Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-10-12

for you, mean, and you will be well again.
Now don't despair SD I and with confidence
she scarcely felt herself, she strove TO instil
healthier tone into her husbands less sanguine
heart
There must be something very holy in your
| confidence, dear Mary, for it has had the power
to keep me up for many months for, without
your trustfuI spirit / should have given away
long ago. God bless yon for il but feel now,
Mary, that to hope any longer is but an idle
delusion. My only wish now is, that when
am dead, you may be able TO sell the men in
some large town and get enough
| Don't talk of dying Robert, or you will
break my heart. If don't sell them 10 do you
good, | will never, never part with them. Oh,
do not give up yet hope a little longer, do,
do, for my sake, and but where is he, where's
the child Is he asleep1' she inquired sud-
denly rising from her seat ard going to the
bed.
Western slowly turned down the drngget as
she appeared, and exposed a beautiful, but
pale faced boy of two or three years old,
nestled close by his fathers size, and sleeping
soundly
He cried at first when YOU went out, and
asked for dinner, said the husband, mournful-
ly, as the mother knelt down and Kissed the lips
of her sleeping child, but had not strength
to get out and reach the bread, poor child =
l;,,I n
mind, aud said that he should see all the men
tonight, and then his little eyes grew heavy
and he laid his head upon my lap, and he fell
asleep talking of the soldiers Oh, what a
blessed thing is sleep 10 the poor and hungry |!
for, by it, they cheat the craving stomach of a
meal or two. See dear, he is awake !!
But we must hasten on, and will but merely
direct the readers mental eye once more to
that abode of sickness, want and cold, bot
where, such is the elevatng effect of art and
beauty, there was much mate love and delicacy
of soul. Upon the further extremity of an old
table, drawn close TO the bed, ranged in double
| files, stand the mimic armies ofthe chessboard;
and on the nearer end, the remnant Of stale
loaf, jug of warm milk and water, and knife
to part the limited allowance Of their food
\ Father, mother and child are seated on the bed =,
with pleasure gazing on the carved array, and
one in inlantine extacy, holding out his hand
TO clutch the tempting toys, and as they admire
eating the husky bread, and drinking each in
turn from the self-same jug, the harmless diu-
tant while the wind and rain howl and beat
against the lonely tenement, and the ftful blaze
from alternate flush and fall ofthe wood embers
gives mumentary light 10 the repast-making
the raging winter that beats without, and the
desoaiion brooding within, appear more stern
and terrible.
True 10 her appointment on the following
morning, the mechanics wife, with the priced
chessmen carefully folded in separate papers
and enveloped in a white napkin, repaired to
stantly introduced to the benevolent mistress.
Mrs. Chesterfield, with the tact that women
only know, soon CLEANED from the poor wife the
concise history Of their long prvations, touching
with innocent pride on her husbands skill, and
ending by displaying before the amazed eyes of
the lady the proofs Of it she had brought.
Mrs. Chesterfield was no mean Judge Of art,
and gazed with admiration and surprise, on the
costume, execution and faultess symmetry of ev-
cry figure, enhanced BY the ivy whiteness and
beautiful texture Of the wood in which they
| II ho. Il
participated with him in his lavish delight and
encomiums-while the poor woman, unable to
suppress her joy that her husbands merit was
at last appreciated, sobbed aloud from excess of
pleasure.
These are indeed superior specimens OF
art, observed Mr.. Chesterfield, after a rigid
scrutiny of every piece. What does your hus-
band require for them =
'Oh, SIR replied Mary, speaking through
her tears, have carried them to SO many
places, that my husband said that he would sell
them for a shilling piece fyou wouldn't think
it dear and there's the board that he made
long ago..
A shilling piece. Impossible My dear
woman you must be dreaming
| Well then, sir, what you please for my
husband is very i'll, and want to buy Kim some
medicine she replied, almost choking from
revulsion of feeling.
You mistake me, my good creature.
mean to say that they are too valuable to be
sold without consideration; and for fear should
not be Just to you, will consult some friends
as to what | should give-for mean 10 pur-
chase them. For the present, here are ten SOW
ereiens, and whatever price is put on them by
my friends, will pay you again. A man OF
your husbands genius must not be left in OBJ
scurity and want. | will send physician to
attend TO him, and now 60 home and come back
on Monday for what ] shall then be in your
debt Your husband shall not be neglected
depend upon it.
Unable to speak her thanks. but grasping
the gold in her hand with nervous tenacity
the bewildered woman was led out Of the room
by the hand Of the smpathizing Mrs. Chester
field and when she found herself again in
the road, it was with the addition of a we'll
filled basket of wine and provisions. Casting
her dim eyes to Heaven, and muttering a