The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-10-27

"S P"So ioi 'le pTotler anu sister. Fart
OF tallow candle was burning upon the
table, and 10y its dim light one might have
seen that wretched mothers countcnance:
IT was pale and wan, and wet with tears.
The faces OF the children were both bur.
led in her lap, and they seemed to sleep
peacefully under her prayertul guardian.
ship.
AT length, the sound of footsteps upon
the snow crust struck upon the mothers
ear, and hastily arousing her children, she
hurried them to their lowly couch, and
hardly had they crouched hcueath the
thin blankets, when the door was oI,ened,
and t &c inan whom we have seen beneath
that pretty cottage, enrered the place.
With tire nbling, fearful look, the wife
gazed into her husbands face, and seemed
ready to crouch back from his approach.
when tho mark Of tear-drop upon his
cheek caught her eye. Could it he,
thought she, that pearl dlop was in truth
tearf No, perhaps snow fake had
fallen there and melted
Once or twice, Thomas Wilkins seemed
upon the point of speaking some word to
his wife, but at length he tarned slowly
away, and silently undrcssed himself and
soon after his wearied limbs had touched
the bed he was asleep. ...
Long and earnestly did Mrs. Wilkins
gaze upon the features Of her husband, af-
ter he had fallen asleep. There was some
thing strange in his manner, something
unaccountaLle. Surely he had not been
drinking, for his countenance had none of
that vacant, wild, dcmoniac look, that
usually rested there His features were
rather sad and thoughtful, than otherwise;
and y, heaven! is it possible? smile play
ell about his mouth, and a sound, as of
prayer, issued from his lips whilu yet he
slept
n fImt hope, like the misty vapor of
approaching morn, fitted before the heart
broken wife. But she could not grasp il.
she had no foundation for it, and with "
deep groan she felt the phantom pass
She went to her children and drew the
clothes closely about them; then she knelt
10y their side, and after inpriuting upon
their cheeks n mothers kiss, and uttering
tervent prayer in their behalf, she sought
the repose Of her pillow.
Long ere the morning dawncd, Thomas
wilkins arose from his bed, dressed him
self, and left the house His poor wifi.
awoke just as he WAS going out, and she
would have called to him, but she dared
not. She would have told him she had
no fuel, no bread, not anything with which
TO warm and feed the children; but he was
gone, and she sank back upon her pillow
and wept.
The light Of niornin came at length,
but Mrs. Wilkins had not risen from her
bad, nor had her children crawlcd out
from their resting place. A sound of foot.
steps was heard from without accompan-
led 10y noise, as though little s.cd was
being dragged through the sno". The
door olcncd-and her husband entered.
lie laid oil tho table large wheaton loaf
a small parcel, and II paper bundle; then
from his pocket he took another paper
parcel, and again he turned towards the
door When next he entered he bor. in
his arms load of wood; and three times
did he go out and return with load of
the same description. Then he bent over
the fire place, and soon blazing fire
snapped and sparkled on the hearth. As
soon as this was accomplished, Thomas
Wilkins bent over his children and kissed
them; then he went TO the bedside of his
wife, and while some powerful emotion
stirred up his soul and made his chest
heave, lie murmured:
kiss me, Lizzie"
Tightly that wife wound her arms about
the neck Of her husband, and, rs though
the love Of years WAS ccntered in that
one kiss, she pressed it upon his lips.
"Ihere-no more," he uttered, as he
gently laid the arm Of his wife from his
neck; "these things have brought are for
you and our children;" and rs he spoke lie
left the house.
Mrs. Wilkins arose from her bed, and
tremblingly examined the articles upon the
table. She found the loaf, and i'm the
pail she found milk, one of the papers con-
tanned two smaller bundles, one of tea,
and one OF sugar, while in the remaining
parcel she found nice lump Of butter.
90" murlnured the poor wife and moth
er, as she gazed upon the food thus spread
before her, "from whence thesel Can it
be that Thomas has stolen thcml No, he
never did thai Aud then that look! that
kissl-those kind, sweet words! o, nv
poor, poor heart, raise not a hope that may
only fall and crush thee!"
mother" at this moment spoke her
son, who raised himself upon his elbow,
"has father gonei"
"Yes, Charles" i35E
20, tell me, mother, did he not come
and kiss me and little Abby this morn
Yes, yes, he did, he didl" cried the
mother, as she flew to the side of her bov
and wound her arms about him.
That mother could not speak, she could
only press her children more fondly to her