The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-25
THE

Day Of the month and year, November the
thirtieth, one thousand eight hundred and thir-
ty-Ave. London Time by the great clock Of
Saint Psul's, ten st night. All the lesser Lon
don churches strain their metallic throass.
Some Aippantly begin before the heavy bell Of
the great cathedral; some tardily begin three,
our, half o dozen stroke behind it all are in
sufficiently near accord to leave q resonance In
the air, as if the winged father who devours his
children had made 9 sounding sweep with his
gigantic scythe in flying over the city.
What is this clock lower than most Of the rest,
and rearer to the ear, that lags 80 far behind
tonight as to strike into the vibration alonep
This is the clock OF the hospital for Founding
ChildreA. Time was when the foundliDgs were
received without question IN o cradle at the
gate. Time is when inquiries are made respect
ing them, and they are taken as by favor from
the mothers who relinqz;sh all natural knowl-
edge Of them and claim to them forevermore.
The moon is at tho full, and the night is fair
with light clouds. Tho day has been otherwise
than fair, for slush and mud, tbickened with the
droppings of heavy fog. lis black in the streets.
The vailed lady who futters up and down near
the postern gate Of she Hospital for Founding
Children has need to DO well sbod tonight.
She autters 10 and fro, avoiding the stand OF
hackney coaches, and often pausing in the
shadow OF the western end Of the great
quadrangle wall, with her face turned
toward the gate. As above her there
is the purity of the mooplit sky, and below
her there are the deflements Of the pavement, 80
may she, haply, be divided in her mind between
two vistas Of reflection or experience! As her
footprints, crossing and recrossing one another,
have made a labyrinth in the mire, 30 may her
track in life have involved Itself in an intricate
and unavailable tangle?
The postern-qate Of the hospital for founding
children opens, and q young woman comes out.
The lady stands aside, observes closely, sees that
the gate is quietly closed again from within, and
follows the young m
Two or three streets have been traversed in 81
lence before she, following close behind the Oh
ject of her attention, stretches out her hand and
touches her. Then the young woman stops and
looks round, startled.
"You touched me last night, and when I
turned my head, you would not speak. Why do
you follow me like q silent ghost?"
eft was not" returned the lady in q low voice.
"that I would not speak, out that I could not
when I tried"
"What do you want Of me? I have never done
you anAharm"
"Never."
"Do 1 know you"
sNo.n
"Then what can you want Of me?"
@Here are two g%uineas in this paper. Take
nv poor little present, and I will tell you"
Into the young woman's face, which is honest
aud comely, comes q flush as che replies: "There
is neither grown person nor child, in all the
large establishment that I belong 10, who hasn't
a good word for Sally. I am Sally. Could l be
go we'll thought of, if I was to be bought"
r do not mean to buy you; I mean only to
reward you very slightly"
Sally firmly, but not urgently, closes and puts
back the offering hand. "If there is anything I
can do for you, ma'am, that I will not do for its
own sake, you are much mistaken in me if you
think that I will do il for money. What is it you
want?
ssYou ore one of the nurses or attendants at
the hospital; I saw you leave tonight and last
night"
"Yes, 1 am. I am Sally"
"There is q pleasant patience in your face
which makes me believe that very young children
would take readily to you"
"God bless EN-! So they do"
The lady Lifts her vail, sad SHOWS afa;e no