Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-05-12

ture; for there was little in it but deal
bedstead, an old table, and one or two old
ricketty chairs, in one of which, that boasted
OF pair of broken arms, and something
that had once been a cushion-sat the
woman they had come to visit
Gabrielle went quickly up to her, and
taking her hand said in low voice
| have brought my sister, as prom
ised-my eldest sister,
The woman bowed her head without
speaking then tried to rise from her seat,
but she seemed very weak, and her hand
trembled a. she leaned on the arm Of her
l chair.
Do not rise, my good woman Miss
Vauk said kindly; and her voice sounded
almost soft-she was so used to attune it
so as to be in harmony with sick cham
ber-' do not rise; [ see you are very
weak and she drew a chair near, and sat
down by her side.
You have come quite lately to the viii
lage, my sister tells me-
'Qnite lately, less than week ago. was
the answer but spoken in so low voice
Fl that the words were scarcely audible
/
) yo@ any connection with the placer Miss
4 Vaux asked.
s No, none
0 But you had probably some motive in
coming heres Have you no relations or
d friends 3 -
T No, no. the woman cried, suddenly
It bursting into tears, / have no friends in
1t the wide world
e A gentle hand was laid on her shoulder !;
: a gentle voice whispered some soft words
6 in her ear and the woman looked up into
Gabrielles dark eyes, and murmured some
1T thing between her sobs. Then they were
5. all silent for few moments.
5 / think you are a widow Miss Vaux
W asked gently, when she had become calmer
ia Yes she answered slowly, as though
the word had been dragged from her, SO
er much it seemed to pain her to speak it.
tn And have You any childrenF
A moments pause, and then another
~ yes hardly ineligible from The choking
Fos SOB wnicn &c Js.s,vli ~ ~
90 Miss Vaux was silent, looking inquir1ns
4, ly into the woman's face. 1t was parti,
~ turned from her, partly shaded with he
ou hand; her large eyes looking up with ;
&c. strange agonized look into Gabrielle
ng eyes, her pale lips moving convulsively.-
Gabrielle's face was almost as pale as hers
u her look almost as full of agony. :
Miss Vaux glanced from one to the 9th
or er, at first with pity; then suddenly
OF quick change came over her face, a dec
TN flush mounted to her brow, she darted fron
lld her seat, and--calm as she ordinarily wa
her whole figure trembled as she stoo,
er before them, with her fierce gaze turne,
ey on them.
zee Pale as death, neither of them speaking
cK they bore her passionate look quite mo
tionless, too, except that Gabrielle bad in
we stinctively clasped the widows hand j
ad hers, and held it tightly.
Speak to me, Gabriele!; Miss Vau
no cried and her voice, harsh, loud, quiyer
ng ing with passion, echoed through the roor
ng - tell me who this woman isr
From the widows lips there bursted on
word-one word like sudden bitter CT
* Joanna!'
fiss She stretched out her arms imploringl
ere trying to grasp even her daughters dres;
ing but Miss Vaux sprung from her, and stoe
her erect in the center of the room her ts
fgursdrawn to its full height; her burr
aid ing eye still burned with uDutterable al
to- ger upon the crouching woman near he
You have dared to do this. You ha,
dared to seek US out here, where we .h
You hoped to hide ourselves from the scoffir
[ of the bitter, heartless world where
and had tried by acts of charity, by sufferil
and penace, to blot out the recoIlecti,
will of the shame you have brought upon u
me Are we nowhere secure from you Wb
have we to do with you? You cast
and off years ago.
Sister, sister, cried dGabrielle's yoic
gay oh remember, whatever she has dor
APP that she is still our mother. Have mer
hts, on her, for she cannot bear this 2
most But sternly and coldly came Miss Vau
over answer
ouse Did she remember that we were
ght, children when she left US! Did she !
, for member that our father was her husban
The We all loved her then-but she turned
she our warm love into bitterness She 4
pale. stroyed our happiness at one stroke.
hro' ever; she branded us with a mark
shame that We can never shake off
n plunged an arrow in the heart of each
they of US, which lies fostering there now
mar Are these things to be forgiven? [
hich you it is impossible! will never for
far her-I swore it by my fathers deathbee
door never while I live !! Gabrielle, this Is
Ian place for yorsBme home with me-
,p.- Hear me frs! 2. the mother CT
from creeping from the seat in which she