The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-11-26

could A6gef have been ID Id Ii d ansssfaJlt
hovel like this"
"IIow closely she guards It, tool continued
the merchant, earnestly e ~
81 observed it" replied the valet. 'Per-
haps it would be well TO question her upon the
subject; the offer Of money may tempt her te
disclosed
The speaker had barely ceased, when Meg
again entered the room, with little Flora tot
tering ut her side. The strangers had by this
time finished their repast, and set back leis-
urely picking their teeth.
"6OOd dame, said the merchant, looking
old Meg tenderly in the face, "you seem in
trouble this morning; may be so bold as to
inquire the cause, and as my means are ample,
perhaps | can render you assistance?"
Meg looked at him scrutinizingly; his eoun-
tenance seemed too full Of benevolenee to be
capable Of deception, and she reflected upon
the probabilityof his being special messen-
ger, sent by Providence in that particular time
Of need. Her first impulse was to uufol1 to
him the whole affair, and invoke his aid; but
then he was royalist and all royalists she re-
garded as inhuman tyrants. how could she hope
for relief from such sourceI At length she
said
eyes, kind, sir, am in trouble, but fear
you can be OF no assistance to me. My sad
htOTg HUutu Ub VI lbtlb luJbItsL W lOW3 anu
her eyes wandered toward little Flora.
''If you are in want, it would give us infin-
ite pleasure to aid you, especially ii that dear
child is involved in your distress" said the
merchant.
The tender mention Of Flora at once melted
the feelings Of Meg, and she could no longer
contain her grief.
''That dear child, said she as the big tears
rolled down her face, "was confided to my
care when it was the merest infant. Theper
son who supplied its wants at first, suddenly
disappeared and was deprived Of the only
source OF its support. In the hour Of trial,
kind Providence raised up one who promised
assistance; but in the gale Of last night, that
same Providence, whose works are always mys-
terious to His mortals, snatched away the last
pillar Of my support, and now ] am indeed
powerless."
Theeamest recital Of. the0ld lady, and her
flowing tears, touched the heart Of the NOR
chant, and he could not find it in his nature
TO press further his inquiries respecting the
child. His curiosity upon the subject was
,rratified; and hanai6e 6fd Mea 3 stn Of mo-.
'ney, which he requested her to appropriate in
such manner as She might deem most benefit
cial for little Flora the strangers left the cot
tage, and pursued their journey.
/ They had scarcely gained the road, when
farmer Wayland's son Frank entered. lie
looked back after the travellers for q moment,
and then turned to Meg, said artlessly, lisa
"OhI aunt Meg, you amt been feeding
them are royallers, beGou2 know they're
royallers by their nice clothes. ! wouldn't
give EN- vittils if they starved, I kpOwl''
Meg gently child him for his rudeness, and
he commenced frOlic with little Flora 4
We have before said, that Frank Wayland
was the son Of a farmer. Farmer Wayland
was Meg's nearest neighbor, who lived only
about four miles distant Frank often visited
the cottage to sec "annt Meg as he called
her, and he and Flora had become intimate
friends. He was robust lad of abont twelve
years Of age; and, though possessing kind
disposition, he frequently caused old Meg
much perplexity in consequence Of his. rOugh-
ness. He had imbibed from his parents and
the spirit Of the times, an infinite hatred for
the royalists, and an ardent love for the larg
est liberty.
Meg, upon examining the money which the
stranger had left her, was overjoyed with
gratitude to find itqnite sufficient to carry the
child comfortably through the winter. She
returned thanks to kind Providence for this
unexpected interpOsition, and once more re-
sumed her task with acalm mind, though her
heart was still heavily ladened with grille