Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-11-17
A Mothers Love.

am nc believer in the seeing of supernat-
ural sights with mortal eyes but if any sto-
ry Of the kind could receive my credulity, it
would be something like the following. A
Mothers Love is strong enough to cause her
spirit to revisit the earth, if she can know Of
the neglect and ill-treatment Of her infant or
phan child. At all events, the story furn-
ishcs a lesson which fathers may read and
profit by:
Ny father was left a widowcr in his first
year of marriage, his wife having died in
childbirth with us twins-myself and my
brother George, whom some Of you have mis-
taken at times, you know, for me. My poor
mother herself had been also one of twins
For n few months after her death, her two
sisters stayed in my fathers house to comfort
him and look after us children. | was, how
ever, soon put out to nurse, and George only
remained at home. lie slept in the same
room with his two aunts. | had been from
home about a week or so, when Aunt Susan,
on awaking about midnight, found her sister
out Of he'd, and walking about the room. She
knew Maria suffered from "a raging tooth, "
so merely informed her where the laudanum
0NNs anu NNAAt w f'HAH so NN" A"C'af
as the two sisters were undressing, Susan said:
''Be sure to put the bottle so that you will
know where to find it, and not run the risk
Of catching your death Of cold, as you did last
night"
Il had not the toothache last night, and
never left my bed at ALL" replied Maria.
''rhen you must have done il in your sleep,
for | saw you up as plainly as | ever saw you
in my life"
So, with mutual recrimination and denial,
they retired TO rest.
Again Susan was awakened, and again she
saw her sister pacing about the room.
Maria, come to rest" said she 1.-The fire
isout. aud the cold will only increase the pain"
Her sister turned a pale face towards her,
with an iudescribabiy sorrowful and touching
expression, bat said nothing. Susan, think.
ing her TO lie seriously III, was about to leave
tho bed, when, to her extreme establishment
she perceived Maria fast asleep beside her.
1t was my dead mother, then-the very
image Of her living twiR-sister- whom she
had looked upon these two nights. Susar
tainted with excess OF fear, and did not walker
her bcdfclluw Gill after dawn, when nothing
unusual was to he observed. She told, how
ever. all she had seen aud Maria, who wa
much the holder OF the two, promised to keeI
vigil next night, upon condition that my faith
or was not 60 be informed of the matter
which she knew would distress him greatly
She attributed the thing herself to fancy aR'
a~disordcred system. That night, then, the.
both watched and when they had been il
bed some time, they heard the front door G
the cottage open-my mother had been &C
customcd in her lifetime to carry, for eoRVe
nience, a latch key-aEd a well-kRowR geRtl
footstcp pass up the stairs and go into IN,
father room. Presently their own chambe
door opened, and, dressed in a white carmen
betwixt bed-gowR and dressing.gown, thei
dead sister glided in. She gave them an ap
pealing, almost rcproachful look, and thel
turned to the little cradle where her baby
boy was sleeping, and stopped down as if t
kiss it. Once again she seemed to beseec
them dumbly, and left the room with a slow
noiseleSs tread. II was some minutes beior
they dared to speak. Maria longed to a,
dress the spirit, but her tongue Glove to til
roof Of her mouth. la the morning the
asked my father whether lac had seen au
strange sight or no.
II saw nothing unusual" he replied bl
when they had told him all, he confessed, n
without some effort. And !, too, for the!
last ten days, have seen her every miduigh
/ hear the key in the front doc" her tire;
upon the laudia5 as OF old bS scr face,
she stands by my bed-foot, seems worn az
pitcous, and | know she has some grief 81
may not tell. have spoken to her maj
times, but she does not answer me-. knc
not what to do
After some more conversation, a sud-
thought flashed upon my fathers mind al
saddling his horse himself, he rode OIL at Il
speed to the town about ten miles Oft, whC
had been intrusted to q respectable aur
In that short interval which | had pass
away from, home, he found me shocking
Z altered; half starved and i'll and bruised
Another nurse was instantly obtained, W
however, remained at my own home with !
Never more was seen by mortal eye I
messenger from the dead; the boundl
love which had burst the barrier OF de
itself-the affection of mother for her ehI
was never tried so terribly again.