Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-05-14


the woods, dear mother; and see, here are
some wild Strawberries picked for you
on my return. Will you eat them?" said
Rose, Offering her little basket.
"NO; want none of them. You care
little for me-"
"Mother, don't say that. You do not
know how much love you"
"Hush, girl, You have little cause OIL"
And the woman suddenly struck her
hand upon her heart, dropped her head
upon her breast, and seemed convulsed by
some great agony. Her features worked
frightfully, her frame shuddered.
"Motherl mother! what is the NATTER"
exclaimed Rose, throwing her arms around
the woman in great alarm.
at is-past," gasped the woman, brea-
thing with great difficulty.
"What was it, dear?"
"a spasm. 1t is gone"
ooh, mother, will it return2"
"Perhaps"
"Lct me run for q neighbor, or the doc
tor"
"Nny, you must run somewhere elsel-
Tomorrow, Laura-Lady Etheridge of
Swinburme, wcds with Albert Hastings, of
Hastings Hall. 1t is so, is it not?''
"Surely, dear mother, the village is full
of the wedding, and talks of nothing else.
The village children have been employed
all day in bearing flowers to decorate the
castle church, and to strew in the path of
the bride as she comes-they love her SO
WELL"
"Yes, she is high and mighty lady; yet,
sweet and gracious as becomes one so ex-
alted. Come hither, girl, kneel down be-
fore me, SO that l may take your face be-
tween my hands" said the woman, grow
ing more strange in her talk.
Rose obeyed, and her mother, bowling
her own stern, dark face, shut that of the
girl between her hands, and gazed upon it
wistfnlly, critically, murmuring-
"Fair face, delicate features, complexion
pure MS the inside of a conch-shell, white,
and flushed with red; hair like fine yellow
silk, and eyes blue and clear as those OF
infancy; hands, small and elegant. have
not let poverty spoil your beauty, have |,
my child?"
mo, dear mother, you have let kind
ness more likely spoil me-" said Rose, in
simple wonder, ut her words.
81 have not let your person grow coarse
with hard work, have |, dcar?'
"No, mother; notwithstanding that
ought to have worked with you, and for
you"
.Your hands have never been roughened
by helping me in the laundry"
tNo mother; though they ought to have
been"
"Nor have your sweet eyes been spoiled
by necdlc-work ?"
'No, good mother; have been as useless
as fine lady, to my shame"
"And l have worked hard to save you
from work, and to pay for your schooling,
have nOt?'
"Dear mother, you have! You have
been the best mother in the world, and
only too good to me. But l will try to
repay you"
tsThink of all that tomorrow, child; and
,rhen all the country around shudaers at my
crime, aCEen all The peopEc cali dO'cn tmprccd-
lions upon my name, do not you curse one
who has nourished you nt her bosom, when
that bosom is cold in DEATH" said the wo-
man, solemnly.
"Oh! she is madl mady' exclaimed Rose.
in dismay, at hearing these words; then
lowering her voice, she said, "Mother!
mother! try to collect yourself! 1t is |,
your poor daughter Rose that kneels be-
fore you. Do you not know rne?"
GAY, know you well, and know what
saw" repeated the woman, solemnly.
"Mother oh, why do you talk so wild
lv? 1t is very dreadful But you are
not we'll let me go for some one"
ayes; you must go for some one. You
must 90 TO the castle this afternoon" said
the woman, in the same tone of deep grav-
ity.
"To the CASTLE I, mother!' exclaimed
Rose. in surprise.
..Yes, you must go to the castle; and
when you get there. ask to see her who
calls herself Lady Etheridge."
"The baroness Dear mother, why
does your thoughts so run upon the bar
oness? What is she to MS? Besides, is it
likely that she will see me, poor girl,
perfect stranger, this day of all others,
when she sees no one
"uush. Rose and for once obey one
,chon vou hare SO long looked upon as yonr
mother. 1t will be the last time will
ask vou to do so. Demand to be admitted
to the presence of the baroness. Say that
vou have come nPon a matter of life and
death. that nearly concerns her ladyship;
insist, and she will not venture refuse
YOU. When you stand before Lady Ethe-
ridge, say that her old nurse. Magdalcnc
Elmer"
"Her nurse, mother! You Lady Ether
idgc's nurse! l never knew that before J"
interrupted Rose, in surprise.
"Thcre are many things that you never
knew, my child. But attendl Say to the
baroness that Magdnlene Elmer is dying"
..Dyingl oh, mother, do not say sol it
is verv cruell You are not sick in bed
vou are sitting upl You are not old, Ell
ther, but have many years of life before
:Ghild, hear my words, hut do not judge
themI Say to lady Etheridge that Mngda-
lene Elmer, her dying nurse, prays-nay,
demands-to see her this night! Tell her
that hare confession to make that she
must hear tonight, or neUer! Conjure her
by all she holds dear on earth by all her
hopes of Heaven! by all her fears of hell!
to come to me tonight! Tell her u she
,couLd escape the heaviest curse that could
darksn woman's life, to come to me to-
night! to come to me at once! There; get