The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-10
copyright sseHyed-aecording 10 laio.l
For the National Era.
JASPER: A ROMAN
BY EDWARD SPENCER.
Evw tAs Cssxle..s,- .9ss.ds a Litter,

EUw tSs G..,x1e..s- s.,.ds a Litter
lcHAPrER KLEvEyxH coNcLuDKD1
- 1t is bright and lovely morning, and
Ruth sits by Mrs. Fleming's bedside, softly
humming pleasant tune, and from time to
time turning with eyes of careful love to say
some cheerful word to the INVALID, or TO touch
the wasted hand with light fingers, or to smooth
the bed clothes, or place a pillow more com
fostahiy, TIE invalid is nGt q suffering INVALID
No acute disease racks her frame or distorts
her features. No jaundiced hypochondriasis
injects her eye embrowns her cheek, or Fuckers
up the mephistophilean wrinkle between the
eyebrows. Pleasant smiles fit over her pale
wasted face, and the voice, feeble and low
though it be, is very sweet and calm. Peace,
holy dcye Ike peace, has nestled there, and the
halo Of her wings seems almost to irradiate the
still lovely countenance.
Ruth, dearest child says she, we do not
know the richness of our blessings until we
hays eraHq iYto their. Think of only short
time sinee-the pride, the torture, the shame OF
that might, when first saw you-and then, OF
hated SO, and scorned-God's gift!"
. too, mother how much owe you / was
bur weak, desponding child lam woman
now, and can bear suffering EoA taught me
! this"
| We have both been to school, nay darling,
Then, after pause, she inquired after one Of
her proteges, a poor woman who had lost a
pearl and, for its sake, would have treated all
the rest of the casket as worthless. They had
brought her os, of re ditch, and we're teaching
her to feel that safe footing on dry ground
was yet possible for her " - :
What are our troubles, guth, compared
with hers Not ting fall Itself is Ii, thai nsel
give her such cause for despair, but the world $
treatment Of har because of that fall. We
stand aghast and raise our hands at the cranes
which kill their wounded fellow, but do not We
women treat our fallen sister with equal cruelty
Do YOU remember that affecting scene in Faust
that | read you the other day, called At the
Well where Bessy speaks of poor Barbara, to
poorer MafgeretP How the fallen Is reyiieq,
end hos sadly Margaref mGsesi'' 4 "~'FN' =
How quick was once nv scornfu lip
ger poar maiden changed 70 slip
Ihe words al hy Command were tame
10 speak my thought OF anoihers shame
How black ~ SCI med-ytt { never CT uId
Blacken II as fell should.
blessed myself pro. and gsy,
And now-myself 10 sin am prey.
Aud yet, God knows no sweet the spur
mat drove me 10 IL, and how dear!
THESE homeiy gords ere so high-wrought-s
expressive And this is tie way We MI 90. At
one throws a stone, straightway we all 60 On,
heaping up till we make cairn zoe think, to
sisters shame, but in reality, to a worlds
cruelty. Is the seduced more lost than the
seducer. if the world treat them alike? can
not think 50; re can ". Hfke woman out
of Mary, think, If we can only convince bier
how far we are from despising herr. IT '''
"There is change in me, Ruth said Mrs.
Fleming, sitter q pause, Her tone was half Of
musing; half Of pespiexlty; IA change thas I
felt in the watches of last night, and one that
fear even to attempt to interpret ! feel re-,
newed In strength, as if were going 10 30 we'll
once more, but such changes are too often mere
ly the forerunners Of dissolution. Be it what it
may, am ready. If die before Jasper comes,
l shall not grieve, now, Ruth, darling. | am
content. You can tell him ALL" al
are s ssid s1a F aSs s0f ss.Ia.
could hardly lift that book The doctor told
me this morning that you were much better,
and am sure your eye is brighter and fuller
than it has been for month, and your appe-
tite is returning, Do YOU think l did not see
you take ? second Pises e lofst tlasI nl lsbt
that before? Oh. you'll soon be well, and then
III have 20 sis with nay hands in my lap, sup
pose, and amuse myself by singing.
g SO dercs no mo- work for POI Aunsy Rua,' &C."
at may be SO, pretty" said Mrs, Fleming