Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-11-07


# placed her baby in its resting pIaC
A soft flush covered her face, and h
( calm sweet eye lit up as she looked
b her husband-the lover of her yout
r the one for whom she had left b
!. home-the father Of her child-an
drawing her slight form to her fu
!: height, she said
c Doctor, the child shall not die, Fl
f | myself will go and nurse Nan,
Jones's baby"
The doctor looked at her radiant faC
| foraninstant: the tears came to his ey,
and his voice trembled with emotion
You are an angel, Mrs. Stearns, an
| he lifted her hand reverently to his liz
and kissed it,
Then the wife, with an indescribabl
grace, turned to her husband and said
Abel, have | your consent to go !
And the great, strong, bearded creatur
picked her up in his arms like child
while the big, manly voice shook an
trembled in reply.
Yes, Jessie, my wife, God forbi
that | should stand in the way of you
angel mission. Go, my love. and Go,
bless you," And the Doctor, aite
sundry coughs, ostensibly for the pur
pose of clearing his throat, manage,
at length to say:
1t you two young people don
have luck Ishall turn in6del, blessed i
| don't Excuse me, Mrs. Stearns
but | could not help it.
I h.
( pleted, Jessie bent over the cradle fol
a moment, kissed her husband, charg
ing him to be careful of the boy,
and then went out intO the night.
The wind had ceased and the moon
shone bright and clear; the cold, sharp
air cut like knife, but still they la
bored on, sometimes breaking through
the frozen crust, never stopping until
they reached the Log House" Jessie
here spoke for the first time:
Is there any one with her, doctor?'
Yes, the old negress, Judith, and
as i,e spoke he opened the door,.
Jessie for moment stood on the
threshold-only for moment, howey-
er, for the faint cry of a child was
heard, then all the womon came to her
relief and she stepped quickly into the
room. The cry of the child came
again. Going to the bed she took it in
her arms-it moaned; she seated her
self in a low chair, the doctor turned
his face AWAY feeble cry of content
ment from the child, aud then all was
quiet, and Nancy Jones's baby was
saved.
Five years have come and gone since
that night, and time has made many
changes. Abel Stearns and Jessie
are no longer in Rabbit Greek. One
misfortune after another has happened
to them, until starvation stares them
in the face. They have one more
mouth to feed since we saw them last,
and Christmas night, 1858, sees them
in San Francisco without food.
Jessie, unable to see her invalid hus-
band suffer any longer, has made up
her mind to beg. Out into the street
she goes, trying to gain courage for her
task. Faint aud tired from fasting
and overwork, she reached the corner
just as fine carriage is dashing past
she tries to avoid it, but her foot slips
and she falls on the crossing. The
carriage stops, the window is lowered
and a man voice asks:
What is the mattery'
The bystanders reply that "a woman
had tainted, and then woman 5 voice
asks If she is hurt.
She is in the drug store, the same
persons replies. "and is insensible."
The soft voice from the carriage
speaks to her companion, saying:
u should like to see her, dear"
The door is opened, and passinginto
the store, and asking TO see the lady
who tainted, she is shown into the
room. She glides up to the lounge
and casts one look at the white face,
and drops on her knees and puts the
poor head TO her shoulder Only for
a moment does she remain there, then
turning to the clerk she said:
Garry this lady to my carriage she
is an acquaintance of mine: L will
take charge of her. "
The unconscious woman is lifted
into the carriage and its rolls away.
Abel Stearns waits for his wife but
she does not return. Fear at last
oyercomes him, and he resolves to
start out and find her, aud there is
heard knock at the door. A mans
voice asks if Mr.. Stearns lives there,
and, if so, he is requested to come
with him at once, as his wife has been
taken i'll, but is with friends. Abel
hardly RECEIVERS from his surprise when
he finds himself in a fine apartment
and in few moments has his wife in
his arms, pale, but smiling, in her
night dress. There is heard a rustic
of silk, and Abel turns and sees
a beautiful woman behind him,
amused at his embarrassment. She
comes toward him, offering her hand,
as she says:
why, Mr.. Stearns, don't you know
me? Am | so changed in FIVE years p
and she looks at him with her great
black eyes full of tears.
Abel still stands in doubt. She
steps to the door and leads in a golden
haired little girl, beautiful as dream.
She lifts the child up to Abel and says ::
Don't you know Nancy Jones's
baby?"
Comfort and plenty have come to
Abel Stearns and Jessie since that
night when Nancy Jones found her in
the street-Nancy Jones no longer,
but Fanny Morse. She gave Abel
the means to restart in life, and
uow he has one of the finest ranches
in California, and he says the finest
wife and children, and all because
Jessie saved Nancy Jones's baby