Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1866-06-13


and exquisite beauty. The rays OF 'hs
lamp, which wS on the mautel piece,
streamed upon her head, surrounding 1t
with a glory such as Remembrandt loved
t. picture about TIE heads of saints and
martyrs. Her face was in shadow now,
but her large Iustrous eyes expanded and
contracted with every emotion, and were,
IN color, as variable as the heaving pillow
that borrows its hue from the passing
shadows or the rose tinted spnbeams.--
Strength and resolution might be seen in
the finely formed chin, with its deep DIM
pie, contrasting with tie otherwise per-
fcctly feminine contour OF ber beautiful
face Her cheek was usually pale, yet
possessing the pure marble whiteness of
perfect health, and she possessed that
greatest charm Of woman "a voice low,
sweet, and musical.
Come to bed, Myra; you are tired
I cannot Bear to have YOU work so late. ~
"Yes, mother, l have bearly finished.
The beaded silk slipped through poor
Myra's dex,erous fingers; but it was long
after midnight before the weary girl had
completed her task.
Tim O'Rafferty, the druukard, came
staggering home from the grog shop, his
unwidely form sroplng through the dark
entry, ard be csmewith sgen force AGAINST
the door that the rusty bot, which "ss
its only security, tremblcd in its socket,
and Myra started in alarm to her leet,
but the drunkard recovered his equliib'
rum and she head him curse aud swear
till he found lie was to the creakln2 stair
way, thence to the room over head, his
heavy footsteps shaking down some Of the
plas.er from the cracked ceiling. Then
ali was still within the wretchei tenement.
Myra's lamp fickered and expired, and
thoroughly chilled and exhausted, she
uudressed in the dark and then threw her
self down by her mothers side. She laid
awake for some time, thinking over her
meeting with Gerald Markham, but at
last fell into sound, dreamless sleep
When she awoke, she found herself gasp
ing aud suifucating-tn room was full Of
smoke-men, women and children shout
ing and sLriek.ng. She rushed to the
door and succeeded in opening it, but the
flames forced her back.
''Mother wake , the house is on fire =
There was no reply. At this IN Dment
the window was burs. open FROM the out
SIDE, and a man leaped into the room and
would have borne her away IN his arms,
but she escaped from his grasp and fell
f,ntius TO the ground, exclaming, No.
Save her! Save my mother
x =
Was it all a dream. Was she still.
dreaming? She was lying On luzu-
rious couch, eaveloped in a soft, sliken
wrapper. Kind faces were bending over
her with anxious so.icitude.
Then the tide of recollection returned
to her. Goa, God My mother ~
"She is safe-she IS here, and if you
are sufficiently recovered you shall see
her, said the elder f the two ladies,
who sat by her side. Yes, Mrs. Melville
was safe and under the roof Of Gerald
Markham, her god father, and these la
dies were his wife aud daughter. When,
he returned, millionaire, from Austria
liza. his old friend Stanton was dead He
heard with great resre; Of Geraldine's
unhappy marriage and emigration TO
America, and as he had no ties III En-
gland, brought his family to settle in New
York, hoping that lie might in course oi
tine discover the retreat Of the emigrants.
Every comfort, every delicacy that
money could purchase was procured BY
the Markhams for Mrs. Melville.
The skill Of the most eminent New
York physicians alleviated her su!feIiags;
but all could not save her life.
Myra and Gerald were married private
iy by the couch from which the poor in
valid vas now unable to rise. Sic lived
long to witness the happiness Of her de-
voted child Then, with long, tremu-
lous sigh, the peaceful spirit fed, leaving
the impress of its bcatitude upon the uu-
conscious clay.
Myra's place is now among the wealthy
of the land, but she does not aGorn it the
less because she remembers that she was
only poor working girl.
s1~ Hundreds, and even thousands Of
old maids are starting out for California. i
M r.l:to,.;, l.. .,, Lovo