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

Mad-mad as a March hare muttered
Grannie Bean while the person addressed as
Mabel went ON 10 say
Very poorly, Mary DinnicS The Doctor
says she can't hold out but leetle while lon
ger; and, considering all the circumstances, !
don't know rs we can desire to have her It's
as good rs a sermon to hear her talk though
once in n 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. "lts 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 matter, 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 for little
Allily Gilbert, or Alilly Lee, as the Colonel in
slsts on calling her-ior it's getting to be i'm.
possible to make him understand that it isn't
his Alilly who died away off yonder, when the
child was born Il argued with him yesterday
about it. until got out Of all manner of pa
tience)-its my mind that she won't live out
the night. There were two corpse-lights in the
candle last night, and never knew that sign
fail. You needn't shake your head, neghbor
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 oonfrere to the fOrlorn chamber
whittier he had hurried We use the word
IJOrforn 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 window-the stained and dusty
stand. holding cracked teacups and sticky
looking phials-thc furnished broken-h handled
spoon. did not cause the most benevolent heart
to turn away in disgust.
Aye it was n poor, mean, miserable place
but so, also, was that stable ut Bethlehem and
here, as there, lay child-nOt watched over
and guarded. alas by that mother-love which
hath lifted the curse from wOman's discrowned
brow, and was consecrated atrcsh in the per-
son of the Virgin Mother No; there was no
love here save the dim flame which cleaned
and hickered III the heart of n 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-
cessares of the scene, by bright visions of the
eternal home in heaven. A grlish, childish
face it was of some eight years old or So and
very beautiful too, with it's 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 clean bit of paper before her. and, ga
zing wisttully into her eyes pressed her to eat,
in his broken, disjointcd way.
TRY little bit of the wing, darlng-.just a
little bit; wings are good for sick folks he
went on II remember, II 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
eat? There, that's good girl" he added, as
she made AN effort to swallow n bit of the food.
Meat makes folks strong md hearty, and when
the warm weather comes you will be well
you know the Doctor said 40. An yes, wher
the warm weather comes; ! wish it was here
, now he added with SILVER, as a keen No
= vember blast ratified the window easing, anC
sent the dilapidated curtain floating banner
, like out into the room
"Yes, | shall be well quite well then, grand
father, without doubt said the little one look
, ing up in his face with singular blending OF
tenderness and anxiety sorrow and joy, on her
wan face Sit close by me, grandfather she
! said after pause" close here no that ] can
look in your eyes and now listen to me. All,
| a. N..I,a 4
ed as with her little shrunken fingers she at
tempted to draw it to her bosom Il shall be
quite we'll grandfather, when summer comes
for then shall be where they neither hunger
nor thirst any more. | think | shall die grand
father; ! have thought so a long time and
they will lay me by the side Of grandmother's
grave. where we used to sit 80 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 IL,
grandfather but seem TO see it all, sometimes,
| lust as Mr.. Geddes said You won't gricve
much, will youth she whispered" not very
much for | asked Mr.. Geddcs about it, and
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 mans
wandering glance seemed to settle into one of
calm intelligence, but it was only for mo-
ment for now with his gaunt hand passing
caressingly over her golden locks, he said ca
gerly, "Dic You are getting fdgety, little
| Mlly. It's no wonder = in this cold room,
where never bit of sunshine comes but old
folks die first See have lived to be over
seventy don't see how that can be-" he went
on musingly, "for was forty-iour the day you
was born Mlly-wo were both born the 10th
day of June, and-you are 70 little, child !
can't make it out but then my head gets
| kinder confused sometimes. But we shall live
| n good while yet, Milly. 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 king the floor with excited steps "we
NAV be in our own house again, where the
meancst room was better than this-my ia
theirs housc--and then we'll sec 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!D he said, musingy az,
almost exhausted by his vehemence, he again
sank into chair by her side " It's more than
year, think, since spoke to Judge Kane
about it, and it is not settled yet"
TO BE CONCLUDED IN OUR NEXT
A JAcRDAw's NEsT-A friend called upon
me ON the It'll day Of last May, and asked me