The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-02-23
Oh THK PALLADIUM.
An Der True Tale.
BY J. EDGAR 1.

II - FeA"H VI hC hShNC "ihN
came whistling down the hill that stopped
toward Widow Hamlin's cottage, carry
ing great heaps of dead leaves in its
rush. Oh, how mournfully the great
limbs Of the walnut trees sighed. Down
the wide mouthed chimney the wind
howled; the one shutter on the cottage
window slammed and BANGED the loose
boavtis on the fence ratified loudly; now
and then strong gust would come,
threatening to carry the little dilapida-
ted house away in its grasp.
pale light shone from out the win
dow-a window nearly destitute of glass
Y and, where they were broken out, old
4 rags were stuffed. Once the wind blew
7 the door open, when little wasted form
came to the opening and vainiy tried to
close it.
Mother, can't make it stay" the
weak voice Of the little. girl said; and
the only answer was low groan from
the corner of the room
Mother, how can fix It'll? she cried;
wringing her hands and beginning to
sob. Only low moan. The child ran
TO the dark corner. There was appalled,
of straw, on which lay form. The face
was rigid, the eyes CLASSY, as,d pinch
Twas a woman; the deep drawn lines on
her countenance showed plainly the life
she had led.
The wind came roaring in at the open
door, scattering golden brown leaves
over the bare floor; faster. thicker they
come; now wbirling around the room;
now dancing merrily, and then in full
force they skipped along and covered
the mother and child. The iittle girl
had lain down beside her mother, and
nesting up close, she whispered:
Mother, it won't shut but the woman
did not hear it, nor did she feel the cold
that came in at the door. Putting her
bare, white arms around her mother s
neck, the little child gave vent to her
grief in loud unbroken sobs.
ooh, mother, mother, Grand pa is a
bad man, amt he?-he is rich, and every
day he gets more money, too,-oh, he
has got heaps and heaps of money, and
his poor daughter is starving. You told
me all about it didn't you, motller2' she
whispered, and then thinking of her lit
tie cousins up in their big, nice house,
she cried harder than before.
Up in the big house,, which stood
just mile from the cottage, there was
merry time. In the large drawing
room sat old John Hardwell, while on
his knees were two rosy checked chill
dren, Johns grand children. On the
floor two romping boys were rolling and
playing with pet dog. Johns daught-
ers had come home, each bringing two
laughing, bright eyed children Around
the old mans knees the four little ones
played, never dreaming that little
cousin was out in the cold night. The
old man did not think that another one
was coming who held claim upon s
seat around his Preside. Not cnce die
his thoughts dwell upon another daught
CT who had been driven from his door
simply because she had married agains
his wishes. Letters, innumerable, hat
lie received from her who once had helt
the first and best love in his heart. Blu
no! she might die-starve or-anything
but never would he open his doors t.
her.
Poor Nellie! her future looked brigh
on the day when she became the wife O
Clarence Hamlin. Never did the day
seem happier, never did the birds sin!
sweeter as on the day the lovely littl
cottage on the hill. side was taken pos
session Of She was true woman; sh
was ready to battle with life, hand i
hand with her husband. Nothing wa
too hard for her hands to do. Rich me
had wooed for her hand, but none game
it, Clarence was hard working me
chanic; all his wealth lay in his stron
She possessed not the avaricous thirs
for gold that her father and her sister
did
A dark day came to the happy couple
The husband fell into lingering sicE
ness, and the wife was obliged TO labo
to gain livelihood for themselves. Sh
gave music lessons for short time, br
her hard hearted father ruined her rel
utation by telling tales, of his own max
to hear friends. Then she piled tt
needle, working day and night, wastin
her young life away. When .hoir chill
was three years old, the father died
This was terrible blow for Nellie, an
her life was ever after one Of misel
and Indebtedness. She wrote to h
father, and once Maggie, the child, WI