Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-01-26

Jdnet OllVer went Dack 10 the city DOaru
ing-house, and theI that night babe was
born to her. A wailing thing that strug
gled for life and won it at last and Janet
holding it against her breast felt that a
fragment of her Charlie's life lay there, and
clung to it as a drowning man will cling to
the frailest floating thing. But for those
little hands-those strange, ignorant eyes
that precious nothing holding the embryo
soul, Charles divers wife would have let
go of life and foated away upon the sea OF
death that night. Her baby kept her alive;
and now her watch, her rings, her little jew
eled keepsakes began to go-by-and by her
costlier clothes, the white furs she had wrap.
ped herself in when she eloped that night
with him. One by one every thing went
save some cotton gowns, her hood, and a
large shawl. At last came the climax.
She stood with her babe before the land
lady, and the woman said, though not un-
kindly
Mrs. Oliver, Pm sorry for you; but you
haze father, and he mustkeep you'll can't. .
And Janet took her child and went out in
to the midwinter afternoon. She had no
hope of her fathers pity but she said,
we can die, my child and l. within sight
of the old house and perhaps he may for
give me when he sees me dead" Then an
other hope entered her soul she would
wrap the child up carefully the little one
might live, and he would have mercy on
that for its innocence
Poor girl, she had no money for stage
fare she plodded on through the cold
streets and out upon the weary road for
hours and it grew dark and darker; eight
was rung from the city clocks, nine, ten,
and only then, by the clear frosty moonlight,
she saw the roof of her fathers homestead,
with the elms about it leafess as they had
been when she fled from it with Charles.
She had matured her plans, and dragged
her weary steps to the porch. Upon it
those deep windows opened to the ground
There she would lie down, and in the morn
ing they would find her there dead. All,
poor child | hardly dare tell what she
had done, it was so wicked but she was
very miserable. At the bottom of her pock-
ct lay a vial labeled "laudanum."
So at last she stood before those windows,
and one of them was open-wide open at
half past ten on a night in mdwinter !
God had opened it for her So she said.
And even then she knew not the strange
truth of her words.
"Oh, my home !" she walled softly "Oh
my father ! will go in. | will lie in my
little bed | will die there, and my babe
will live, and all good angels help her to be
better child to father than l have been"
So she crept in on tip-toe, unfastening
her shoes, and leaving them without, that
she might make no noise whatever.
She gained her little room BY the moon
| light she saw that it was Just as she had
left it, and must have been carefully kept
from changes. The sleeping babe was laid
upon the soft pillow, and then she thought
of her garments lying in the bureau draw
crs. Were they there yet? 1t would be
more seemly to die in clean, fresh, white
robes than in those travel-stained clothes
which she wore. So she peeped in, and
found the white raiment, and put it on, and
then she knelt to pray-to pray with a vial
| of poison in one hand, with mad suicide in
her heart.
AS she knelt she faced the door, and her
eye glancing thither, she saw light glanc-
ing up and down the wall, and heard foot
step. Could it be her father? She crept
to the door and looked. Along the stairs
came the man-servant bearing a light, com
ing stealthily with a strange look on his
face--the strange man-servant who had
turned her from the door by her fathers or
ders months before, and whose wicked face
had haunted her ever since. Where was
he gOing-what was he going to do?
She watched him with heart suddenly
stiled in its beating, and saw him enter her
fathers chamber door
Then she made haste to follow him as
fast as her trembling limbs could carry her.
Not too soon. She saw as she crept in an
open safe, rifed chest, papers and gold
upon the floor, and the servants form bend
ing over her father struggling.
She uttered a shrek and sprang forward
In prison afterwards the villain said he fam
cied her a spirit, and the sight benumbed
his arm. He started, half arose, and with
this opportunity the strong and vigorous
old man recovered his surprise, and turning
on him had him down in an instant
He knew his child he knew she had
saved him but this was no time to think
of that. He only said, "Raise the window,
Janet, and call for John, the coachman."-
And Janet obeyed. In few moments that
wiry rascal on the floor had no chance of es-
cape he was bound hand and foot, and lay
there whining
And Janet was in her fathers arms She
had led him to the bed where her baby lay,
and had told him all He had known moth
ing of her woe, even of the baby's BIRTH
To his mind she had been joyful in her
young love, ungrateful to him. God had
left the door open indeed, though the in
strument had been murderous servants
hand who, feared the watchful ear ofhonest
John, had thought to steal out noiselessly
through it. Janet had entered her old home
to save her fathers life and to creep into
his heart once more.
The Bonnie Lassie, and good old Captain
Thomas, and host of honest sailors were
never seen again, for the sea opened it's
great arms and enfolded them to it breast
| forever. But little island in the ocean had
room enough for one brave foot, and, with
so much to live for, Charles Oliver battled
with the waves, and with thirst, and hun
ger, and death-like solitude, and watched,
and prayed, and waited, feeding on roots,
and berries, and strange fruits until at last
sails greeted his eyes, and a vessel hove in
sight, and the voice of living men greeted
| him once more.
He came home to Janet, and lorg ago
forgiven by her father in his fancied death
he was not refused forgiveness living.
And so the old love-dreams were realized