Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-12-06

long,, She raised her eyes hcaycnward. as
if fimploring death.
s'Dear mother, do not speak so: Won
G are all / have on earth, said Tom, in a
tTcmulOus voice. -~-s .r..-
: My dear boy--my life-my blessing ="
Sue latlrmEred, tenderIy. ~ ..--s-
Ernily's eyes flied with tears as she saw
1.-The mothers wan hand caress the lefty
curls that fell on her sons brow. Then,
hoping to cheer them, she said g on will
be better soon, Mrs. wilson DO not give
way to safncss. Remember ] am your
friend.'' The invalid smiled family. and
shock her Lead. Knowing that further
/, ,eoAyersatisn would be injurious to her,
Emily babe her adieu, closing the chamber
door rs sl1a wtnt out OGce again IN the
front room, the maiden said s' Mr.. Viii
son,- will y0l do me d favor?" lie ac-
qulesced, WondcriDgly, and Emily, placing
" Run down TO the store ard buy what
your mother needs: he sure not to forget
Z lfut and jellies. :" -s-..
: Cod bless Your bright face" he muir
INJURED, IN clicked voice: and impressivclv
pressed her hand"
II will stay here uutil YOU return" she
said, rs be took his hat and hurried away.
When the young man returned he found
The kettle singing oyer tue fire, and the table
2Et, Hbc ilTtIS tSllCcy VINO ndu DGeu
awakened by the cheerful sound, sat up in
her chair, gazing at Emily in amazcment.
~ on are too good, Miss; | did not believe
that there was ole left in the world as good
as You arc, said Tom, regarding her as if
she was something more than human
! Don't praise me, but take out your bum
dies, and IN have supper presently. OF
course you got some steak ?'
Yes. though I was afraid / was doing
wrong
EmiIy repr0vcd him for that sentence.
and then went oh With her preparations
In Short time Iepast, which, to Tom
! aud Alice seemed . banquet, was placed on
the table. and then Emily departed. saving
she would come Oh the morrow and wash
! the dishes. Toms gaze followed her until
she was invisible. when he returned to the
house, dropped on Lis knees beside bis
, mothers bed ard thanked God for the
friend which had been sent to them when
Starvation seemed inevitable.
The next day, aud every day for a week
/ Emily Wharton brought the sunlight of
her presence to that wretcbcd abode, and
cheered and c0mfOrtcd the invalid and her
children, not forgetting to enlist the servi-
/ ces OF the village physician III the same
cause. But he could do little for the suf-
! ftler; she could ohlybe made easy during
! he" blief stay on ealth-she' could not
recover. And at length the time came
! When his words We're TO be verified, and
/ Tom Wilson, Standing at the side Of the
! little cough, knew that his mother would
! not live an hour. Oh, if Emily would only
/ come. He could not bear this terrible
! blow alone, with little Alice cingiag to him
| in fear. AMI still the teIli0Ie minutes
dragged on, and at length Emily came and
stood by lis side: and to make him
stronger she took one Of his hands in her
! o3n.- Together thee three looked down
! upon Tie bIapChcd face and wasted form
/ of the invalid, and saw the chest move with
: labOred effort, ana the lips, is if praying
/ for air. Great sobs shook the sons breast,
/ and teals rolled down his cheeks, and at
! Intervals the words came forth i'll oOnYul.
siye whispers ''Oh, God! God must !
lose my mot 81 She heard him once,
and tried to smile hut she had not the
/ strength, and instead she worked her hand
/ along the cOllrtcrpane until it touched his.
That destroyed the last particle Of his self
/ control, and, sinking upon his knees, lie
Wept as only Il man can weep when an,
guish makes him a child before his Creator
Tom" said Emily, in a low voice. He
ar0s G just iii time to see the last pulsation
Of his mothers heart. She had gone for
ever. Weakened by grief, he turned to-
ward Emily, ard cazed upon her impIor-
nely.
,,3o c.,ln,, &ear friend size said, tear
tdlIy.
'Oh, Emily, you are ali that have left
Oh, Emily, il dared to love YOU -
He paused, and his body Shook like IA leaf
Again lie spoke: ''ErnIy, next to her [
loved YOU MayI?"
eyes, Tom" and thus they were be-
lrothed in th" presence Of death.
Five years lad passed since the night
Nl"u Emily save Eom her promise at The
bedside II his lead mother. Very long
and weary had been those years: many
hcartachcs, some doubts and many fears
h7! come and 3onc. only to come and 20
again. Imi!y was now twenty y-thiee years
oil, and looked upon by The villagers as an
o.d maid, not that she VAS less attractive
F. hut because she had refused so mauy
, love :, some distinguished and some rich
My child. my dear Emily" said her
ft!bcr, one evening, wien thcy were sit
tinr ol!tLe piazza in the very same place
Were she had fra seen her only accepted
lover, Il thiuil you have GoaG your duty in
waiting. lo;ir life is your own, and from
tllc fact fiat yoU 'Iave not heard from
4 on for f7o years, fiji. not likely that you
VII ever hear from him again
''Uout, father. Oh, pleas, rjou't, said
.sMy precious 1aiAttcr, 7 would not pain
you for The world. / is only my love for
yGu that causes NE to speak thus. You
, p.Uvct = NC tlat Lena Wao good, else /
would not Lave Sanctioned the engage
tneiit:- He went away toInalc his fortune,
taking with him his little. sister. II is sad
- think f anything having happened to
h.p4, bat tiDe ant silence Indicate some
f,;!,r'> "- ~
"(lawill como back, fathcr.'' she replied,
a far off, dreamy book in her ewes. Tom
viii como back ..---
Tie old gcntlcHeu slso05, lis head, aud,
y;si;!g, went into tie house. lie fit that
lis daughter was fIr wing her life away;
and s,iuIi "a noble life a IIefs Il made
nan uuspea.ldbly sd.
still, time went on; six months passed,
bat Emily only .-gGW stronger in her belief
that Tom would come back. "It is n
Inonomaua with her," tie villagers said,
aud wiih gIief, for it WAS dreadful TO see
tie faircst flower thus Withcr. But one
morning Emily came down stairs singing
and boxing IKE her former sell: and her
paIealts wondered, for, ol tate, she had
! been pensiye aud listless I Ire day drew
t. a close, and inst at twilight carriage
! dasl.ctl US 10 the door, aud Immediately
there, alial!ted a tail, noble-looking man,
+ " 10 ITe sentlY assisted very beautiful
young .si,T to alisl.+. 2, 'T"eelller they came
! up The steps ard INTO The h0use. Emily,
Standing in the I4rior. pressed lar hands TO
/ her heart and ggeT faint with anticipation.
! Presently ihe dooi opened and the gentle
: man cutcic4.
.s At last, my iall:ug," lie said, kissing
I her Dale face ard smoothing htr haIr. 4" Al
! last Oh, how IiHye pray led for this hour.
I've been far AVA, i.Inily, L. foreign lands
but the star Of hG.Le has always shone