The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-02-16

gre" heavier, tor he happened to remern.
Der that he had promised his wife that he
would be at home in good season, and
when he entered his dwelling, i. was not
without sort OF misgiviug ihat he WAS
not doing exactly what he ought to do.
Tie found his wife With u thick shawl
drawn closel y over her shoulders, sitting
over the lire; and as the gentle Sarah
, cast her eyes towards him, he could no,
fail 10 observe that they were red aud
swollen with weeping.
why, Sarah, what are you up for at
this time of night 2 asked, Charles, in a
sort o! wondering, uneasy tone.
i could not 90 to bed ill you had
come, Cnares, said she, rising from her
seat, and extending her hand to her hus.
band. And besides, our child is very
sick. 0, hope Lucy will not have the
fever that Is SO prevalent around us
20, there's no danger, | guess returned
MIR. Eilery, in a conciliatory tone. Only
sligh' cold-she'Il soon &c, over it,
'But she's very sick, Charles, very
sick; and am really fearful that she is
t,ned with fever have done eve -
In'ng for her could, however, and per.
haps she may get over it,
Charles Eery felt i'll at ease. MOI,
one word had his vii. said aiou, his re
manning So late away from home, and as
he began to ,ealizc how much she had
suffered III her loneliness. his heart sInote
him with hi GOODNESS. Such little atten
tI"ns as Mrs. Ellerv could bes,ow upon
her child were freely administered, but
some time ere the morning dawned, Mr..
+ iery found it necessary to 20 for the
doctor.
she t:st gray sueaks Of morning were
beginning to relieve the gloom Of the
eastern horizon when the doctor enter.
ed where little Lucy EiIery lay.
You should have called me las, even.
ing, Mr., .tilery, SAX the physician, a, Ls
!eIt ,he child's Pulse, and examined her
tongue, Then might have broken up
this fever, but it's too late now. The
disease Is firmly seated. Then turning
( 70 Mrs. EIle,v, continued:
1 I'm afraid you have not been .ufii
clent'y careful Of your child. You say
she attended school yes,erdayr
Yes sir
Then her cold must have been yery
sndIeD, remarked tue doctor. again tur.
. uing TO the child. However he adde.i.
III sort OF explanatory manner, we mus,
all learn by experience. At such seasons
AS the present, children cannot be loo
warmly dressed when out Of DOORS
/ Sarah dared no, look up at her hus
band, for she feared he NIGH, nisconstrue
her feelings. Ch, rles dared not look a,
his wife, for he feared to NEE, her tear
ful gaze.
Mamma, said little Lucy, ia a weak,
husky voice, aicr the doctor had gone,
my head aches very hard. o, IL | had
had that ack 10 wear. | shouldn't have
been sick, should mammal
Hush, my dear: perhaps when you
get vel. papa will be able to get you one,
said M'> EIlery, as she drew the bed.
: clothes over the child, add .mo,hered her
burning brow.
Like long reverberating thunder. Dol,
fell these simple words upon the ear OF
Charles + lery. For tie first time lie be.
gan to see the course he was pursuing in
its true light. lie had never meant TO
s'n-he had never Geaat to wnaug a hu.
man he;ng, and IN his most excited mo.
ments Of social frolic, he had never dream
ed that harm was being The result. His
breakfast WAS eaten in silence, and pro.
m'sing that he would be at home to an
early dinner, he went to his work.
/ Good God ! exclaimed Charles Ellcry.
AS he stepped ont into the open mir. is
1t possible that have so long been sow.
ing the seeds of misery 10 my family =
Yesterday morning my good, kind wife
wanted three dollars to buy = sack for
our dear child. could not spare il -
think :" then did not mean to tell a
lie. And yet last even ng spent that
for nothing, ny, worse than nothing, for
even now my head aches, and my whole
system is out Of tune from last nights
scrape. Now, my child is sick for the
want Of three dollars. Then how have I
deceived and chea ted myself need new
boots, and yet have suffered in their
want. because thought could not af
ford IL; and yet, what have spent last
night would have bought them, and nv
money would have been = source Of last.
ing good; but now have made i, a
source OF lasting evil =
la such meditation walked Charles
EIery to his shop. A thousand scenes
Oft past came back to his mind. and
lie saw thousand pictures Of his ingrat.
itude TO his wife, his child and himself
I How MANY times had I,is ,y;f vun.Sd