The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-10-16


4
> the bed, on which lay the pallid form
OF the dying woman, breathing heay-
lilly. The tears rolled down Constance 8
/, fair checks as she gazed on the altered
features, the thin, wasted figure Of one
: who, when she last behcld her, was ra-
ant with youth aud health Large
drops Of PRECIPITATION stood on her
forehead; her nose was drawn and
oIpinched, her eyes sunken, her lips
! ! liyid and swollen with feyer, hair lay
) in dark tangled mass around her
haggard face, over which was grad
Iually creeping TINT mysterious ashen
, gray-the bridal-yeil Of death.
; "She has sufReredadeal, poordear 2"
said the woman in lower tone "it
, will be blessing when the Lord is
pleased to takeher. VIII you sit down,
Inies?2
She wiped chair for her visitor,
and then, leaving the candle on the
J table near, stole quietly out Of the
+ room,
i Constance looked around, and shud-
dered. Bare boards, broken table,
two more broken chairs, some wooden
boxes piled III corner to form q cup
board, Il rusty fender, and row of
; saucepnns, jugs and pbysic-botfles,
, were all the furniture Of this miserable
abode. Across the room, on aline com
, posed of pieces Of rope knoIted togeth-
er, hung some indcscribahle articles Of
|. human clothing (therc Is no fashion,
!: book for the poor). And IN the midst
Of al this squalor and poverty, three
pots Of white and purple hyacinths
, stood on the narrow window-sill. fill
ling tho mir with their delicious fra
GRANGE.
: As she looked she thought how from
! the simple hearts Of those poor old
Ipcople rose mp daily, like. the incense
; Of the flowers, tho sweet perfume OF a
noble self-denying charity, the white
J, ness of truth and the purple Of sacri-
flee, to the feet % the living God.
Suddenly the dying girl started con
!. yulsiYely, and opened her large dark
eyes.
"Who is that?" she cried wildly. as
|, her gaze fell on Miss Powers rnuffied
!. form.
Il, Constance Power, your friend.
!, Pauline. o ny pool girl, what has
brought You to tiis<"
what has brought me the black
est-hearted villain that ever trod Gods
earth. Thank Heaven, you have come /!
20 how terrified I was they would not
J find Won / can die-I can de happy
, now"
/ Constance was terribly affected. her
tears rolled over the thin wasted hand
, she held in hers. while she strove to
eomfort the unhappy woman.
! Hush . don't excite yourself" she
ieried: you shall tell me al about t
by-and-by. How often I have thought
about You, dear Pauline, and wonder
cd why YOU left us 50 mvsteriously -
Yes, l viii tell you all, !" replied
/; Pauline, striving to raise herself In
bed. 4 must bequick. / know there s
not much time. Then she snatched
her hand from Miss Powers grasp.
"Doa't touch me-" she cried: "Im
not fit to be touched BIZ you. Miss
] Constance. YOU were always good. do
YOU think God pardons such as r.
'.Of course He does, replied Con-
stance, weeping. "There are none
so vile that His mercy cannot reach If
they only repent"
I Il think / yerepented. murmued the
girl. If / had been saved. / would
have led different life. They told
you, didn't they, tried to drown nv
! self? 1t was an awful sin: bnt I was
fdriven mad. Yes, I'm sorry now. Miss
T Constance. They have been SO kind to
: me here the poor old man and his
wife. And they showed mo how wick
ed and wrong was for wishing to take
, my life; and | want to repair Hush
, what IS that?'
Constance listened, but heard moth
ing; she had been too engrossed with
the poor sufferer to heed extraneous
, noises.
at is nothing. dear"
II thought heard step" muttcred
, Pauline, speaking with difficulty. 20
this pain--if it would but ceaser
She fell back exhausted, and Constance
/ held teacup, containing cordial. to
her lips; it revived her, and she opened
| her eyes once more.
In her agitation and anxiety the hood
! of Constance's cloak. had fallen back, and
, the sweet, fair face. with It's halo of gold.
, en- hair, was revealed to Pauline's view.
"Take it all of, she said presently
, II want to see you as you arc"
With blush at the strange request,
and yet not liking to refuse the dying
woman, Miss Power undid tho clasp and
let the cloak fall to her feet.
i Pauline gazed at her for awhile in ST.
lence, excitement working in her fea-
lures.
"You are very beautiful" she said at
!, last "more beautiful than ever Miss
Power, | have ruined all your life. Can
you forgive me p
Il Constance thought she was wandering
in her head, and laid her hand soothingly
! upon her.
MY poor Pauline she cried, "what
have | to forgive IF you could but be
moved from here, perhaps you might got
better, and then"
j But the girl laughed wild, hoarse
: laugh.
Il am diving, she cried, 'dying fast