Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-04-24

with him our last morsel =
An old man, with hair whitened by the SHOWS of
many winters, was sitting in room that was poor
ly supplied with furniturs, bis head bowed down,
and his gaze cast dreafnily on the floor A pale
young girl game IN while he sat thus musng.-
Lifting his eye. toner face he said, while he tried
to look cheerful, Ellen, dear, you must not go out
to day
4 feel great deal BETTER granpa,' replied the
girl forcing a smile. Il am able to go to work a
gain
No. child, you are not said the old man firmly,
and you must not think of such thing
Don't be so positive, granpa.' And as she ut
tered this little sentence in halfplayfu voice, she
laid her had among the thin gray locks on the old
mans head, and smoothed them caressngly. 'You
/ know that must not be idle
wait child, until your strength returns
Our wants will not wait, granpa.' AS the girl
said this, her face became sober. The old mans
eyes fell to the floor, and heavy sigh came forth
from his bosom.
4 will be very careful, and not overwork myself
again. resumed Ellen, after pause
You must not go to-day, said the old man, a.
rousing himself st is murder. Wait at least
until tomorrow. You will be stronger then
If don't go back | may lose my place You
know have been at home for three days. Work
will not wait The last time was kept away by
sickness customer was disappointed; and there
was good deal of trouble about it.
Another sigh came heavily from the old mans
heart.
4 will CO. said the girl. Perhaps they will let
me off for day longer. Ifso, will come back
for must not lose the place
No farther resistance was made by the old man.
In little time he was alone. She had gone to
work-her employers would not let her go away
feeble as she was without forfeiture of her place.
About mid day, finding that Ellen did not come
back, the old man, after taking some food, went
out. The pressure of seventy winters was upon
him, and his steps were slow and carefully taken.
4 must get something to do, can work STILL he
muttered to himself, he moved along the streets.
The dear child is killing herself, and all for me-
But what could he do! Who wanted the SER
vices of an old man like him, whose mind had lost
its clearness, whose step faltered, and whose hand
was no longer steady! In vain he made applica-
tons for employment. Young and more vigorous
men filled all the places, and he was pushed aside
Discouraged and dropping in spirits, he went back
to his home, there to wait the fall of evening,
which was to bring the return of the only being
left on earth to love him. At nightfall Ellen came
home Her face SO pale in the morning, was now
slightly flushed; and her eyes were brighter than
when she went out The grandfather was not de-
ceiyed by this; he knew it to be sign of disease
He took her hand-t was hot; and when he stoop-
ed to kiss her gentle lips, he found them burning
with fever.
Ellen, my child, why did you go to work to-
day! knew it would make you SICK the old
man said, in voice of anguish.
Ellen tried to smile, and not appear so very i'll
but nature was too much oppressed
q have brought home some work, and will not
go out Tomorrow she remarked l think the
walk fatigued me more than anything else. | shall
be better after good nights sleep
But the girls hopes failed her. The morning
found her so weak that she could not rise from her
bed and when the grandfather came into her room
to learn how she passed the night, he found her
weeping on her pillow. She had endeavored to
get up, but her head which was aching terribly,
grew dizzy, and she fell back under despairing
consciousness that her strength was gone.
The day was passed, but Ellen did not grow bet
ter. The fever still kept her body prostrate.-
One or twice, when her grandfather was out of the
room, she kept up the work she brought home, and
tried to do some of it while sitting up in bed But
ere minute had passed, she became faint, while
night came. If her mind could have rested-if
she had been free from anxious and distressing
thoughts nature would have had power to react
but, as it was, the pressure was too great. She
could not forget that they had scarcely SO much as
dollar left, and that her old grandfather was too
feeble to work Upon her rested all the burden of
their support, and she was helpless
The next morning Ellen was better She could
sit up, without feeling dizzy, though her head still
ached, and the fever had only slightly abated.-I
But the old man would not permit her to leave her
bed though she begged him earnestly to let her do
So
The bundle of work that Ellen had brought
home, was wrapped in a newspaper, and this her
grandfather took up TO read several times during the