The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-08-18

ment looked grave ana ANXIOUS Mr.
Herbert insisted that the earl should be
received at the house as friend, though
he urged his daughter no more, and ball,
and parties succeeded each other SC
rapidly that the quieter inhabitants o.
Portland Place, wished the banker anC
his family, where Alice herself wished
to be-in Canada. In the meantime
Alice became alarmed for her mother
whose health was evidently suffering
from some cause; but Mrs. Herber
would consult no physician, and her hus
band seemed never to perceive the state
OF weakness and depression into which
she was sinking Alice resolved to cal
the matter to her fathers notice, and as
he now went out every morning at an
early hour, she rose one day sooner than
usual, and knocked at the door of his
dressing room. There was no answer,
and unclosing the door, she looked in to
see if he was already gone. The cur
tains were still drawn, but through them
some of the morning beams found their
way, and by the dim sickly light, Alice
beheld an object that made her clasr
her hands and tremble violently. Her
fathers chair before the dressing table
was vacant, but beside it, lay upon the
floor, something like the figure Of a man
asleep.
Alice approached, with her heart
beating so violently, that she could heal
1T; and there was no other sound in the
room. She knclt down beside him il
was her father. She could not hear
him breathe, and she drew back the cur
tains. He was as pale as marble, and
and his eyes were open, but fixed She
uttered not a sound, but with wild eyes
gazed round the room, thinking of what
she should do. Her mother was in the
chamber at the side of the dressing-room,
but Alice, thoughtful even in the deepest
agitation, feared to call her, and rang
the bell for her fathers valet. The
man came and raised his master, but
Mr.. Herbert had evidently been dead
some hours. Poor Alice wept terribly,
but still she thought Of her mother, and
she made no noise, and the valet was
silent too; for, in lifting the dead body
to the sofa, he had found a small vial
and was gazing on it intently.
" [ had better put this away, Miss
HERBERT" he said at length in lower
voice Il had better put this away be-
fore any one else comes"
Alice gazed at the vial with her tear
full eyes. 1t was marked " Prussic
acid poisonr
This was but the commencement of
many sorrows, Though the coroner's
jury had pronounced that Mr.. Herbert
had died a natural death, yet every one
declared he had poisoned himself, es-
pecially when it was found he had died
utterly insolvent. That all his last
great speculations had failed, and that
the news Of his absolute beggary had
reached HIM on the night preceding his
decease. Then came all the horrors of
such circumstances to poor Alice and
her mother--the funeral-the examina-
ton of papers-the sale Of the house
and furniture-the tiger claws of the
law rending open the house in all its
dearest associatons-the commisseration
Of friends-the taunts and SCOTS of those
who envied and hated in silence.
Then for poor Alice herself, came the
asst worst blow, the sickness and death
bed of motber-sickness and death in
poverty. The first scene was just over ;I
he earth was just laid upon the coffin
Of Mrs. Herbert; and Alice sat with
ier eyes dropping fast, thinking of the
'ad " What merit ?" when letter was
given to her, and she saw the hand
writing of her uncle in Canada. She
lad written to him on her fathers death
Ind now he answered full of tenderness
md affection, begging his sister and
lece to instantly join him in the new
and which he had made his country.
All the topics of consolation which phi
osophy ever discovered or devised TO
ioothe man under the manifold sorrows
md cares of life are not worth blade of
'ye grass in comparison with one word
If true affection. 1t was the only balm