The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-11-30

told thein the following tale, which i now
relate, notin bis own words, for he spoke
too modestly Of himself.
THE MOTHERS DEATH BED BED. sA:
II was the night Of the 24th December,
1884,; the cold was bitter, and the wind was
moaning through the deserted streets, where
alIselse was silence, save when, at intervals,
the heavy club of the grumbling watchman'
resounded on the curb stones, and the hurried
footsteps of some belated passer, told his ca.
gerness to reach his home and join the hap
py circle in the mirth Of Christmas eve.
Doctor ID. was about to retire for the
night after the fatigue Of q day we'll spent
in administering to the sufferings of his fell
low-rnen, when just as midnight struck at
the old Cathedral clock, the door bell was
violently rung, as ifby an impatient hand.
There" exclaimed the Doctors wife, lit
was written that you could not spend even
Christmas eve at homeI You must 90 ex-
posing yourself TO the sharp wind, and"--
wife" interrupted the kind old man re.
proyingly, show many are there who have
no shelter fronthc storm this night2 How,
then, can complains The little / can do
to relieve those who suffer, more than COM
pensates me for the trouble it gives"
Another pull at the bell, the violence OF
which filed the whole house with echoes, in-
terupted this collcquy. Doctor. D., now
ready, ,deft bis wife, wondering why people
could not choose more convenient hour for
being i'll, and descending the stairs, had soon
opened the hall door.
A woman, shuddering with cold and anx.
Iiety, stood before him. Byth light of the
gas lamp, which cast trembling glare
around, he saw with surprise and pity tha,
she was very young her features were hand
some, but discolored by exposure; and un-
der its long lashes a sunken eye, which told
sad tale Of suffering and toll, looked ST.
lent, imploring prayer at the old man.
A dark suspicion had eros ed his mind at
first but, as his eye fell upon the
frail, thin form Of the young girl barely
wrapped in an old, thread-bare shawl, his
heart smote him for the cruel thought.
"Oh Doctor" she exclaimed, as she saw
his look change TO one of deep compassion,
and her teeth chartered, and her trembling
hands sought to hurry him away: '.Oh !
Doctor, come to my mother She is dying!
and none, none" she added bitterly, 0near
to comfert her |"
lie stopped to hear no more !; but first he
desired 10 wrap his warm cloak around her.
She would not let him.
IL am used to such weather." she said,
"and have long since forgot to feel cold
But her limbs shook cenclusively as she
said it. at would Kill you, child" insisted
the old man, "and then," continued he in a
whisper, "who would nurse your mother."
She made no more resistance; a flame of
hope burst from her eyes, and the look
which met the Doctors gaze, made him for
get his own warm room, the biting cold, the
sudden gusts of wind that blew against his
face, as they hurried across each street.-the
forgot all in the contemplation of this sub
lime example offilal love.
On the way he questioned the young girl
about her mothers situation. She told him
that for several months her mother had
seemedill. To all her daughters entreaties
to call in medical aid, she had given this an !
swer: "My dear child, / am only weak
from much sewing, but notill. It will soon
be over, and were to consult physician it
would be useless expense, and you know our
means could not spare it.n And she had
continued to sew and look, worse every day,
until that night ON finishing dress she had
promised 10 get ready for Christmas morn
ing, she had suddenly tainted and fallen TO
the ground. The daughter had with diff
Guilty lifted her to the bed, and in the great
est alarm had come to DR.. d., for he had
the reputation of compassionate man.
TO his questions as to what causes had
led to SO much toll on her mothers part, she
kept sad silence, in which tic Doctor gues-
sed there lay q fatal secret. ~.
At last, after winding through the mar
row, unpaved streets that mark the rear of
New Orleans, she stopped before a dreary
and tottering house. and eagerly pushing
open the crcaking door, she led the Doctor
through dark, narrow hall up few groan-
ing stairs, and turning suddenly 10 the right
they stood at the door of small room, where
want had long since been resident. A
aickenng lamp threw but enough of .fitful
light TO make the few objects it contained
discerpable. In the centre of the place
stood or rather leaned an old mahogany ta-
ble, which might have long before seen bet
ter days, around which were placed two or
three half scatlcss chairs; small, low bed in
one corner,and broken bereau in another, on
which were some coarse crockery, completed
the picture Of desolation and pcnury, which
seemed wishing to hide itself from Tile Doc
tors eye as he softly crossed the threshold
He looked for the hearth; 1t seemed damp
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