Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-06-19
"Whv, certainly; did YOU NOT know il q

NY uduShters, come away quick! Oh
the wretched child, she will be the death
OF you ~ and she pushed the twelve girls
out of the room, and went after them.
But the doctor sprang after her.
care you the mother of that child?" he
inquired. XXX.
eyes; but take her away--she shan't
stay here"
"She must be put to bed and taken care
of" said the doctor.
"She shall not have bed in this house
take her away"
"But where am / to take her Il? besides
she will die if removed"
81 don't care, take her to the hospital !;
anywhere; only take her away from this
house."
Though Mortified by the feeling express
sed by this unnatural mother, the doctor
tried moment TO persuade her 10 do some
thing for her child but finding il useless.
and seeing that if he left the little girl in
the house she would die from neglect, he
took her in his arms, wrapped her in a
blanket, and carried her TO the hospital,
where he was fortunate enough to find a
vacant bed for the little sufferer.
The doctor then made some inquiries
concerning her parents, and learned that
Monsieur Domergue was manufacturer of
large means, and his wife really the mother
of thirteen children, all daughters, duly re-
gistered at the Mayors Office as having
been born in seven years.
Six times Madam Domergue brought a
pair into the world all wonderfully resem-
bling each other, light hair, blue eyes, fair
skin and sharp features. The mother
adored them, and her pride and Joy was at
the climax when she found her family
again about 10 be increased. Blu. alas this
time she was disappointed, for little girl
arrived, but without any companion. This
I alone would have been enough to have
turned her mothers heart from her, but be-
sides this she was entirely different from
the twelve others. The mother could see
no beauty in her clear brunette complex
ion, her black curling hair, dark eyes and
exquisite features, and from the moment of
her birth, little Esther was an isolated be-
ing, unloved and uncared for. While her
sisters, were dressed in silk, she wore cot
ton, and while they were fed upon dainty
food, she eat with the servants in the kitch-
en-. As she grew she gave her mother
fresh cause Tor dislike, for whereas her sis
ters were endowed with intellects of the
most mediocre order, and learned the sim
| plest things with the greatest difficulty,
Esther'S talents and quickness of perccp-
1 tion made her the wonder even Of her sis
/ ters. Seeing this, that her twelve pets
were likely to be thrown in the shade,
Madame Domergue stopped Esther's les
1 sons entirely, and the most the poor child
could obtain was permission to remain in
/ the room while her sisters were with their
teachers. BY this means she was enabled
/ to learn a great deal, and as she afterwards
often said these were her only happy hours.
/ The father Of the large family, though a
kind-hearted man, was exceedingly weak
and the slave of his wife. Besides, he was
much from home, and when in the house,
never dared 10 interfere in the regulations
made by his wife.
All these particulars the doctor heard
from the servants and the neighbors, and
! the interest he felt for the child thus Singu-
/ larly placed under his care, was doubled,
and be determined 10 use every means 10
save her life. He accordingly watched
her himself night and day, and finally found
his efforts crowned with success. The
child yet got well.
| was just three weeks after his visit to
the house OF Monsieur Domergue, that the
doctor returned, taking with him the little
| girl who had been almost miracuouly saw
ed. When he reached the door some men
were ust bringing out two cofiiins to be
| placed in hcarse which stood in the
street. The doctor and his protege ascend
ed the stairs, entered the parlor and pro-
ceeded TO another room, without seeing
anybody or hearing any noise. But Es-
ther in the greatest alarm pushed open the
door that led the way TO the room where
she and her twelve sisters had slept toge-
ther. The door was open, but four beds
alone occupied the room, and two Of them
We're empty. On the others lay two oi
the fair haired twins, aud by their side
stood Madame Domerguc looking at them
as if Supplied. Esther, with an underlined
dread Of something frightiul, rushed up to
her mother and threw her arms around
her. But as soon as Madame Domergue
saw her she threw her from her, then
seized her and would have torn her to pie
ces il the doctor had not snatched her from
her grasp. As il was, the poor child's face
was all scratched and bloody, and she
tainted almost Immediately.
"Why do you bring her here 2" cried
Madame Domergue. 'She is the cause o.
all my misfortune. There lie the only
two have left. Take the little demon
away or will kill her in spite OF you !''
Almost frozen with horror, The doctor
answered not word, but bore the insen-
sible and bleedngs child from the room
out of the house, and placed her in {
carriage which he saw and stopped. He
ordered the coachman to drive to an OBJ
scure little street where lived, iE the mos
humble manner, the doctors venerable mo
5 ther. She received the unhappy girl, gave
7 her all necessary relief, and installed he
T in small room near her own.
S II was as Madame Domergue had said
: in three weeks ten of her idolized daugh
tiers had fallen victims to the terrific dis
), ease, and the day alter the doctors secon'
. visit the other two died, and were bur
led like their sisters. A few days more