The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-01

more and more light-hcadcd every day
Mad-mad as a March hare - muttercd
Grannie Bean, while the person addressed as
Mabel went on to say
Very poorly, Mary Dinnics. The Doctor
says she can't hold out but leetlc while Ion
ger: and, considering all the circumstances,
don't know as we can desire 10 have her It's
as good rs Il sermon to hear her talk, though
once in while she gets kinder out, and talks
all manner Of strange stuff about seeing her
mother, and the angels and | don't know
what And, then, the old man does get crazier
and crazier every day - and between them
both they say some queer things
No wonder returned Mary Dinnies mu-
singly. "lt's little thought, when, tailoress
girl. | used to sew in his family week after
week, and everything went on so prosperously
and SO happily that sometimes envied them,
that he would spend his last days in the poor
house-or myself, either for that natter she
added, after pause, as she looked down on
her distorted hands
An it's no ways likely you would, if John
Morris had lived, or if you hadn't gone to work
before you got over that dreadful fit of fever,
Mary. returned old Grannie Bean. "lou was
most dreadful sick person. But as for little
Alilly Gilbert, or Milly Lee, as the Colonel in
ssts on calling her-ior it's getting to be i'm
possible to make him understand that it isn't
his Milly, who died away off yonder when the
child was born; Il argued with him yesterday
about il. until got out of all manner of pa
tience)-it's my mind that she won't live out
the night. There were two corpse-Gghts in the
candle last night, and never knew that sign
fail. You needn't shake your head, neighbor
Tyler for it's my firm belief that no person
dies without warning"
Leaving these worthless to their dispute about
"omens and warnings let US follow their
gaunt old cOntIere to the f0rlorn chamber
| whittier he had hurried We use the word
torlorR, but perchance stronger term would
be better; for it were well if the unswept floor
| the miserable bed-the tattered, stringless cur
| tain before the wndow-the stained and dusty
stand, holding cracked teacups and sticky.
looking phials-thc furnished, broken-handled
spoon. did not cause the most benevolent hear
to turn away in disgust.
Aye, it was a poor, mean, miserable place
but so, also was that stable ut Bethlehem; anC
here ~ there, lay child-nOt watched ovcl
and guarded. alas by that mother-love which
hath lifted the curse from wOmans dscrowneC
| brow. and was consecrated afrcsh in the per
son of the Virgin Mother No; there was nc
| love here save the dim flame which CLEANED
and hickered in the heart of a feeble half
crazcd old man and yet no one could gaze on
that meek, transparent face, so thin and wan
SO patient, and serene that looked out from
those tumbled pillows, without feeling that
something of the divine presence of Him who
made that humble birthplace sacred to all time
was here. casting into shade the miserable ac-
cessaries of the scene, by bright visions of the
eternal home in heaven. A girlish, childish
face it was, of some eight years old or so, and
very beautiful too with its blue eyes deep and
clear as inland seas, and the mass of sunny
hair floating ike golden cloud above them
The old man spread his boarded treasures
upon II clean bit of paper before her, and, ga.
ling wisttuly into her eyes pressed her to eat
in his broken, dsjointcd way
"Try little bit of the wing, darling-just a
little bit; wings are good for sick folks he
went on IL remember, n bit Of chickens wing
was the first thing they let your mother eat
after she had the typhus fever. How are you
ever to get strong and well again, if you don't
eatl There, that's good girl, ;" he added, as
she made AN effort to swallow n bit of the food
| Meat makes folks strong and hearty, and wher
the warm weather comes you will be well
you know the Doctor said no, All, yes, whcl
| III
now" he added, with n SILVER, AZ a keen Nc
vember blast ratified the window-casing an
sent the dlapidated curtain floating banner
like out into the room.
eyes. shall be we'll quite well then. grand
father, without doubt, said the little one look
ing up in his face with singular blending o
tenderness and anxiety, sorrow and joy, on hel
wan face "Sit close by me- grandfather sh,
| r.. GALA, hn.. tl.t \
look in your eyes and now listen to me. All
your hand is almost as cold as mine she add
ed, AS with her little shrunken fingers she Mt
tempted to draw it to her bosom. IL shall be
quite well, grandfather, when summer comes
for then | shall be where they neither hunger
nor thirst any more think shall die grand
father; | have thought 50 long time; and
they will lay me by the side of grandmother's
grave. where we used to sit 30 often, on pleas
ant Sundays, last summer. But ! shall not be
there, grandfather the minister told me all
about it. He says shall be with Jesus Christ,
the Good Shepherd who loves little children,
and that shall never be cold nor hungry nor
tired any more and | don't know how it is,
grandfather, but seem TO see it ALL sometimes,
| Just as Mr.. Geddcs said You won't gricve
much will youi" she whispered" not very
he said that in little whilo you would come
to me if you were good and told him you
were good, grandfather-very good
While the little one spoke, the old man s
| wandering glance seemed to settle into one Of
! calm intelligence, but it was only for mo-
| ment; for now, with his gaunt hand passing
caressingy over her golden locks he said, ca
gerly, ode! You are getting fdgety, little
IA
| where never bit of sunshine comes but old
! folks die first. See | have lived to he over
seventy don't see how that can be-" he went
on. musingly, "for was iorty-iour the day you
| was born. Mlly-wc were both born the 10th
day of June, and-you are 10 little, child
cant make it out but then my head gets
kinder confused sometimes But we shall live
a good while yet, Mily You know what the
Doctor says about the warm weather he
knows better than you. And who knows what
may turn up before that time! We may get
back my property again" he added getting up
and walking the floor with excited steps eve
NAV be in our own house again, where the
meanest room was better than this-my ia
theirs honsc-and then we'll SEQ who will step
before my Mily No, no, child If we die, Il
must be beneath our own roof - in the very
room where we were born. It's strange how
slow these lawyers are he said musingy, as,
almost exhausted by his vehemence, he again
sank into chair by her side. It's more than
a year, think, since ] spoke to Judge Kane
about il, and it is not settled yet"
TO BE- CONCLUDED IN OUR NEXT
A JAcKDAw's NEsT.--A friend called upon
me on the It'll day of last May, and asked me
IN nccnmnnnv him 10 Eaton College 10 nee a