Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-10-15

1T ere they could again fasten the latcn'
Half horror half wonderstruck they drag.
ged the coarse blanket to the hearth, and
unrolling II, discovered woman and child
the latter struggling to free itself from its
many wrappers and screaming with all its
might; the former motionless as a corpse,
with lips as ashy and cheeks as sunken. A
half hours charity to the babe, who seemed
to have seen twelve-month, completely re-
vived 1t and il lay on the pillow with its lit
tie white feet stretched to the fire, as happy
as love could have made it, cooling as sweetly
as though nesting on a mothers warm
bosom. But II took longer TO bring q pulse TO
its pale protector; and many times did the
good Samaritans turn from her, leaving the
sheet drawn over her as we cover a corpse.
But sight so faint that it seemed q dying
breath at length encouraged them and they
applied restoratives until satisfied she would
yet live.
But it was many weary day ere she
could leave her bed when at last she stole
from it, and sat up in the old lady's rocker,
and lulled her baby with old songs, she
seemed to her watchers more like o spirit
than sick, sad stranger. But gradually,
through their tender nursing, she recovered
her strength, and notonly tended her child,
mestic duties.
But she said very little-less than they
could have wished; for in their heart they
longed to know her story. They knew she
was sinner-knew it by the meek peni-
tent way in which she hung her head when
she read the Bible at morn and night; knew
it by the stained face she raised to them
after each prayer. But they loved her all
the more, or rather, we're all the kinder to
her. And, though she revived memories
that it was agony to bear, they folded her
to their affections as they would their own
lost lamb, had she not gone ere they could
find her. The winter passed, and still the
stranger fingered, filling with her little one
a small place in the house, but large one
in eaak aged heart. One bright, golden
spring morn, after assisting in the morning
as had become her habit, she went into the
bedroom with her babe, and soon reappeared
wrapped in the same coarse garments they
had worn on that frosty night of their ar
rival.
"Give her one kiss, grandma, and you
grandpa" said she, holding the child first
to one, and then to the others wrinkled
faces; "and now, father, mother-do let
me call you so this once give the unwedded
mother one and we will go, and wherever l
go will pray for you, and she shall be
taught to-" and she rushed wildly to the
door. They stopped her, caught her child,
and pleaded with her to say. I" Be to us
still what you have been so long, our daugh-
! ter, and do not take from us our darling
baby we should die without her"
Great drps ostill gathered on her still, pale
brow, while tears rushed down her cheeks
| nd inc with 70 ftt1
She wrung her hands, she beat her heart
she lashed her limbs-she seemed like one
who is half mad" Give me the child one
moment" she exclaimed, and clasping il
wildly to her bosom, she bathed its smiling
face with drops wrung from the keenest
woe, then kissed it passionately, and held
it out to them. Both stretched their hands
and the little one, with an equal love, gave
to one its right, and the other its left hand
and, upheld between them, crowed and
screamed in baby glee.
"She is the child of sin" said the mother
with solemnity that awed, for moment
the carol of her baby; " the child of sin
the welded tie. Will you keep her so if
leave her here If she goes with me, SHE
will not long be an angel unless, indeed
when she was as young If she stays witt
you she may ever be one. Will you keel
her ?" and she screamed the words into thei
ears, as though she would have madea theil
inmost nerves awaken.
"We will, we will p said they, "and
more, we will keep you too Stay with US
stay You shall be to us a daughter-re
place the one we have lost we will be youl
| 10 . cho11 ha 70 fotIY &c
can not" said she wildly. " Your daughter
was q stainless girl am dyed in sin p
and she shook with agony.
And so did those she spoke to, and tear:
as hot as those that had scalded her face
now flooded theirs. Awhile they wept a:
though their hearts would break ther
gathered calmness and while the old lady
clasped the two hands of the Magdalen the
old man placed his hand upon her head and
! spoke:
| Our girl fed from us while in the beauty
| of her girlbood-hed with a stranger vino
woOed her by false words to a fearful sin.
The child of our old age, it almost broke our
hearts; and we came here, far away from
the haunts of our early years, to spend the
remainder of our days in a struggle to for
get. We can not forget, but we long since
dead. We have learned to be happy, even
with the memory of trial ever before us.
But we miss the hopes that were born with
! her, and we would cherish you and your
babe as we should her and hers, had she
come back ere she repented, as they told
US, and died."
The old mans voice was hushed. There
was no sound but that of sobs, save when
the babe cooed its little love-song. A cry
of agony burst from the white lips of the
stranger, as lOosening the hands that held
her, she fell at the feet of those who had
been so true-a cry, and then words:
"Father! mother she did not die-she
lives! l am she-yOur Lizzie-your lost
found child
Let the curtain drop. 1t is scene toe
holy for any but the sight Of God and angels
"Yes," said the old grandmother, ait
was their long-lost, and, as they thought
dead Lizzie. She herself had forged the
story of her death, to secure herself in the
sin she had learned to love. And when,
after years of wretchedness and crime, she
| became herself-when she felt upon hei
breast the touch of pure and holy lips-ther
she became herself again, and felt how
mDch how deeply she had sinned and shC
| lOnged to have her babe nurtured as she haC
| been. 1t was long ere she could escape
! from her sinful associates but she at length
succeeded and reached, as l have told you
her fathers house. She meant to concea
herself till they were asleep, and then leav
the babe and go away for she had no hop