The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-12-26
LIZZIE LEIGH
A CHRISTMAS TALE.
OR,
THE REDEMPTION.

why pobercu WI henchecter ways but hints nee
my look out. why, thou't have 10 buy potssoss.
thing thou hast mover don. afore In oil ny barn
life. Well ts no, my look out It's rs,hsr for M
than again me. Our jenny Is going 70 be married.
| 10 Tom Higginbo.ham, and no was speaking Of
wanting . b, ofland W hogn upon. His lsihcr
will be dying sometime, reckon. and then he'll
ssrp into tbe cron Farm. Bu, mesuwbilo"--
"rhen, thou't let the FARM" said abe still As CO.
gerry asevu.
"Aya aye he'll take II fast enough, I've notion.
But I'll not drive bargain with thee Just now; 10
would not be right well walt Bit"
81 cannot walt settle II out at once"
"we'L vel III speak TO VIII about It. I seS
him out yonder Pn step 70 him, and talk 1t over"
Accordingly he went and Joined the two lads and
without more ado tesr,n the subject TO them.
"Wl, thy mother ie f,in to go live in Manchester,
and covorts 70 lot tho farm. Now, I'm willing To
take II for Tom Higginbothsm but like to dr+~s
keen bargain. and there would be no fun casffer-
ms with thy mother just now. Let tbeo aud mo
buckle To- my lad and try TO chest each other 10
will warm us this cold day"
Let the farrnl' said both tho lads at once, with
Infinite surprise GO live In Manchester"
When Samuel Orme found that the plan hsd
never tcfore been named to either Will or Tom be
would have nothing to do with il he sa,d until they
had spoken 70 their mother likely she was Z" dan.
ed" by her husl ands death he would wait q day
or two, and not name It to any one; no, to Tom
ihgginbo,hsm himself or may he he would 50, his
heart upon u. Tho lads had better go in aud talk
Il over with their mother He bade them good day,
and left them.
VIII looked very gloomy, bu, he did no, spesh
nov cot he h.ta H.
tom, 20 10 tn slhppon and supper the cows.
want 70 speak 10 mother alone.
When be entered the house-placc, she was sitting
before the Ere, looking into its embers. She did not
bear him como in for some tune she had lost her
| quick perception VI outward things.
"No hcr! what's this sbou, going TO Manchestert"
| asked be.
"Oh, lad!' said she, turning round and speaking
| In beseechlng tne, 81 must 60 and seek our Liz
zie lcannot rest here for thinking on her Msny'a
the time I've len thy father sleeping IN bed, aud
stole to ~ window, and looked and look oi my heart
out towards Manchester, till thought must juss
set out and tramp moor and moss straight
away till got there, and then III up every DOWN
cast lace till ! came to our Lizzie. Aud often when
the south wind was blowing son among the ho.
lows, I've ancicd Il. could but be fancy thou knows
est! heard her crying upon and I've thought
the voice closer and closer, I'll at las.
II was sobbny out Mother close to the door
and I've stolen down, aud undone the latch before
now, and looked out into the still black night think
ing TO sec her-and turned sick and sorrowhi when
l heard no living sound but the sough Of the wind
dying away. Oh speak no, to me Of iaopping hsre,
when abe may lie pershng for hunger, like the poor
lad in the parable" And now she lifted up her voice
| and wept aloud.
Will was deeply level. He had been old enough
70 be told the family shame when, moro than TIVE
years before, hs father had had his letter W hz
daughter returne1 by her mistress in Manchostnr,
telling him that Lizzie had leii her service soma
time-sud why. lie had sympsthisod With his ia
theirs stern anger though he had thought him
something hard, II Is true, when he had forbiddsn
his weeping, heartbroken wife 10 go aud tryto End
her poor snning child, and declared that hcncaiorA
they would have no daughter THAI she should be
| one dead, and her name never moro re named
at market at meal time, in blessing or in prayer.
| He had his peace, with compressed lips and con-
| tracted brow, when the neighbors had noticed 70
him how poor Llzzie's death had aged both hi. IA
Their and his mother and how they thought the boz
reayed couple would hold up their heads
again. lie himself had felt as II that event had
made him old before his time and had enviod Tom
the tears he had she'd over poor, pretty, innocent
| dead Lizzie. lie thought about her sometimes, tiTl
| he ground Lis teeth, ami could have struck hen
| do ~n In shame. His mother had never named hct
| to him un I'll now.
"Mo,herl" said lie at last. She may be dead.
Most likely she is."
| "No, Will, she is not dead" said Mrs Leigh
"God will not let her lie till I've seen her once AGAIN
| Thou dost not know how I've prayed and prayed
Just once again TO see her sweet face, and tell hos
| I've forgiven her though she's broken my heart
sne LAS, Will" She could not go on for minuts
or two for Tie choking sobs. "Thou dost not know
that or thou wouldst not say she could 10 dead, -
for Col is very mcrciful Wal lie is--He is much
more piuful than mani could never hA' spoken
forgaVe her a, last. The last words he said were
that he forgave her. Thou'lt not be harder unau
thy father, WHY DO not try and hinder me gong
to sock her, for us no use"
Will sat down very still for long time before hs
spoke. At last he said "rn not hinder you. I
think she's dead, but that's no matter"
"she is not dead" said her mother, with low
earnestness. VIII took no notice Of tie intorrup
| ton.
1--WE will all 80 TO Manchester for a twelvemonth.
and let the farm to Ton HIgginbotham. I'll goa
blAcksmith's work and Tom can have good school.
| ing for awhile, which he's sways craving for Al
the end of the year you'll come back, mother, aud