The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-04-12
RUTII.
FpInAy EVENING

DEAR HoRrEysE. has been death
in our street mother has crossed the dark
river, and left husband and children MOURN
ing on the shore. Just at twilight they
carried the coffin out to the house. D how
il made me shuddcr. And more because
Adelaide Conant is so sick.
She is very sick. We fear she cannot live.
Since Christmas Eve she has not LETT her bed.
told you she went home silent and sad from
the. Cathedral, and she wanted me to stay
with her, and SO all night she lay in my arms
She wept herself to sleep, poor girl, and then
she wept in her sleep.
She has grown thin as shadow, and her
hands make my heart ache, Ilortense, hang
ing so transparent and nerycless out on the
patch quilt.
But her lips are sealed tight as they were
a month ago, in regard to the past They
told her there was little hope OF her rccov-
cry, and asked If they should send for her
friends. "Pray for God to be my friend I"
she answered brokenly, and clasped her hands
so implOringly that we all sobbed aloud.
Talk Of mans will What is it to woman's :
Does poverty breed miscfly spirit, Won
der. 1T is weary thing, and full Of grief
and pain" | know, but see no need Of its
locking up the hearts door.
Mrs. Rounds, Adelaide's boarding mistress,
has either no heart ut all or else it is frozen
colder than an icicle. She is an estimable
woman suppose. Her knitting-work,
spectacles and bible always lay together on
the sitting. room table, and she quotes con-
tinually to her pale daughter Hannah who
had pain in her side, "go to the ant, thou
sluggard."
One night when was tired of waiting
upon Adelaide all day, she asked me II |
would have tea or water for my supper.
I" Water, il you please" Delighted either
with my politcness or with being saved pre-
pairing the tea, she said was a sensible girl.
Adelaide would have nothing but Hyson tea
and loaf sugar" SO she begrudsed even
the drink we put in our mouths. | wished
she was in China and had to gather tea
leaves oil the rest OF her life.
All this when Adelaide was lying at death s
door but we live by contraries, dear sister,
and the ludicrous plays shadow with the
heart-rending.
pray every night that Adelaide may live,
tenderly as would for you, darling. II |
only had tho faith Of my childhood, l should
pray hopefully Us well as tenderly.
JANUARY 81.
DEAR HoRrESsE.-I am in q burning fever.
| can scarcely command my hand to write.
Such depth of mcanness as there is in
Mrs. Rounds soul never dreamed of.
Adelaide grew better, but there would DO
weeks Of conyalescencc, and even then the
doctor said she must not 90 to work, ut least
in the mills. Her constitution was too deli
cate to bear it.
Mrs. Rounds sat down with paper and
pencil. Her head nodded energetically over
the paper and she counted on her fingers.
al cannot afford to lose twenty oned dollars
and seventy cents " she said decidedly, push
ing back her chair and coming to the bed
side.
Adelaide lay wearily turned on one side,
her snowy hands claspcd tightly on her fore
head, like wax moulded in wax.
The womans heart must have relented for
moment before the beautiful sufferer, for
she turned and left the room on tip.toe, but
when she came back her face looked hard
and griping.like.
She asked Adelaide IL she had any home.
II was the first time home ever had an un-
pleasant sound TO me, dear Hortense.
-mothcr-Bayard," Ade-
laide cried, with wildness that frightened
me.
Mn. Rounds, inexorable, repeated her
question.
"Do not torture me - do not" And the
poor girl crouched under the bed-clothes like
guilty thing.
"As 1 thought-as I told Hannah" NUT
tered Mrs. Rounds, and then in the most de-
libera,e tone as il concluding bargain with
grocer instead OF toying with woman's
pride, she told Adelaide that the form officers
were coming to remove her to the poor-house.
"You are not able to pay your expenses
and am not able to lose 80 much. Twenty
one dollars and seventy cents"
Adelaide rose in bed. Her face was Ike
that of corpse. "IIow dare you," she be-
gan, in tone and with look that made
SIs. Rounds shrink into the fartherest cor
ner then she broke out into sobs that shook
her feeble frame.
"a paupcr-a pauper," she mourned.-
30 Coda pauper.
dearest Adelaide" whispered, and
pressed my lips to her icy forehead. She