Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-08-12

lhSnH ouu bOIulu NANNNJ
me.
"When my sister-in- law saw me SO near her
bedside, she rose with difficulty, and sat up in
The bed, leaning upon the Physcian's arm.-
There was visible in her eountenance othPride
and resignation; she would have commanded
but she did not dare to command, and y vas u
painful task to ask aid and protection from the
only person in the world she had despised. She
did not, therefore, descend TO solicitation, but
trembling with emotion she pointed with her at
tenuatsd; finger 10 her child, saying, in heart
tendiug tones, My poor child will soon beauOsh-
erless!" go
"This simple but powerful appeal to my com
passion did not conquer my stubborn heart.
carefully avoided looking at the child, for fear Of
relenliHg. and sand as saplly A. ! could why
do.sJu indulge such Gislasza' a'-zz=zssss..,asiags
You are stillyOung, and in the care Of asknlul
physician ought never to deapaifs' Any
other person would have said, Your btslher ID
here-he has come to wipe away your tears, and
to make you forget his former unwonhiness;
rely upon him, for he will be father to your
child but said no such thing hai but one
wish-to fly. Oh, worship Of the golten calf
how Ainty hearted. how Infamous, it mates us
"While thus undecided in what manner 10
effect the shameful retreat meditated, the sweet
child had steadily fxed her eyes upon my iron
countenance, appearing more surpri'ed than
abashCd, when, coming close to me, she took
hold Of my hand, pointed to the foo. of her
mothers bed, and in the most touching accent,
said, sit down there-you are so tall can't
kiss you, if you don't take me in your lap |
sat down, aud she climbed up to seat upon my
knees.
"The mother seeing this, claspel her hands
and raised her eyes to heaven as if in prayer.
For myself, felt that the decisive moment had
arrived, and cased my heart in triple STEEL
what is this woman and what this child 10
me thonght |. ~ am under no promise TO
support hemr-they have no legal claim upon
me-they. cannot obIige me to feed them-nly
riches, so long and so patiently toiled for, are
mine, yes, mine alone-the future is dark and
uncertain; to give away part, even, would be
| foolish and imprudent! 10 short, gave myself
all the excellent reasons which the love of hoard.
ing can bring so triumphantly into the field Of
argument My resolution once taken, resolved
TO be firm, and calling to my aid savage scowl,
looked steudfastly into the face of the child.
She, too, looked into my face steadily and boldly,
and appeared considering in what way she could
break through the icy rampant behind which |
was entrenched. At length, throwing her little
arms around my neck, she said, in her childish
nszsnor, win you be Ny PaPas o., will
love you SO ! You look just like my dear papa i;
sometimes he looked cros4, wasn't afraid are
you good too'
81 cannot describe to you the effect of this
artless appeal yet faltered not, but making
strong effort to retain my stern and unyielding
aspect, rudely unclusped her little arms from
around my neck, and, without word 10 reply,
placed her upon her feet beside me. In an in.
slant she turned deadly, frightfuly pale, then a
single tear rolled slowly down her marble
cheek, and fell, yet hot, upon my trembling
hand.
"A change, sudden and entire, came over me
my greedy avarice, my brutal conduct SPpear::
ed before me In their revolving deformiy-l felt
degraded in the Dust no longer tried to strug-
gle against the principles of goodness implanted
in us all. no longer reasoned--I JM-'and
giving away to the happiness of being guided
by The heart alone, placed my hands upon the
chd's head j., and in a fervid and solemn tone ex-
claimed, call Heaven to witness that, here in
thy mothers presence, do swear to be to thee
as father, and never daughter was more ten
u derly loved than will love thee, my child -
Oh, could wish you had seen the mother when
she heard these words. Her eyes appeared to
CLEAN with light, her features were radiant with
joy, her breast heaged convulsvely, and she tried
= :, to speak, but there was no sound-not word
;, could she utter. The physician was alarmed
and we feared she would actually die oI JOY
But joy seldoms kills-she soon breathed more
;, freely, and tears came to her relief Brother,
said she, have wrOnged you /; she added
much more which would not hear believe,
q Heaven pardon me J she would have asked for
o giveness for my brutality towards her-A would
e have overwhelmed me with Temorse. inter
+ rupted her thanks by saying that in her feeble
o state she ought to avoid the exerton OF talking
Is The physician, who was of my Opin6n, sajolned
9 silence and quiet, and after giving some direc'
:. tions, was about to take leave Of his patient
: when called him aside, and handing him m!
If purse, desired him to take the necessary meas
h ures for her immediate removal. knew no per
g son in Marselles, and the worthy man took upoI
rs himself the task of finding suitable residence
er Though said he, | fear she will not need
IN long. If but for day. said l, ii will be on
in day snatched from years of misery That YER
a. evening everything was accomplished, and tn
,h next day found US in the occupancy ofa smal
ID house beautifully situated in the midst Of tree
and flowers, and near the sea shore.
Is, "There, during three months, clung to III
ur fond hope that my sister-in law might regain he
health, and for time had good reason to il
ng dulge in the expectation. She was ever cali
Id and tranquil; she would smile sweetly as
ng would forget my fifty years, my gray hairs, 40
ho become child again to please the being ha
ht. sworn to love and cherish--but, alas my hop
nd was not to be realized her struggle with pove
nv ty and disease had been of too long duration
Id the sources of life were exhausted, and medic
he science, with the tenderest care, could not avai
he She we'll knew that her life was drawing 10
,ly close, and she contemplated the melancholy ce
ne tanty with holy resignation. II she rarely spoil
ilh of her approaching end, It was to spare o