The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-06
THE HIDDEN HAND.

BY EMMA d. +. N. soUTHWoRTH,
AUTHOR OF THE BRIDE OF AN EVENING 'THg DrsERrEI
WIFE, ETC. ETC, ETC.

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Have you got through asked the man at the door,
rapping impatently
NO, no. said !, as directed
''He resumed his tramping up and down, and went
back to my patient She beckoned me to come close and
whispered
'''Saye my child the living one mean hide her
oh, hide her from him When he demands the babe,
give him the poor little dead onehe cannot hurt that
and he will not know there another. Oh hide and
my child sa
master, used to queer doings but this lit
tlc the queerest But ii was to conceal that second
child in order to It, it necessary to stop its
mouth, for 1t squalllng like Wild cat So took
vial of paragorc from my pocket and give Drop and
IL went of to sleep like an angel wrapped it up warm
and lay it along with my shawl and bonnet, in dark
corner. Just then the raped again.
.' Come in, MASTER said L
% No, bring me the babe, lie said
al took up the dead infant. Its mother kissed its
brow and dropped tears upon its little cold face and
carried it to the outside.
" is it asleep the william asked me.
eyes muster said L. as put it, well wrapped up, in
his arms very sound asleep
g 80 much the better said the knaye, walking
away.
" boltcd the door and went back to my patient With
her free hand she seized mine and it to her lips
and then held up her left hand pointed to the wedding
ring upon her third finger.
DRAW it off and keep it, she said conceal the
child under your shawl and take her with you when you
| go save her, and your fortune shall be made
g declare. master, hadn't time to think, before
heard one of them wretches rap at the door.
q Come get ready to go, he said
| I" She also beckoned me. / hastcned to her. With
eager whispers and mplong gestures she prayed to
4 take her ring and save her child.
g : But you,' said It. who is to attend your
's'I do not know care! Save her!
ssThe rappng continued. / ran to the corner where
1 left Iuy inf nD nv ma lp sort
Of sling around my neck of the silk hankerche opened
the large part OF it like hammock and laid the little
sleeping babe there Then folded my big shawl arou
my breast and nobody any the wiser The rappng was
! very inpatient
! ''I am coming, said l.
q Remcmberf whispered the poor girl.
WILL said and went and opened the door There
stood tother william with his head covered with black
Grape | dreamt of nothing but black headed demons
for six months afterward.
'' Are you ready 7 says he.
80 Yes, your worship says l. M
| " Come along, then.
And binding another silk handkerchief round my
| eyes, he led me along.
Instead of my mule carriage stood near the horse
! block.
T" Get in,' says he, holding the pist to my ears by
4 way of an argument
! gotin. He jumped up upon the drivers seat, and
drove like the wind In another direction from which
we come, in course, for there carriage road
/ there The carriage whrled along ut such rate it
made me quite giddy. AT last it stopped again. The
man in the mask got down and opened the door
''Whcre are you taking mey says i.
BE quiet says he, 'or - and with that he put
the pst to my cheek, ordered me to get out take the
bandage from my eyes, and walk before him. did so,
and dimy that in part of the country that
was never at before. We in dark road through
thick forest On the left side of the road in clear
ing, stood an old house; dim light was burning in a
| lower window.
Go in there, said the william, putting the pistil
to the back Of my head AS the door stood aar went
into narrow, dark passage, the all the while at
my back. He opened door the left side, and made
me go into dark room, Just then the unfortunate
child that had been moving restlcssy began to wall
Well it might, poor starved thing
q What's that y says the miscreant under his breath
and stopping short
:" 1t aint nothing, SIR says l. and hush-h-h to the
baby. But the poor little wretch raised squall.
% What is the meaning of this 2 says he. Where
did that child come from Why the demon don't You
speak and with that he seized again by the scruff
of the neck and shook me-
:" Oh Master, for the love of Heaven don't says l.
this only poor unfornet infant, its parents
wanted to get ouen the way, and hired to take
on. And have had it wrapped up under my shawl all
the time, ccpt when in your house. when put it
| to sleep in the corner
g Iumph and you had that child concealed under
! your shawl when / first stopped you in the woods