Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-04-02

toward the cradle in the corner.
Il like you, said the child, drawing upl
closer to the little woman, and resting his
hand in hers. Il shall tell mother so. and
when she gets we'll I'll ask her to come
over and see you. You see she's sick now.
and we didn't have anv dinner to-day. III
don't know what we shall do, for mamma
says she hasn't any money, and can't get
i to grandpa. He lives long way off, you
i see'
Mrs. StroGg did not speak another word
she rose up quickly and wcntinto the pantry
Ia moment later she returned, carrying
in enc hande large bowl of bread and milk,
in the otherh plato of cake
Now, Willie, sit right down here she
said, placing chair by the table, and eat
till you can't eat another mouthful-l
Haven't had any dinner-poor child poor
childn
1t was pleasant scene that the dying
day-beams looked in to sec that beautifutl
boy, as he turned from the table to see
Mrs. Strong's face and said, while the large
spoon was poised awkwardly in his little
red fingers, 90, ma ma, it tastes SO good,
and was hungry
We'll, then, Willie, don't stop to talk
about it, only eat-eat just as long as you
can Mrs. Strong answered, with tears of
genuine womanly sympathy glistening, and
sparkling in their travel down her cheeks
Mamma will be so frightened, if stay
any longer, said Willie at last, laying down
the spoon, for he had obeyed to the letter.
Mrs. Strong repeated injunctions. Please,
ma ma, cant 60 now, and take the pie,
too 7
Yes; and, Willie, [ want you to tell
your m other that I'm coming over to see
her his evening
low, soft voice answered to Mrs
Strong's knock. She opened the door aud
went III. No wonder she started at the
story of utter destitution the opening of
that door revealed
A tallow candle was burning on the ta-
, bic, and the light flowed over the pale brow
of the woman who laid it one corner.
Your boy said you were i'll, Mrs Gre
: gory,' said Mrs. Sfrong, advancing to the
bedside, and [ thought [ would jast run
over and see if there was anything | could
: do for you
: You are very kind, ma ma, and, the
words were broken by quick sob, the wo-
man placed her hands over her eyes, and
the tears trickled fast as April drops through
:, her small slender fingers 1t is very fool
ish in me to give way in this manner, at
: last murmured the invalid, recovering her
self, and giving her hand to Mrs. Strong,
;. but it is SO long since | have heard any
words ofsympathy, that yourkindness makes
: quite child of me-
;, Her lady like manner was so strangely in
= contrast with her meager surroundings, that
the quick, tender little heart of Mrs. Strong
) was more touched than ever IF you we're
y only able to walk over to my house, she
said, | could fix you very comfortably but
= as you can't do that, must make up a fire
- here, and bring you over cup of tea VIC
- can talk aftcrward, you know she added
r r anticipating the thanks of the invalid fol
- - Mrs Strong's bencyolence always partook
- more largely of a practical than theoreti
cal character.
:. little later, when bright wood fire
was lifting its columns of rudy fame W
- :, the black mouth of the chimney, and drop
- ping its crimson glow on the bare walls o
y the uncarpetod floor, Mrs. Gregory sat u
- on her low couch, and, with her hand fas
q + tened in Mrs. Strong's, she told briefly th
:, story which never before had crossed he
at ~ lips.
~ Her father was ealthy widower, an,
~ she had been the very "light of his eyes.
-. =. Her feet came up though life's brig ghtes
=. sunshine to her nineteenth summer, an
VI VI then very dark shadow dropped oser tn
- sunshine. Mrs. Gregory father was deS
- - rous she should we'd friend of hi>-a mil
,'s l"t ionaire and man thirty years her senior
Ia Ia The young, fresh heart of the girl of nin
~ teen shrank with terror from a union {
:" wholly antagoni>tic to her tastes and fee
a. ings. For the first time her father spok
~ harshly to her Ellen, it is useless t
-, rebel against my authority. have swor
30 that you shall be his wife,
- And that night Ellen went out from b,
~ W fathers house, and returned to it the wi
- ~ of her distant cousin, William Gregory, an
''na the doors were closed against her.
90 80 The newl y made husband took bis your
[rs wife to a southern city. He was poe
and she had brought him none of her fat
ito CL fdsO WCaiUuJ Dub uc oDlliutu Il lucTatl
aoa situation in a large mercantile honse, "a,
ia Ellen Gregory forgot her early home in /
y = quiet bliss of the six years of her wedd,
life. In less than "a week her husband 81,
Irs ened and died of fever, AMI his yoaug, tc
eba derly reared wife was left with her ch
,pn without pecuniary resources, in a land
I,ro strangers
ION After the burial Of her husband, NJ
Gregory resolved to write to her father
own whom she had heardnothing forseveral yea
aid A violent fever, induced by mental a
ny, brought her TO the brink of the gr;
mite before she had completed her journey.
'orlv partially recovered, to find that her sn
Mr. stock of money would hardly defray
expenses of her long illness. In the exc
- ment of the moment she resolved to achi
~ the remainder of the journey on foot, /;
- had accomplished about twenty miles. |
II course had lain through L. Physic;
s,;ad and mentally exhausted, she learned at
~ tavern where she stopped, that there
'-N0 an old brown house in the suburbs to re
She had secured two rooms in this and
'sn.L I the last six weeks had managed to proc
III. herself and boy precarious subsistel
ao;s. ,1;sae by the sale of her clothing.
j on L have written my father several
ters,' was the conclusion of the sad hist
,rf-l" at they have been returned to me