Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-12-08
.sWAsHINGTON.,' = p, 81 c. 8 sl.lAlAFt l.lAlAF I

SELF, / begsa To- love and tend him rs.tly like
Q baby ruling end chiding him % should |
have done one Of my own little ones when IL
was naughty. Under this treatmsnt we goton
better, and should have managed without my
eutburstt had il not hsppened that one unisoky |
morning, in apfessurs Of occupation, neglect
ed 10 rub and polish the staf as he had desired
me to do. Before his illness, this had been
| the one important duty of his day; shout
which he set in the most scientific manner,
with clean towels and wash-leather.- Since
himself incapacitated, he had requested me, as
an especial favor. to undertake the process,
| and, anxious to indulge him in small matters,
| had complied; holding the knobbed handle
| as he directed in eambric handkerchief, and
rubbing from right to left. This morning he
had been in singularly perysrse humor
nothing pleased him; and the supposed neglect
burst forth. He ragged and stormed for an
hour, threatening me with every sort of ven
geance. At length. fairly exhausted. he sank
back in bed and bade me leave him-he would
try and sleep.
| I hoyered about the next room for some
time, then, finding all quiet, stole away for an
hours rest When returned all was silent as
before, nevertheless, noiselessly turned the
| lock and looked in. What was my horror to
find my bed empty and my patient escaped?
| Icalled the servants, and sent everywhere to
seek him. But he was not soon found; no one
II
not imagine what was his object in doing so
At last discovered him myself in a retired
| corner of the shrubbery, trying, with feeble
efforts, to dig a hole and bury his staff
'"No one is worthy of it," he said but he
would not leave it when We had discovered his
secret hiding place; aud, after many argu-
ments, 1 prevailed upon him to return and let
| me polish and clean it.
That night he was very ill-the exertfon and
exposure brought on relapse. He bade me
put the staff quite close to him, and his feeble
fingers clasped it fondly and stroked 1t down.
Just when he was dying he put into my hand
keep it-never part with it-promise me,
| Jane" r.
promised, for I saw his heart was bent on
my doing so.
"Jane-the staff fis-will-children''-bu his
voice failed, and his head fell back. He never
spoke again, aud before day-break he was
dead
We laid him in the family vault in the Tur-
ton church; for, in spite of bis wanderings and
uaywsrd life, he was Of the old stock; and
putting aside his favorite staff in my oak cabi-
net, We went back to eur old ways, and almost
forgot him.
Years passed during which more little faces
clustered round our board, and the elder ones
| were sent of to school. The clouds that had
so long skirted the distance came nearer and
nearer, and at last burst over our heads.
The bank in which my money was vested
/, II suuuouly ldllcu, tuo sItNbru VINO 0dU mdQdReQ
| my husbands affairs proved unfaithful. and
|, absconded with all that he could convert into
! money; creditors presse6 round, and were
clamorous; we were ruined. .....
Nothing remained for US but to leave Turton;
If possible to let it, and to 90 and live on the
, Continent. There was to be sale after we
left, and the handbils were already out had
, spent long days in packing and arranging, and
|, unable longer to meet the children's doleful
, faces and sad regrets at parting with their old
: pets, hurried to my little morning -room-the
room that had witnessed many dreary hour
Of watching Uncle Davy.
was crying, in spite Of my efforts at self.
. command. In the hall had seen little Ed
= mend, with his arms round the old rocking
horse, sobs bursting from the rosy lips that be
!. pressed against his fsvorite. Lucy was taking
| the toys from the dolls house as passed tbs
: school-room. Oh, my heart bled sadly; fol
, every grief Of theirs was doubly mine.
: The maid had been packing, and the cabire
e was unlocked, the door swinging to and fro OF
!. its hinge. The drawer below held my chic
= treasures, which had reserved to put up a
!, the last fancying this favorable opportunit,
= = I now opened it. and began to sort the things
A packet Of copy -books-large, round blot
!. | ted, text-hsnd on the outside of each cove
one Of the chiidren's names and date. tieC
"a | them together and put them up. littl
q carved ivory box, which had long ago been
- present from q sailor brother, with nine neatly
Il ioiuoa httio WHfSe paper parcels fnSlQe, ana
a 1 curl of ssft hair in each-the last causing
few bitter tears to fall down on my black dress
7 as kneeling down / unfolded il and touche
q the smooth tress Poor little baby, that ha
!, pined when sorrow came to me, that had die
in my arm, and now lay with its little coli
!, resting beside Uncle Davy's. I moved th
- packet Of baby's clothes that I had put ava
, | the day after the funeral-the little gowns an
:. caps and things-and gulped down a very sa
az sob. Poor little baby, God had provided fer it
" There was yet few more things, and the
or the drawer was empty, save for Uncle Davy
- the other things, and it was still there when
. went down to tea. -E.....
As 1 came up again heard loud tones
n 4 " Master Edmond, I shall tell your mamm
- of you. Have done Immediately. What
naughty boy you arei Don't you see you ha,
A knocked all the paint off the bannisters?"
"a Nurse was standing on the first landin,
looking down into the hall, with a very re-
face; while the child in her arms had vel
va | inquiring look in his brown eyes, and WI
/, m0uthing and tugging at an India rubber rir
,'ss held by two fat slippery hands.
"a The delinquent was Master Edmond, age
six, who was consoling himself for the partir
- with the old rocking horse, by racing up ar
i'm down the first fight Of steps, Uncle Davy
- staff in hand, rafting the round handle all Il
N way against the bannisters.
he There :" screamed nurse "What ha,
he II you uOue uOW us INC CQllQ missed MS loo
INV Ing, and lay screaming on the ground. 81
en- hurried down, till the lusty roars reassur,
oi- her, when she commenced nursery mode
tconsoiatisn "Thers have done, will you
er- It's all your own fault, you naughty boy Ju
see how you've dirtied your clean pinafor
aid and how you are making baby cry. Get up
old Edmond scrambled up, by aid of her gre
ow red hand; but only to reveal slit in his froc
and Uncle Days staff on the foor, broken
,e,. two. Nurse shook him. saa.s
His Do you know what you have done? Whe
i'll did you get that stick from? It's only mast
at Edmond, always in mischief, ma 'am,' s
ind added, in explanation, as joined them.
ma i wiped the child 5 eyes, and pitied him &
bad bump on his forehead, supposing him
.sd have been sufficiently punished. He pick
INTO up the two pieces Of the staff, and took the
il. from him and carried them up stairs to !
NO room. ..sHs 'sf. 49, : -. ~. y 1.
lid Something dropped with slight rattle
10 the door, and stopped to look what il was,
nv hand stealing to my throat to assure itself
On the safety of the brooch In my collar. Son
= thing that l0ok ed like n ri Mad ox q