Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-10-24


pressed impulse, was now low, and every
word spoken with melalchaly slowness,
that but too often become the f1rrunner
of some great life-change.
As l entered late in the evening, |
found her sitting in an easy-chair near
the fire. A small private secretary had
been brought from the library to her
chamber; its lid was down, and as L
seated myself she took from a package
of tied letters sealed parcel and placed
it in my hand.
"Read this, doctor, at your leisure
My pilgrimage of time is nigh ended.
You will judge how great my sin, and
how severe my punishment has been. 1
ask no forgiveness, for there aOiU be none
left to forgive me. But charity of feeling
l beg of you for 1 would not like to. die
knowing that you would retain a severi-
ty of thought against one who, however
erring, had paid the forfeit by great suf-
fering."
She spoke for some minutes longer, in
the same low, distinct voice. Well l
knew her heart was nigh crushed l
soon left her and sought her daughters
chamber. How still every thing SEEM
ed ! The very candle with its long flame
parted by the thickened wick. char,
seemed not to flicker as it burnt on |
looked at the bed the sweet girl lay
with both hands crosseI upon her bosom,
as though in prayer. An orange-blos-
som had dropped from her grasp and lay
neglected by her side. Her life-hand
never touched it more. 1 placed its stem
gently back in her palm; for Death had
claimed her as his bride
Awildpiercing shrek sounded through
the house; the erring mother now knew
that she was alone in the world
Whilst the shrouding of the dead took
place, retired to my room in the house,
and opened the sealed package. 1t briefly
told its tale of sin and sorrow. How
from first love Emily was the fruit and
how, unknown to all, the child had been
secreted. That about three years after
the birth, she was married to Harold
T, whom she never loved and
how, by singular accident, the knowl-
edge of her trespass was made known to
him. That after violently curSing her,
he left her, and was shortly found drown
ed. That the letter so fatal to Emily
had accidently dropped from her secle-
taire, and was picked up by her, un-
known to the mother till the day before
my return, when she missed it. 1t then
spoke of the birth OF a male child after
rs death, and that seized with III
insane fury, she had resolved he SHOULD
never inherit the fathers name and
wealth and how, through the comm.
vance of nurse, it was placed, with a
sum of money, at beggar's door, and
dead child laid beside her in its stead.
That before sending the infant away,
she had his fathers initials tatooed on
its left arm. All traces of the child had
been lost; the beggar woman had died,
and another had taken it. AT length
her heart had reproached her, but search
had been made in vain.
As l read this tale of crime and repen-
tance. memory traced out the features of
the beggar-boy, as he stood shiveriug in
the deep snow before me. Like sud-
den light, it burst upon me the features
that had so tormented my memory to re-
call were those of the unhappy mother.
Quickly l walked to Mrs. RS room;
she was not there. | entered Emily's;
the mother was clasping her daughters
shrouded body, weeping as tho her heart
would break. Gently bearing her back
to her own chamber, informed her that
perhaps another child long lost might be
restored to her. She listened as one be-
wildered. l then informed her of my
adventure with the beggar-bOy.
Itwas hardly day-dawn as [ entered
the carriage. Ny breath froze against
the window -panes. After few minutes
the horses stopped before the wretched
suow-covered hoyel. Not a word an
swered the foOtman's repeated knocks.
l opened the carriage door AMI placed
my hand on the latch the door opened;
it was neither locked nor barred for no
thief would enter there. In the corner
lay bundle of rags with some straw ap-
parently used for bed, but it was un-
occupied. Near the fire place, where
naught but Little ashes and well-char-
red bark remained, half-reclining in a
large wooden chair, lay the beggar-boy.
His cap had fallen on the ground, and
his dark curling hair fell clustering over
his extended arm as his head rested on
it. He had seemingly fallen asleep the
night before, for his thin summer clothes
were on, and his basket, yet filled with
the fragments of broke feasts, remained
untouched at his feet. put my hand
up, his beautiful head +; it was ice cold (!
Quickly pushing back the hair from his
check, the unmiStakeable evidence OF
death met my eye. He had apparently
fallen asleep weeping, for tear lay fro
zen between the long lashes