The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-02-23

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the trouble that beset him. To wait
patiently only two months. That was
all she asked, aud with this prayer
Nelly was gone.
CHAPTER ILL.,
If Clarice Spencer had by her daring
plot, saved her daughter from what she
considered an awful fate, the wrctched
mother now began to think it was only
to consign her to grave. For after
the first awful shock Edith had failed
to rally, but laid languidly about her
apartment, never smiling aud scarcely
speaking, her slight figure growing
more slender each day. Madame Clarice
saw with uuspeakablc terror the rings
on the trausp rent fngers becoming
looscr, the beautiful eyes large and rest.
less.
No effort was spared to win the suf-
fering girl to health aud cheerfulness.
But in answer to all her mothers en- j..
treaties, she would say, "Mother,
cannot forget him. Unworthy as have
proved him, | love him yet, aud | eau
no more forget him in his sin and shame,
than If he had been lost to me when |
believed him all that was good and
noble"
The doctor said time alone could
deaden the suffering she endured, and
the guilty mother, with sinking heart,
asked herself il the frai girl could last
till time brought comfort with its
changes.
Then there came day when Edith
had a stranger visitor, who, after brief
interview, left, only to return and spend
half the night with the sick girl, and
on the morrow there was new and
strange look ou Edith's face as she met
her mothers gaze, that made the strong
woman tremble and turn away. Edith
was more silent aud preoccupied than
ever. Clarice proposed their getting
away to Rome immediately. But her
daughter said never" shall never
leave this hotel but for my grave" And
completely uustrung by the girls man.
ner and looks, the unhappy mother burst
into torrent of tears, beseeching her
child to leave such gloomy thoughts, to
come with her to change of scene,
forgetting one SO dtterly unworthy of
her love as this man had shown himself,
to live for the mother who loved her
better than all the world besides.
At the instance CT DR.. Crary. the
French maid Hortense was superseded
by very quict,looking English nurse,
whose smooth gray hair aud close cap,
grave manners and dress, seemed, to
Madame Spencer's jealous eyes, but to
increase the sombre surroundings Of
the sick girl.
Edith, however. took fancy to this
nurse, who certainly showed great sym
pathy for her charge--sinee, on several
occasions, Clarice found Edith weeping
on the nurses breast-whiie the third
attendant evinced almost as much emo.
tion as her patient.
But nov MADAME Spencer began to
show s,,nptt ms olillness herself. There
was a ha9gard look that spoke of bodily
suffering, as we'll as mental uneasiness.
Finally she consulted the physician
she believed her mind was giving way
night after night she had been awak
ened, to see standing beside her bed a
young man she knew to be in America,
she knew it yas an object created by
her imagination. Therefore she was
becoming unspeakably alarmed at the
condition her hitherto strong mind must
be in-and the doctor prescribed sooth.
Ing draughts. But all iu vain. lIor.
tense was startled by her screaming
mistress in the dead hour Of the uight,
aud added to the terror Of Madame
Spencer BY swearing she saw n cloud Of
vapor.like smoke roll from the door
leading to Madamoiselle Edith's apart
ments. 1t was late the next day before
the victim of these midnight vistations
was sufficiently composed to appear be.
fore her daughter, aud when she did,
she found Edith ghastly, as, shrouded
in white, she rcclined upon the snowy
bed, which was draped with heavy lace
curtains. Her small arms thrown over
her golden head, and the beautiful face
as white as.the lace aud muslin that
surrounded her.
Edith was very weak, the nurse said
hadpassed troubled night, and madame
shuddered as she thought upon her own
experience. There was little said be.
tween mother aud daughter, but far into
the night Clarice stole into her daugh.
ter's room, and dismissipg Mrs. Elliott,
the nurse, proposed TO sit with her suf-
fering child.
Edith had fallen into restless sleep.
She weakly raised her thin hand as il
beckoning to some unseen person, she
murmured family, and Clarire, kneelina
beside the bed, bent over her child till
she caught the hardly uttered sentences;
al viii, Granville" said the girl, II
will. She has parted US on earth, but
shall join you soon. Oh, mother, to lose
my faith aud your love; to lose all;
have no other charm 10 hold me. You
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