Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-02-01

4 love it, and SO does mother, too"
Does she! Well, think its quite too
bad we haven't been more neighborly since
YOU came here. My names Mrs Strong
now what's yoursH
MY names Willie Gregory, ma'am,' re
piled the child, with his eyes fastened on
the pie
And your mother and you live all alone
across the road, don't you? qucried Mrs.
Strong, as she parted away the golden curls
from the fair, broad forehead.
yes, ma'am, we've lived alone since papa
died; it was a long time ago, and mother
hasn't hardly smiled since The little fel-
lows lip quivcred, his eye grew moist, and
the tears hung like twin dew-drops on his
long brown lashes.
Dear me, haven't YOU any father? Poor
childr Mrs Strong spoke with a Choking
in her throat, and quick glance towards
the cradle in the corner. -
4 like YOU said the child, drawing up
closer to the little woman, and resting his
hand in hers. q shall tell mother so, and
when she gets well I'll ask her to come over
and see YOU. You see she's sick now, and
We didn't have any dinner to day. 1 don't
know what we shall do, for mamma says
she hasn't any money, and cant get to grand
papa. He lives a long ways of. YOU see
Mrs. Strong did not speak anotherword
she rose up quickly and went into the pan
try-a moment later she returned, earring
in one hand large bowl Of bread and milk,
and in the other plate of cake.
Now, Willie, sit right down here she
said, placing chair by the table, and eat
till you can't eat another mouthful. Haven't
had any dinner-poor childr
It was pleasant scene that the dying
day-beams looked in to see that beautiful
boy, as he turned from the table to Mrs.
Strong's face and said, while the largest
spoon was poised awkwardly in his little red
fingers, %, ma'am it tastes good, SO good,
and | was so hungry.
well, then, Willie, don't stop TO talk
about it only eat-cat Just as as long as you
can,' Mrs. Strong answered, with tears Of
genuine womanly sympathy glistening and
sparkling in their travel down her checks.
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's repeated injunctions. please,
ma'am, can't go now, and take the pie,
toor
Yes; and Willie, I want you to tell your
mother that I'm coming over to see her
this evening"
A low, soft voice answered to Mrs. Strongs
knock. She opened the door and went in.
No wonder she started at the story of utter
destitution the opening of that door revealed.
A tallow candle was burning on the t;,-
bic, and the light flowed over the pale brow
of the woman who laid on the bed in one
corner.
Your boy said you were i'll, Mrs. Greg
ory,' said Mrs. Strong advancing to the bed
side, and [ thought l would just run over
and see if there was anything could do for
YOU
you are very kind, ma'am, and the
words were broke by quick sob, the woman
placed her hand over her eyes, and the tears
trinkled fast as April drops through her
small slender fingers. 1T it very foolish in
me to give way in this manner at last mur-
INJURED the invalid. recovering herself and
giving her hand to Mrs Strong, but it is so
long since have heard any ywords of SYM
pathy, that your kindness makes quite a
child Of me-
Her ladv-likc 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 were
only able to walk over to my house, she
said, 4 could fix you very comfortable; but
as YOU can't do that, l must make a fire
and bring you over cup of tea; we can
talk afterward, you know she added, antic-
ipating the thanks of the invalid; for Mrs.
Strong's benevolencc always partook more
largely of practical than theoretical char
acter.
A little later and bright wood fire was
lifting its columns of ruddy fame up the
black mouth of the chimney, and dropping
its crimson glow on the bare walls of the
mcarpeted floor, Mrs Gregory sat up on her
low couch, and with her hand fastened in
Mrs. Strong's she told briefly the story which
never before had crossed her lips.
Her father was a wealthy widower, and
she had been the very Eight of his eyes,
Her feet came up through life's brightest
sunshine to her nineteenth summer, and
then a very dark shadow dropped over the
sunshine. Mrs. Gregory's father was desi-
rous she should wed friend of his-a mil
ionaire-and man thirty years her senior.
The young, fresh heart of the girl of ninteen
shrank with terror from union so wholly
antagonistic to her tastes and feelings. For
the first time her father spoke harshly to
her. Ellen, it is useless to rebel against
my authority. Ihave sworn that you shall
be his wife,
And that night Ellen went out from her
fathers homo and returned to it the wife of
her distant cousin, William Gregory, and the
doors were closed against her.
The newly made husband took his young
wife to a southern city. He was poor and
she brought him none of her fathers vast
wealth; but he obtained a lucrative situa-
ton in a mercantial house, and Ellen Gre
CORY forgot her early home in the quiet bliss
of the six years of welded life. Then all
its light went out very suddenly. In less
than week her husband sickened and died
of fever, and his young, tenderly reared
wife was left with her child without pecuni-