Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-10-10

/
Bessie, playing with her hat ribbon, and
thinking OF that story, as she looked
with those large, hungry, angry Dyes.
Good morning, Miss Bessie" return.
ed Hannah, almost without opening her
lips.
Baby! pretty murmurcd Bessie,
desperately. half forgetting her errand in
her nervousness. and she held forth ca
rcssing finger.
Perhaps Hannah did not know what
she did, but she drew the baby Instantly
back, and then trembling. lifted her upon
her feet. TO he out OF Bcssic's reach.
"Oh, Mis-. Wells, said Bessie, grayeIy.
more hurt than offended your Mr..
Wells sent word, that is by me you know,
that YOU needn't wait dinner for him; he
wont be home
What made her so confused as to jerl;
ont her message in school girl fashion,
she could not tell she only felt that with
that woman's eyes npon her, she wanted
TO get away and cry like u child Nor
did tho answer reassurc her. Hannah's
eyes blazed now, and she was imprudent.
"lm sure don't care'.-she tried TO
speak lightly, but agony weighed her
tonguc-'il he don't come home to-day.
Perhaps he'd better stay nj your house all
the time.
Something was choking Bessie, and
everything before her wavered under
the hot burning tears The innocent
girl never dreamed OF the secthng fire
that made Hannah so unwomanly and
rude
IN never go there again, never.
never ~ she articulated with cenched
hands. under her mantle. II don't won
der that poor man leaves his home. I
never pilied him before. | do now"
And Hannah went into the house. max
ing no pretence of eating. TO send
her here! To send her here :" she kept re.
peating, Lreathlcssly. as she set away
the dinner things and put the table back.
Hannah was furious, but her fury was
like the dead heat OF iron after the Grim
son had pale,l ont. She was very sill.
She sat and looked at her baby, who
talked and laughed in its iniantle way To
Il statue. for Hannah never heard il.
Her scclhing thoughts were but there,
aud her mind was made up. She rocked
the baby to sleep with II strange lullaby;
it might bc its last. Then she laid it
down. white and pure in It's sweet slum.
Der, and stood over the cradle for mo-
mcnl The boys were gone, the baby
was unconscious. "Lct its father come
home and wake it up and she laughed
bitterly. lIel sorrows had eliminated
al last. she said, AMI she was moi rcSpon.
siblc
She looked in all The closets. putting u
lew lriiliug things 10 rights. She laid
ouI a square oi gingerbread apiece for
johnny and Ned she drew the clothes.
holse into the sun; she picked up Il few
threads ON the floor, Then she took the
vial from her bosom and looked at ii, and
went slowly up stairs.
No sooner had she set her foot on the
sill Of her chamber door with that dcs.
pcralc purpose in heart. than she heard
her name called at The bottom Of the
stairs Trembling. balanced, how could
she answer She knew the voice. at
is better to wait I'LL she is gone" she
said She threw on white apron, pinn
el clean collar around her neck, and
came down to see cheerful little Mrs.
Appleby, the ministers wife.
Mrs. Appleby staid an hour.
That poor woman seems so sad, OF so
sick, " she said TO her husband that night,
that long to comfort her"
Did she comfort her?
llannah's resolve was like iron, forged
and hardened
After the minister's wife had gone,
Hannah said grimly-" !" and pro-
cceded to go to her room again. But the
mercy of heaven WAS not too sorely tried.
and her babe walked up with ptiiul cry.
The mothers heart was touched. though
its purpose remained unchanged. II
can't leave it crying" she said, with
strange tenderness. "lll hush her--and
then"
She lifted the baby and took it up stairs
with her. The little one was restless,
and still moaned aud pleaded in its own
inarticulatc language. Hannah walked
the floor with her hushing and soothing,
and finally she lay down on the fresh,
sweet pillow, patting the child, and try
ing 10 sing.
Strangely enough. with that dark deed
still in her thoughts. she fell sleep.
Then came in vision the presence OF
he: mother who had long been dead.
And in this way she seemed to hold con-
verse with her.
Unburdening her heart she asked the
shade.
"Am doing right"
"You are plunging your own soul into
irremediable darkness"
"But must | bear thi,?"
AYE, and hundred fold more"
but my poor brothcrl'
Your poor brother was the victim of
parental indulgence aud mismanage.