Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-02-26
robe, sni began to remove the drenched and

4 q juXurlance Oh long, Olach, WaFy nalr proht
loose from golden comb, and swept in dis
4 heyelled masses around her face and should.
ersi When she drew off the coarse, WOO
lmittens, pair of small handswere revealed
which, though they were so wasted that they
looked like BIRDS claws, blazed with jewels
and on hinging back the cheap cloak which
fell in heavy folds to her feet, Mary Reed saw
silken robe almost thick enough to support
its own weight, and lace of thetincst texture
fastened about her thin neck with diamond
brooch.
Friend" said Mary, while her grey eyes
diated with astonishnient, ~ wonder how
you came 10 wear these things on such a jour.
ney as yours-I mean that nice dress and the
/ ornaments"
The woman started, and with a strong ef-
fort replied =
81 will tell you. For months 1 have longed
to fee from place which once seemed a
Paradise, but-but-' and now painful
flush shot into he. haggard cheek" there
were many obstacles IN uiy way. When the
| hour did cone, | had no time to lose; could
only stop 10 pat Oh thal old hood and cloak,
ana change my child's costume. But, thank
God, am mere safe-sate-safe-for a little
while in spite of all his vigilance" Again
her face grew deadly pale, and her emaciated
frame shook from head to foot.
"Haye you walked far to-day 2" asked the
Shakeress.
"No-only from Concord; but that is a
great distance for me. am very feeble, as
you see, and could never have reached this
place, had not an unnatural energy spurred
me on
eve rode three or four miles with some
kiud man, vino thought We looked tired and
faint" interposed the girl
"Oh YES" said her mother, {" remember
now; that was wonderful help to US. There" !"
she added, as she found herself arrayed in a
Shaker garb, 81 begin 10 breathe more free
ly;" ard she drew long sigh Of relief, and,
looking down at the pile of wet and crumpled
incry on the floor, she murmurcd, dreamily
=" il is well to discard these garments; he
bought them; lave worn them in his home !;
they have beento me of late like The rough
robes which the Catholic devotee wcais as o
pcNance. have put them off forever"
"Oh, mother !' cried the girl, teais Of
wounded pride spriDgiug to her eyes you
don't, you Can't mean what you say You
Will llOt Keep tu1t Eoiliu, oiu' i"ouio'Su So"n
and these big shoes"
"Brssie,' murmured the woman, 81 could
scarcely have better disguise; your good
nurse herself would BE- puzzled to recognize
me now. Besides, shall never care for such
tr!iles again they do rot beft poor wande-
rcr, q wretched refugee AS she spoke, she
held GU. Ter pale hands, and the rings which
had decorated them, slipped from her bony
fingers and lell upon the heap Of discarded
clothing. But one: slender c;rclet, set with
pearls, she picked up aud turned round and
round in T. kind OF mourniui abstraction.
"Strangor," she at length murmured, in
husky tcne, ~ have been thinking how gay,
how light-hcarte was when first wore
that ring. 1t was the seal Of promises which
made me very happy, but he who uttered
them is false His vows have been cruelty
broken his neglect hos almost crushed my
life out. 1t ai,kc7, me 20 look on the bauble
and remember ui. Take it away with the
cas. off raiment meier want to see it
more" Her eyes burned with . lustre pain
ful to behold, her features worked convuIsive
Il, lad her slight figure swayed to aid fro
ike reed.
The Shake:css did net speak for some mo-
ments, but quietly brought dry garments f,r
the girl, ana assisted her in putting them on.
Bessie, however, looked ct Ler new gear with
derisivc smile, and wcud have expressed
Eer cnutempt in plain tcrmS had it not been
for her mothers woe begone face. Mary
Reed did ,iot appear TO Loicc her scorn, but
turning 10 the woman, she said:
81 think it must have been you and your
a I ,l,n 1l,c
about five o'clock
"Y,s, presume so.' replied the stranger,
rallying again We were there TWO hours or
more"
"And why didn't you hurry OIL before
dark ~ quer.d Mary; it was RASH for one
so delicate as you to expose yourself to suci
cold Storm
"Crief has made me reckless" faltcrcd the
woman I" ] do not set so much value on lille
as once did. But have stronger reason
than this :or lingering there. Whep | reached
that fountain, and the asylum had sought
was within a stones throw, my burden did
not roll OF like Bunyan'S Pilgrim, AT the
foot Of tic cross it settled upon inc thou
saudlold more heavily than ever My super
natural strength secmcd to leave me. |
thought Of AL l lad ioySaken-oldep memo
rics rolled over nc-the future stretched out
dull, and blank aul horelesS-Oh passed
through great TRIAL lived an age i'll those
A-eting hours! l night huvc died there, had
not Bessie at last called me back to consci
ousness!'
HWe will not talk any more about your
troubles Tonight" inte. posed Mary; 1--WE
Shall have time enough lvr that when you are
allie to speak ca!mly You have had no sup,
per, suppose and the little girl must be hun.
cry, if you are not. Come with me and take
bit of something 10 eat" The strangers
rose and followed Marys Reed to a neat
lining-room in the basement. Very inviting
Vas the Shaker lunch there prepared for
them. The incest OF bread aud batter, q
slice Of rich cheese, plate of sponge cake,
delicious cus:ards, aad th2t rare luxury of the
hills, maple honey, formed a meal which might
have tempted eli anchoritc but the woman
only slipped the tea which Mary poured
steaming aud fragrant into the cup. Bessie,
however ate with keen relish, and forget
Ging her quaint garments for time, praised
The food with chld;s enthusiasm. The nine
o'clock bell rang as Mary conducted her
guests back to the apartment they had en-
tered at first.
at is our bedtime" she said "and l
think you are both tired enough to need rest.
will show you your sleeping room now;"
and she led the way to cosy little chamber.
"Ohl MOTHER" exclaimed the girl, "how
strange everything seems, Low different from
our own homel See what coarse strip of
carpet that is-no better than our ervants
have, and not at all like the beautiful one in
my room, with its roses, and lilies, and vic.
lets! AID then the bed-how wish could
change ii for my pretty French bed, il is such
an odd looking thing. Oh dear, l long to
be back in the city again. want to see papa,
and Wallace, and Susan Morton, rny good
old nrrsel never can be contented here
Don't stay, mother. do 60 home Tomorrow,
and take me NTH you" !" and she sat down in
one Of the stiff chairs and wept Utterly. The