow
and oitentimes want, had passed over her young
head Her soul was nerved to bear dsappoint-
ment, and as if coming years dawned upon her
vision, she looked forward to yet darker times,
with degree Of resignation One and anoth-
er of the eighbors, though all nearly as poor as
themselves, gave Edna necessary clothes, in
which to shroud the little dead baby.
'And he is dead, thought she, as he lay in
his old broken cradle, while the lamp burnt dim
and the beautiful features Of the child, like
chiseled marble, gave no response to the soul
and she turned down the scany cloth which
covered him, and kissed his little folded hands.
Poor girl, she had begged one tiny white rose,
and ribbon, and as the rose lay folded against
his little heart, it seemed to her that the long
Iashes upined from his snowy cheek, and the
sweet eyes gazed upon the lovely flower, and
the lips almost formed to speak pretty rosy as
they had often spoken before,
lie had loved flowers, and would turn from
sweetmeats or playthings of any kind, to hold,
or even to look at rosy
Yes, he is dead again sighed Edna and
tomorrow he will be put away in darkness. O.,
my Henry, my own little Henry, sister will miss
you when you are taken from her When she
has to work in the long dark nights, she will
miss your gentle breathngs by her side, and
when others scorn the poor seamstress, no
little Henry will meet her on the threshold to
tell her he loves her, and this dismal room will
be so lonely when you are gone. But God knows
what is best for us; perhaps my darling would
suffer the pangs of cruel hunger, had he stayed
(by my side, now he will know nothing but bliss,
he will be with happy angels around Gods
throne
She fingered by him, gazing and gazing into
his sweet sad face, as though she could not give
him up She knew that the morrow night would
find the old cradle empty.
The funeral over, with a weared frame, (for
how could Edna rest?) she began again to ply the
needle.
Meanwhile, her constant exerton had told
on her feeble health Her eye was bright, but
not with hope-her cheek flushed, but painful
flush it washer form which would have been
one of peculiar beauty was bent and thin
Her hard, dry hollow cough increased But
still she complained not
Her mother grew weaker, for the death of lit
tie Henry preyed upon her spirits. She helped
Edna all she could, but often towards evening,
she would sink down upon the bed, utterly ex-
hausted.
Edna's was much superior energy, and her
foritude was remarkable for SO young crea-
ture
Poor Edna, toll on, God will surely recon.
pense thee, for thy devotion, thy untirng and
holy love-
CHAPTER V.
Stop thief! stop theft shouted tall, gaunt
Irish lad with his hands in his pockets, his
feet bare, and his trowsers half way up to his
knees
A slight boy was running swiftly down
Washington street, unconscious that he was sus-
pected of wrong until dozen voices or more
joined in the halloo, and turning round, he saw
twenty men and boys almost on his very foot
steps
Now really frightened, he redoubled his ex-
ertions and flew rather than run, but his pursu-
ers gained upon him, and as he almost felt their
hot breath upon his bare neck, he made one
more effort, and sprnging forward struck his
foot against stone, and fell to the ground and
stream of blood stained his auburn curs.
Amidst cries and jeers he was roughly taken
from the pavement, and without being allowed
to say a word for himself, was put in custody of
an officer and hurried to the court house.
Taking small package from his hand which
they believed to be stolen property, he was thrust
into dark room, and told he must stay there
for the present. Prayers and tears were use
less.
tTet me 90 hack or Mariana will die the