Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-08-10

II Is mother.
] knew by that that ii was very near
but the woman, in her ignorance. walked
across the room, and opened both the
shutters and the window. The bold star
ing sunlight came rushing, streaming in
Mother-mother
A deadly change came over the coun-
tenance. I'm here, Ellen Child
darling speak,
Another pause, very, very long. new
er to Be broken BY the form lying before
US, pale and still. A distant shout of
harvest home came strangely on the
solemn silerce. Ahl truly harvest homel
Another dropping soul for the universal
harvest Another wearied heart for the
worlds great reaper-Death / turned
hurriedly away. The child had fallen
asleep with the doll by her side, still
murmuring in her dreams that They
must keep quiet "a little rosy face. i
re-closed the window shutters, thinking
of the light she bad found-that grea,
eternal light that win one day dawn on
all,-covered the poor, the pale dead
face and left the woman weeping and
in prayer.
It was with no small satisfaction at the
prospect of my having my curiosity graf
ified that / set off the next morning for
the old woman's cottage. She was stand
ing in the door, evidently expecting me.
30 sir, is it you? do walk inr
/ entered, glancing as / did so at the
bed where the dead girl was still lying.
The woman saw the look and began
weeping bitterly.
80 sir, my poor child =
i / spoke soothingly and calmly.
20 sir, it's not only losing her its moi
only losing her it's the way-it's the
wayl,
The way? said inquiringly.
Yes, sir; but TO be sure you dom
I know. She was bewitched, sir
t Bewitchedr : ] exclaimed.
Yes. sir. this long time. She's beer
ailing since last year, and its been th'
| death of her at last
! Seeing my continued look of surprise
q she went on as she expressed it. 4
: tell me all about it, still holding, as sh
! did so, the dead girls hand in hers. Tn
:. story, as nearly as 1 remember, ran a
o follows:
'You see, sir, Ellen was my onl
!. child, and good one she was. Many
: the time I've told my old man she'd liv
: to be a comfort to me; and so she trul
Il did. nursing me and taking care Of ms
! when he died, for many long day
(Here she fondled the dead hand close
: siiil.) Well, you see, sir, she was sti
n quite child, when young chap com;
- to work up at the Squire's where Ellie
!, took the milk every morning. 1t WASH
- long after he came that | thought / sa
:. change in her; she wasn't so light-hear
. ed like,-as if she had some secret S
>, one morning, when she comes in fro
the Squire's with the odd look on b
i,.. face, turned short at her and SAY
: i What's the matter, Ellen p
She redeemed, but answered quite Dol
ly,-for she was always as open as I
day
be "Why, mother, / think Jacks We
'n' fond Of me-
no '.Fond of you? says I; and pr
K who's Jack ?
he Him that works up at the Squire
but you'll soon see him, mother;
nd coming up tonight
And sure enough he came. He y
4. handsome spoken young fellow enoul
He told me be wanted Ellen, and wol
take great care Of her. He seemed
in honest and bright looking, and Ellen
Ind fond or him, that somehow couldn't
sed = No. the truth of it was they went
+; the church. and the parson himself {
me- he'd never seen q prettier couple
They were just like two doves; he
plenty Of work up to the Squire's-,
see be was briek-lsyer, sir. and
ick Squire was having his place done ~
irsf and Ellen she took in needIework,
came over every day to help me. T
used to live there, SIR. (She pointed
her little cottage close by, nov wearin
the dreary, deserted look.) They lived til
'r nigh upon two years, sir, till long a
tue baby was born. Well, sir, my Z
I'M though toe best tempered girl in
the worId-was biz spirited when anytE
the crossed her; and one morning Jack
ere her had q Guarrel-the first they {
d II had,-it was about her cousin Tom, 7
here fellow, who'd been her sweetheart be
I'm she Was marrieds-and Jack went to y