Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-13

"But you must keep up your spirits,
Jack, or in the Spring you will be"
"In my grave, Harding. There's no use
of lying about it,
And his eyes flashed up, and bitter
smile moved his lips.
"Oh, how's the wife and children ?" said
Harding, as though anxious to change the
conversation.
'They are WE'LL" said John, and singu-
lar look passed over his face.
''And your sister?'
s'Eleanor is well "-and the vivid bright
ness of his eyes was for moment yelled in
moisture.
"Oh, by the by, met Nelly the other
day." said Harding. "Bless my soul! What
a handsome little girl she has grown! 1t
was in store where they sell embroidered
work. l was pricing a set of regalia-thirty
dollars they said was the price-and little
Nell had worked on it about three weeks,
for five dollars. Great world, Jack"
"Good night, Harding" said the artist
quietly.
"Let me accompany you home"
"Td rather you would not. Good night,
Harding"
"But God bless you, John. Can't I do
anything for your ?''
ssWhy, after 1 am Dead" and the words
seemed to stick in his throat, ''after L
am dead-my wife-my sister," he could
say no more.
81 swear that will protect them," said
Harding, warmly. John quietly pressed
his hand, and turned his face away. After
moment they parted. Harding down
Broadway, on his way to the theatre, and
John up Broadway, on his way home.
Harding gazed after John for moment
''Im glad he did not want to borrow
money! Nell is quite beauty!"
Walking slowly, and pausing now and
then to breathe, John gazed in the bright
shop windows, and into the contrasted faces
of the hurrying crowds as he passed along.
''Soon this will be all over for me-" he
muttered, with husky laugh, "Tm afraid,
friend John, you're taking your last walk"
An arm was gently thrust through his
own, and voice light and thrilling as the
notes of a bird, said quietly
81 am so glad I've caught up with you,
John,' and he leaned upon that gentle arm
and turned to look upon the face of tie
speaker. 1t was his sister Eleanor, a very
pretty child of some fourteen years, dressed
in faded cloak, and with hood on her
dark hair. Her complexion was o rich
brown, tinged with red on the cheeks her
eyebrows and hair all black as night. And
by turns, over that face, on which the
woman began to mingle with the child,
there fitted look of the brightest joyous
ness, and an expression of the most touching
melancholy.
'Iv just been taking my work home,
John. They paid me half dollar, for what
[ have done this week, land that you know,
John, will keep us in bread and coal to-
morrow, and, oh, am SO glad you've got
eight dollars saved for the rent. / am so
glad The rent is due tomorrow, and the
landlord is such hard man.
''Ies, have eight dollars" John said,
and there was an indefnable accent marking
every word. eyes, Nelly, dear, L have
eight dollars"
'John, do tell me who are those grand
ladies, who, pass us every moment, dressed
SO richly-all in velvet, and satin, aud
jewels-who are they, john"
John stopped, bent upon his cane-looked
for a moment upon the crowd which whirled
past him-and then into the happy innocent
face of his sister. And then his shrunken
chest heaved with a sigh. 'sOh, God! :" he
said, in low voice.
"Who are they, John, do tell me-they
must be very-oh ever so rich"
'Those handsome ladies, dressed SO gaud-
lily, Nell, are sisters and daughters; once
they had brothers and fathers who protected
them, and now the brothers and fathers are
dead. The world now takes care of them,
Nelly