The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-25

the news came that Molly, too, was stricken down
Marks course was taken.
"If father has mind to be heather, aud wOrs
than heathen,p he muttered, one morning as h
watched the Ensign on bis way TO the woods
why, we'll and good but mother is a Christian
| take t. She ought to know better. will Civ
her her choice; either she or 20 over to-da,
and see how Molly and the boys are"
He watched his mother with a compressed Iii
as she went about her household labor, then, whel
she had smoothed her hair and drawn her whee
to her accustomed corner, he began
Mother, Lydia and Tim Linsiey, Thankful
Harrison, Sam and David Butler, Abby Barker
and ever so many more children, have died. D.
You think that Toe and RspiA and Nollv--7.u -
al don't know, Mark. Sarah Whedon say
that Doctor Foot gives no hope for the fklSs tsS.
Poor Hannah Chinnin, il will be sad blow to he
to lose themn
Mother, do you remember what nice custard
and jellies Mrs Chinnin used to bring me, whe
] had the measles; and how she watched by m
and nursed me when you was too much worn GU
to hold up your head ~
Yes, Mark, Ishall never forget her Kindness,
and the tears sprang TO the mothers eyes
"Well, then, mother,n he EXCLAIMED, rising an
giving the forestick kick as TO settle his decis
ion, e think IL Is burning sha@ethat we shoul,
let them Gil die, and never 20 near them. |, 70
one, am going over there to-day, am but a boy
know, and can do nothing 10 help them, but tn,
children will know that have not forgotten them
As to the fever, if catch II, | must One haC
good die with the fever as live in a quarrel al
his days.
Marx had not miscalculated the effect of hi
words upon his mother. She knew something o
his determined spirit and exclaimed, hurriedly
"No, no, Mark! For you 70 60 there would b,
tempting Providence outright you should catch
the fever should never forgive myself; will 90
I1riHn she continued seens him hsOp ~
mis- jacket 81 have wanted to 60 for long time
for these quarrels as you say, are dreadful Only
promise ne that Won viii not ATTEMPT to see then
yourself, and will 20 this minute
81 promise for today replied Mark
There was no manifestation Of surprise wher
Esther Ross entered that house of affection, moth
ing that marked memory Of the bitter estrange
mi mt between them but warm pressure of the
hand and grateful look from the over-wearied
mother unable to bear any longer the last fearful
struggle between life and death, she relnqushed
her child into the hands Of her old friend, and
buried her face on her husbands shoulder AS in
birth, 80 in DEATH those children were not divided
Death gathered them both in the space of few
hours and kind Esther Ross (ah, how she inward
ly blessed the willfulness of her boy, that had
driven her FORTH smoothed their fair locks with
gentle hand, and prepared their little forms for
the grave Then she sought the room of Molly
where her presence and thoughtful care was like
dew to the heart of the fsar-stricken girl.
When she returned home that night, and related
with mothers eloquence the sore affection Of
their neighbors, Mark wept outright, and the eyes
Of the Ensign glistened a. he said, &c am glad
v0u aSbn thau Lev; Las
Marks head, he added, Remember my boy
that little Joe and Benje are free from anger and
sin and sorrow nowp
Esther Ross knew that her husband passed an
anxious and restless night, but she knew, also,
that he was one Of those who are best left to the
workings Of their own convictions therefore, she
did not ask him, in 80 many words, TO attend the
funeral, and bury all anger in that double grave
Mark, to her surprise did not ask to 20, and with
sad and somewhat anxious heart she went owe,
at an early hour to give such assistance as nigh,
be needed
The graveyard and the road which led to i
were In full view from the windows of Ensign
Rosss house The Ensign had loitered abou
the wood-pile and yard all the morning, in rest
less undecided manper When thepeople begal
his house, and paced the floor with the same rest
less step, occasionally joining Mark, who had sta
toned himself at the window.
Mark covered his eyes with his hands when h
saw the old pastor issue forth from the house, fol
lowed by four boys not much larger than himself
bearing the double coffn-for he could not bear
to think that the fair-haired boys lay beneath
that heavy black pail.
But his father continued to watch the process
sion with troubled expression of face Onwart
1t crept, with that slow and solemn pace, ant
there came a convulsive twitching about hi
mouth, as 1t filed into the graveyard, and past q
little, short mound headed by q slab Of whit,
marble, q few yards TO the right Of the gste-foI
he thought Of the sad November day when b,
and his wife had stood by that open grave, ant
well did he remember whose hand had gently
lowered the head of his little fsxen-haired Ma
bel to her last home and who in all times of tria
and affection, had stood by his side like broth
err He seized his hat, and, hurrying onward
soon reached the spot, and gently made his way
through the crowd TO the side Of the grave.
When the solemn prayer Of the old minister
was ended, with gesture Of entreaty he took q
shovel from the hand Of young man, and slowly
and reverenty sprinkled the first grains of dust
on the coffin below. As he returned the shovel
to the hand of the young man. his eye for one sec.
ond met that of the bereaved father, and he felt
that his motive was understood. His hand laid
the last clod upon that grave - his foot was
the last to turn away and join Esther, who still
fingered by the white tombstone Of their own
child
They pursued their way homo In silence, and
when they reached that house Of sorrow, MS IL by
one impulse, they both turned and entered. Ashley
entered the vacant sitting room, they heard the
voice Of the Leftensnt raised In broken expostu-
lstions in an adjoining room.
"No, no, my boy this must not be- We have
suffered sorely; and II you too should take the
fever and dieo-
The Leftenant could not proceed and, as they
drew near the open door, they saw their own son,
Mark, standing by the bedside Of Molly, holding
her fevered hand closely In his, as he replied with
a quivering lip
They have buried up little Joe and Benje,
and would not let me see them, but mill see
Molly ! have seen her to-day, and will see her
tomorrow | don't care for the fever. My
father locks stern, and my mother sad, and moth
ing is as it used TO be. This quarrel has made
us all miserable enough"
"Ithiei, Ithiel, the boy speaks the truthlD ex-
claimed Ensign Ross, stepping through the door
way, and Offering his hand TO his startled neigh
Dor al have been harsh, unkipd unchristian--
forgive mcip
The stricken father stared for second In as
constituent. then seizng the profered hand, muir
INJURED, as he bent over TO conceal his tears
"And |, too, Jonathan-I, too Am guilty but ]
have left IL all there he added, with sgnih-
can't gesture towards the graveyard. Let IL be
forgotten
And 30 II was After long and weary illness,
Molly recovered, and the lives Of the families
again foated ON in the current until, 90 old,
white-hsired men, Leftenant Chinnin and Ensign
Ross were laid with their fathers But years be-
fore they died, the white house on the hill, which