The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-30
CHAPTER LII.

Meantime, poor Ellen waited anxious
ly in the cavern, and as soon as the first
possible moment for Paulett's return was
passed, her fears grew stronger. There
was so much danger for him IN the desert,
with his scanty supply of water, that she
might well listen to fear as soon as it had
any reason to make itself heard and with
this dread, when she next drew water
from her scauty supply, came the horri-
bly, torment of the anticipated death by
thirst, which seemed descending upon
her children and her. The day she had
thought he would return, rose and set,
and so did another ard another; and
from fearing she had begun to believe,
indeed that Paulctt's earthly hours were
passed. Yet hope would not be subdued
entirely; and then she thought that by
prolonging their lives another day only,
she should save them to welcome him,
and to profit by his hard earned treasure.
The store Of water was saGredly precious.
She dealt it out in the smallest portions
to her children, and she herself scarcely
wetted her lips; size hardened her heart
to see her boys pale face, her girls fe-
verish eye; she checked even the moth
erly tenderness of her habits, least the
softness of her heart should overcome
her resolution; and so she laid them in
their beds the third night of her dread,
when indeed there was scarce another
days supply. She herself lay on hers,
but deadly anxiety kept her from Sleep
ing, and her ears ached with the silence
which ought to have been broken by a
step. Aud at last, oh joy! there was a
foot-yes, few moments made that GER
tain, which from the first indeed, she
believed but which was so faint that it
wanted confirmation to her bodily senses.
Up sprang Ellen and darted to meet him
She held forward the candle in the air
and 10 it was woman: Ellen scream
ed aloud the woman hao seen her be-
fore and said nothing, only pressed for
ward. "Who are you ?" cried Ellen,
+" are you alive ?" Yes" just alive,
and see here" said the woman, uncov-
ering the face of her young child" my
child is just alive too; give me water be-
fore it dies" Then my children will
perish; said Ellen :" No, no." said the
woman: show are you alive now un-
less you have plenty? All mine are
gone but this one; my husband died
yesterday; ours has been gone for days. !"
g NV husband is dead too," said Ellen,
"and 1 have only one draugh left. y
" Then will take it." said the mother,
rushing forward. Ellen caught her,
the poor child moaned in its mothers
arms, and pang shot through the heart
of Ellen. ''For Gods sake, miserable
woman" she said, do not go near that
basin You are mad with want; you
will leave none for my children. Stay
here, and 1 will bring your child water.
You and l can want, and yours and mine
shall drink" But the desperate woman
pressed on her eyes fixed on the water,
and dilated with intense desire her
lips wide open, dying almost for the
draught. Ellen's soul was concentrated
in the fear, that the last hope of her
boy and girls life was about to be lost
she struggled with the women with all
her might; she screamed aloud; she lost
her hold she seized pistol from the
table, and close as she was so her adver-
sary, fred it full at her. The mother
fell with a shrek. Ellen started for
ward and broke her fall, and laid hold
of the child to free it from her dying
grasp. "Give him ME give him me !"
said the mother, struggling to lift her
self up, and stretching her hand out for
the boy The trembling Ellen stood to
give him to her, but the child's head
dropped on one side as she held him out
he made no effort to get into his mothers
arms Ellen wildly raised his face, and
he was dead too. The shot had gone
through his breast to his mothers, a lit
tie blood began to steal from his lips.
F." He's dead % said the mother, who was
herself passing away. !" Oh, my boy"
and then feebly, with her fast failing
strenth, she raised him, after more than
one effrot, in her arms, and pressed her
lips to his twice, with all the passion
left in her. The wasted form of the
child lay there, all pale and withered
the straight brown hair was parted on
his thin forehead; the mothers uncov-
cred breast, where his head rested, was
white, and the hands delicate; the raj