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

luxuriance oil long, black, waVy halr brok
loose from golden comb, and swept in dis
hevelled masses around her face ard should
ers. When she drew off the coarse, woo
'mittenS, a pair of small hands were revealed
: which, though they were so wasted that the.
/. looked like BIRDS claws, blazed with jewels
:. and on finging back the cheap cloak whicl
fell in heavy folds to her feet Mary Reed say
f! silken robe almost thick enough to spppor
its own weight, and lace of e.fnest textur
fastened about her thin neck with damon,
brooch.
"Friend," said Mary, while her grey eye
dilated with astonishnlent, 81 wonder hov
you came to wear these things on such ajour
ney as yours-I mean that nice dress and th'
ornaments"
The woman started, and with strong eff
fort replied =. -
"I will tell you. For months have longet
to flee from a place which once seemed {
Paradise, but-but-" and now g painful
flush shot into her haggard cheek" there
we're many obstacles IN as way. When The
hour did come, had no time to lose; | coult
only srop TO pat OF. tha! Old hood and cloak
and change my child's costume. But, thank
God, l am mere safe-s -sate-safe-for little
while in spite of all his vigilance" Agar
her face grew deadly pale and her emaciatec
frame shook from head to foot.
"Haye you walked far to-day ?' asked the
| ShaEeress.
"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"
GIVE rode three or four miles with some
kind man, who thought We looked tired and
faint" interposed the girl.
"Oh, YES, )" said her mother, " I remember
now; that was wonderful help to US. There, u
she added, as she found herself arrayed in a
Shaker garb, 81 begin 10 breathe more free
ly;" and she drew long sigh of relief, and,
looking down at the pile of wet and crumpled
fncry on the floor, she murmurcd, dreamily
-" Ii is well to discard these garments; he
bought them Lave worn them in his home
they have been,to me Of late like the rough
robes which the Catholic devotee weals as q
pcnance. I have put them off forever
"Oh, mother!" cried the girl, teals Of
wounded pride spriDging to her eyes; "ycu
don't, you can't mean what you say! You
will not keep that horrid, old fashioned gown
and these big shoes!' =,
Bessie murmured the woman, " could
scarcely have better disguise; your good
nurse herself would BE- puzzled to recognize
me now. Besides, shall never care for such
tr!fes again they do rot betit poor wande.
rcr, wretched refugee" As she spoke, she
held out Ter pale hands: aud the rings which
had decorated them. slipped from her bony
fingers and iell upon the heap of discarded
clothing. BIt one, slender c;rclet, set with
pearls, she picked up aud turned round and
round IN !. Kind OF mourniui abstraction.
"strangcr," she at length murmuced, in q
husky tcne :" have been thinking how gay,
how light-hcarted | was wien l first wore
that ring. 1t vas the seal Of promises which
made me very happy, but lie who uttered
them is false. His vows have been cruelty
broken his neglect hos almost crushed my
life out 1t sickens me 20 look on the bauble
and remember all Take it away with the
cas. off Iamcnt! / meier want to see it
more" Her eyes burned with lustre pain
ful to behold, her features worked conyulsive
Il. and her slight figure swayed to aud fro
ike reed.
The Shake:cs5 did not speak for some mo-
ments, but quietly brought dry garments f1r
the girl, ana assisted her in putting them on.
Bessie, however, looked st Ler new gear with
a derisiyc Smile, and wcu.d have expressed
l!cr cnulcmpt in plain terms, had it lot Leen
f,r ber mothers woe bcgone face. Mary
Reed did !ot appear TO rolicc her scorn, but
turning TO the woman, she said:
81 think it must have been you and your
Child that saw down AZ the Waterrg-place
about five O'clock
"Yss, presume So replied the stranger,
ralying again "wc were there two hours or
mole."
"And why didn't you hurry on before
dark 2" queriad Mary " it Was rash for one
so delicate as you to expose yourself to such
cold stnrln.'
"Crief has made me reckless" faltcrcd the
woman 81 do not set SO much value on life
as once did, But have stronger reason
than this or lingering there. Whep reached
that fountain, and the asylum l had sought
was within stones threw, my burden did
not roll cf like Buryan's Pilgrims at the
foot of tic cross it settled upon inc a thou
saudiold more heavily than ever. My super
thought OF al Lad iorsaken-olden memo
rcs rolled over me-the iuture stretched out
dull, and blank, anl hopeesS-Oh passed
through = great TRIAL lived an age in those
h-e,ins hours | might huvc died there, had
not Bessie at last called me back TO consci
ousncss.'
"We will not tall, any more about your
tronbles tonight" nte.2osed Mary "we
Shall have time enough ur that when you are
able to speak calmly. You have had no sup,
per, suppose, and the litlle girl must be hun.
rry, if YOU are not. Come with me and take
bit Of something 10 eat" The strangers
rose and followed Mary, Reed to a neat
dning-room in the basement. Very inviting
was the Shaker lunch there prepared for
them The incest OF bread aud butter, a
slice Of rich cheese, plate of sponge cake,
delicious cus.ards, aud That rare luxury of the
hills, maple. honey, formed meal which might
have tempted en- anchoritc but the woman
only slipped the tea which Mary poured
stcaming aud fragrant into the cup. Bessie,
however, ate with keen relish, and forget
ting her quaint garments for time, praised
the food with chlld's enthusiasm. The nine
o'clock bell rang as Mary conducted her
guests back to the apartment they had en-
tered at first.
"It is our bedtime" sue said "iand l
think you are both tired enough to need rest.
I will show you your sleeping room now !"
and she led the way to q cosy little chamber.
"Ohl MOTHER" exclaimed the girl, how
strange everything seems, Low different from
our own holnel See, what coarse "trip OF
carpet that is-no better than our servants
have, and not at all like the beautiful one in
my room, with its roses, and lilies, and vio-
let's AID then the bed-how | wish l could
change it for NY pretty French bed, it is such
an odd-lookiug thing Oh dear, l long to
be back in the city again. want to see papa,
and Wallace, and Susan Morton, my good
old nurse! | never can be contented here
Don't stay, mother, do go homo tomorrow,
and take me NTH you!!" and she sat down in
orc Of the stiff chairs and wept bitterly. The