Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-09-07

support herself with her needle. Bvaeei-
/ dent the hunchbaek learned thai She had
/ been sometime without necessary food and
he made arrangements with the grocers to
I have her usual purchases sent her secret
/ ~ at his expense. Thus she lived for
months then becoming frightened at the
] proportions her debts we're assuming. she
went and demanded Of her creditors an
explanation W hich was given Returning
home she sank upon her knees before
/ her benefactor and blessed him for life
Her heart was melted with gratitude. but
not relieved Of Its secret burden. Uncle
| Maurice was content He cared to know
/ only what she choose to reveal, aud was
1 pleased to be enabled to benefit her more
/ efficiently since the mystery of his beneV-
( Olence had been made known. He had
loved a mother, he now cared for sister
| She grew less dumb ard more active un- -
/ der the influence of kindness. She could
not sing. but she performed many little
/ Offices for him. She watched his flower
/ pots, she read to him, she listened with
gentle sympathy to the story of his Ii fe-
She strOYe to sOotbe his hours Of sadness
| by many an innocent little art. Still she
was sad. To this new uncle or brother
as such she evidently looked upon him
she had no confidence to give. But men
are not intuitiVe7 observers. The Uncle
Maurice dreamed harmless dream. He
! dreamed not that he was no more lame,
but though lame, though deformed, he had
4 the presumption to dream that, perhaps
possibly this plain poor girl whom he had
saved from starvation, whom he had
sustained comfortably for months, who
was homeless, friendless and defenseless,
might have become accustomed to his de-
formIty, might have found by this time
for him some tenderer feeling away down
in her desOlate heart than gratitude, might
be induced to spare him the trial of part
ing from the second friend he had ever
had in the world. and the only one he now
possessed. Full of this idea he one eve
ming knocked at her door He heard vol
ces, he half saw through the door AGAR,
Toinette, who, weeping leaned on the
shoulder of youth in the dress of sail Il
or. He started abasbed at bis intrusion,
but not before Toinette saw him. She
sprang forWard-she led him in-she ex-
claimed All, see see I it is he whom [
believed dead 1t IS Julien-Iny Jiance I
Maurice drew back in astOnishnent.-
/ The earth shook under his feet, the sky
whirled above him. This then was the
reason of the sadness This was the
mystery which hisdumbness had preveuU-i
ed him from apereeiving A moment sgf7
feed. He smilel-ah, a moment The
seemed to hear the same low voice which
addressed him at his mothers bedside
What is this Who hath done this. and
what remains to me nOR2 1t said-CTODI
Yes, yes, God always. Maurice accom-
panied the bridal tour-for they were soon
married-sone miles upon their route of
travel made them a handsome present,
and after having wished to them all the
happiness which had been denied to him,
departed for his homie Ia the suburbs
There he finished his life, abandoned of
men, but not, as he repeated, of God -
Everywhere he felt His presence. His
pathway became to him a shining light
which portended only the perfect day
His soul moved in a lustrous cloud.
splendor which was the reflection of Di-
vine love enYelopiug him. And when he
died it was in smiles and heavenly rap
ture
''What's. that p he cried with his fin-
ger pointing upward. his face full of the
ecstasy of saint. Lifting up his arms
Mother and, I see multitudes,
and expired.