Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-11-16
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1860.
MI sc Il I. l. A n Y .
ONLY WORDS.

What shall We do. Alice 20 said the
mother. breaking in upon the silence.
live were only back again in dear
wc.tbrook," )" fell lousinsly from the dAush.
tcr's lips
"Yc.. ii-bui wc.ibrook lies more than
a thousand mile. distant. 1t was a sad dav
for US, for my child. when We leh there.
We have had nothing since but sorrow and
trouble"
Tears lowed silently over the mothers
face.
"lfl could only get something to do,
.aid Alice, "how willingly would I work.
Hut no one wants the service hero that |
can give"
"wo shall star,c at tbi. rate" spoke on,
the mother in Wild kind Of a way. as II fear
had grown suddenly d,.peA,c.
Alice did not reply, bu, "a, very still. in
an ab,tnc,ci way. like ono who.c thoughts
have lgrown weary in some irui,lcss effort.
~ dreamed lAs, night. 'aid she, looking
up after a while, tha, We were back IN
wc,,brook. and IN our old home How
plainly .Aw everything at At the
window. looking out upon the little garden
IN front, from which the ar came IN Gllod
with the od5r Of aowcrs, and as sai there
Mr. Fleetwood came by. jus, as i, used 70
b. and be stopped and saii, &" Good morn
ing, Alice, in that kind way in which be
AlNays SPOKE to me. cried. when | awoko,
70 Gud IL wns only a drcom."
"Ah. IL there vas Mr. Fleetwood here"
sighci tho mother.
Suppo.c you write to him. suggested
Alics. d" Tho thoughi comes thi, moment
into my mind am sure be wouli help
Us. You know what an sIccllen, man be
s."
- will do it ,hi. very day replied the
mother, with hops and confidence in her
,iocS. Isn't 1t strange that he was not
thoush,o Of bsiorc1 Some god 'p,ris sN,o
you tha, dream, Alice"
Add the letter was written. It was as
follows
q" EIwari Fleetwood, E.q.
DearS II write % you under circum-
stance, Of great cIsrmiiy. Since We lett
wc,,brook Tor this distant region We have
known ouly troublc. S,ckbs., and losses
met u. on the very threshold Of our new
home. and death came at la', 10 complete
the work Of sorrow and disaster SI Imonlh'
ago ms husband dirl, leaving the with three
children and ~ circumstances OF great cI-
,remiiy. How we have managed 10 li'c
since that time, can hardly tell. Wchavc
suffered many priva,ion', bu, worse ihlns'
are approaching. We have 10 friends here
None 10 help, advise, or care ior ". Alice
You remember my daughter Alico-ha'
uicl 70 ec, something 10 30. She i' willing
to work aS nyuiine 10 which her strength
!, equal. bat - Tar she has b,en un'uc-
ces,iul. What are We TO do' 1; looks ~
II actual starvation wa, coming. lwr,l' 10
sou remembering your kindly nature, your
warm auG humane heart. Oh. sir. can you
help US lt, the voice OF the widow aud
iaihsrlsss that cries unto you. Alice dream
yi Of you la, night, and W. have taken 4,
a. a sugss,,ion aud an omen. Forgive toe
for this freedom, but when imninen, danger
threaten. We stretch out our hand, for sue.
cor IN any direction toward. which hopc'
point u. .hall wait IN trembling eager.
nes, your reply.
Yours, IN sorrow and hopo.
ALICE MAYNARD"
Ge. US follow tins letter 10 wssibrook,
and note the manner in which 1t was receiy.
Il. We End I, in the hands Of Mr. Fleet
wood, who ha. read /, through, and is sit.
ting with a troubled look on his face.
There is no help in me-" he says at
length, folding up the letter and laying it
aside. Poor Mr.. Maynard siitte day
! indeed so dark God knows how wiling
| ly would help you IL it were in my power.
But misfortune has not come to you alone.
/, ha, passed my threshold also, and the
threshold Of thousand. besides. wes,brjok
has seen some sad changes since you went
away.
"Drcamed Of mc?" he goes on after a
pause; "and yon have taken the dream as
a suggestion and 40 omen. Some spirit has
moeked you with delusivc dream. There
is no help In me. NOne-nOno For am
staggering under my own burthen.; ain
in fear all the day long les, the evil that
threatens my home should fall upon 1t.
May God help and comfort you | cannot. "
Mr. Fleetwood took the letter from the
table on which be had placed it. and laid 1t
in u drawer 4" Poor A!Ic0 Maynard :" he
sighed as he shut the draw and turned away.
All day long the thought Of that letter
troubled him. How could he answer 1t
What could he sayl |, was an eager eI'
pcc,an, cry for help but he had no help
to give. The widowed mother lad asked
him for bread and how could he offer her
mere words in ro.urn-cOld, Disappointing
words
For two days the letter remained IN the
drawer where he had placed it.
"lt is Of no use." he would say, as the
thought Of i, now and again in,rudsd. 81
cannO. bring myself to write an answer,
Say what will, aud the language must
seem to her but heartless sentences. She
cannot understand how greatly things have