Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-03-17
VOL. XI:::N NO. 8


| She had matured her plans, and drag
eedsher weary steps up the porch. Upon
it those deep windows opened to the
ground. There she would lie down, ID
in the morning they would find her there
dead. All, poor child! hardly dar0
tell what she had done, it was 50 wicked:
but she was very miserable. At the bot
tom of her pocket lay bottle which Was
labelled 'laudanum."
So at last she stood before those win;
dows, and one Of them was open-wids
open at half-past ten on night in mid.
winter.
God had opencd it for her. So shG
said. And she knew not the trnth Of her
words.
"Oh. my home," she walled softly
"Oh, my father. ] will go in. will lie
in my little bed. l will die there, and
my babe viii live, and all good angels
help her to he q better child to father
than have been"
So she crept in on tip-toc, unfastenins
her shoes and leaving them without, thdt
she might make no noise.
She gained her little room. BY the
moonlight she saw that it was just as she
had lett it, and must have been carefully
kept from change. The sleeping babe waS
laid upon the soft pillow, and then she
thought of her garments in the bureau
drawers. Were they there yeti II
would be more seemly to die in clean.
fresh, white robes, than in those travels
stained clothes which she wore. So she
pecped in and found the white raimcnt.
and put it on, and then she knelt to prays
to pray with a vial of poison in het
white hand, and with mad suicide in her
heart
AS she knet she faced the door, and
her eye glancipg thither, she saw light
glancng up and Gown the wall and heard
footslep. Could it be her father7 She
crept to the door and looked. Along The
stairs came the man-servant bearing =
light, coming stealthily with strange
look in his tacc-the strange man-servant
who had turned her from. the door by her
fathers orders months before, and whose
wicked face had haunted her ever sinces
But where was he going and what was
lie going to CO?
She watched him with beart suddens
ly sti1el in its beating, and saw him ems
ter her fathers chamber.
Then she made haste to follow him at
fast as her trembling limbs could carry
her. Not too soon. She saw 80 she
crept in, an open safe, u riaed chest, pa.
pers and gold upon the floor, and the
servants form bending over her struggling
father.
She uttered shrek and sprung for1
ward. In prison aftcrward the villain
said he ianced her :. spirit, and the sight
bcnumbed his arm. He started, half
arose, and with this opportunity the
strong and Vigorous old man recovered
his surprise, and turning on Lin had him
down in an instant.
lie knew his child-knew that she had
saved him, hut this was no time to think
of that, He only said, "Raise the wins
dow, Janet obeycd. In few moments
that wiry rascal on the floor had no chance
Of escape; he was bound hand and foot
aud lay there whining.
She had led him to the bed where her
baby lay, and had told him all. He had
known noh,ns Of her woe, not even of tho
babys birth. To his mind she had been
Joyful in her young love, uugratefui to
him. God had left the door open indeed,
though the instrument had been murdefs
Gus servants hand, who, fearful Of the
watchful car of John, had thought TO
steal away noiselessly through it. Janet
had entercd her old home to save her
fathers life and to creep into his heart
once more.
The BJAnie Lassie and good old Cap.
taid Thomas, and host of honest sailors
were never seen again, 70: the sea opened
his arms and folded them to its breast
forever But little island in the oceat,
had room enough for one brave foot, AID
, with SO much to live for, Charles Oliver
bat led with the waves. and with thirst
and hunger, and death like solitude, and
watched AMI prayed, and waited, feedina
ON roots and berries, and strange fruits,
until at last sails greeted his eyes, and .
vessel hove in sight, and the voice Of iiv.
ing man greeted him once more.
lie came home to Janet, and long ago
forgiven by her father in his tancied
death, hc was not refused forgiveness
living.
And so the old cve-dreams were realizA
ed, and the shadows banished, and as
, much Of JOY as can come to earthly being,
came to those who lived together in ths
old homestead among Che elms. And ia
, her children, in the twilight, ay, and ID
her grandchildren perhaps by this tire.
, janet Oliver has often told the story d
the open window on the porch.
STATE AfD TO SoLpfEns' FAMILIES
The law recently passed by the Legisla.
ture relating to State aid to- the families ol