The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-03-03
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER III.
Seventeen years had feeted by since
Mrs. Kirham's fearful bereavement -
seventeen long years. Mingled webs of
mercies and chastening joys and sorrows
had passed over the village. 1t had
changed ! its houses were more numer-
Gus, and spirit of life and activity had
sprung up in the very midst which sew
enteen years before slumbered. There
was change in the inhabitants an
absence Of well known familiar faces,
presence of new and strange ones. In
the old home Mrs. Kirham still lived.
Her step had grown heavy, and her eye
dim. Silver threads had glistcned from
beneath her widows cap. The weight
Of years was beginning to press hardly
on Mrs. Kirham, though her spirit had
lost none of its energy. Time and Bit
ter grief had softened her fierce asperity
of temper, and Mary Kirham sorely
chastened, deeply sorrowing, was sub
dued and altered woman. Allie Kir-
ham-the little girl of seventeen years
before-was widow. Childless and
alone her mirthful spirit saddsned, Allie
Dale, returned to her mothers house,
poorer than when she left it. Mable
(still Mable Lynn, lived with her aunt.
Her brow was smooth and fair, as in
earlier years, yet her cheek was very
pale. Many wondered that the gentle
and lovely Mabel Lynn had passed thirty
years of her life, unsought, unwon yet
Mable was calmly cheerful, and repined
not at her lonely lot. To her aunt's
heart she was very dear. Allie and
Mable were Mrs. Kirham's treasures
all the old lady had.
Mrs. Kirham grew poor. She. had
never been wealthy, but now her little
fortune seemed fast feeting away. Un-
less help came soon, "the homestead"
must pass into strange hands, and this
Mrs. kirkham shrank from; Mabel and
Allie bent over their needles from morn
till even, but their labors seemed in vain.
Prospect darkened-money lessened.
As a last resort Mrs. Kirham decided
to take boarder-and for this use she
would appropriate her best bed cham
ber, a pretty room over her neat parlor.
With the aid of her old domestic, she
could manage household affairs, and her
neice and daug ghtcr might still pursue
their sewing. Allie and Mabel approx
cd of this, and the next week the follow
ing notice appeared in the village
paper:
I" A pleasant room and boarding for
one gentleman, to be had on reasonable
terms. Apply at
Mrs. KIRHAM's
No one responded to this advertise
ment, and for the foruth and last time it
filled corner in the "Weekiy Herald. "
This time it was successful.
A stranger whom the stage had
brought to the village half hour before,
carelessly picked up the paper. Sylves-
ter Trelan for so he had booked his name,
read this notice twice, walked the hotel
piazza some dozen times, and then, hav-
ing apparently arrived at a satisfactory
conclusion, desired to be shown the way
to Mrs. kirham's. During a walk of
some minutes, Mr.. Trelan asked many
questions of his little guide, concerning
the Kirham family, expressing his de-
termination, if he liked them, to remain
some weeks. 1 don't know reader,
what pleased Sylvester Trelan so much
at the cottage, but this l do know,
that after gazing round the pretty cham
Der with its old fashioned red and green
carpet, long white window curtains, and
neatly made bed with SNOWY Marseilles
quilt, and after brief conversation with
Mrs. Kirham he engaged to be her
boarder several month, at least until
autumn. .....
Sylvester Trelan was tall man. His
figure was good, bis eyes dark blue and
piercing, his features regular, and when
he smiled he looked pleasant. But he
was not handsome his complexion was
deeply bronzed, and he wore his dark
brown hair in thick clustering masses
over his brow; which added to his
habitually stern expression of countcn-
aucc, rendered him rather unprepossess-
ing in appearance. Sylvester Trelan
had travelled much in foreign countries;
and therefore, when he chose, his con-
versation became singularly interesting
and pleasing. He was wealthy, and
paid generously, and Mrs. Kirham was
we'll satisfied with her boarder.