Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-07-21


care which was being bestowed upon her.
Whose child are you?n asked Aunt
Marcy, drawing chair up to the table
for the old farmer.
al don't know" replied Nell.
Don't know! why not how old are
you ?"
~ don't know. Granny Mag said l
wasn't her child. but was given to her by
man to take care Of"
"Well! WELL" said the aslonished old
lady. Il declare she don't seem TO know
anything; but sit up to the table and eat
some breakfast. child - she said; which
she did with hearty appetite, but with a
manifest ignorance OF the use of most
articles in use upon the table.
Six years rolled away, and little Nelly
counting her eight when found. which
they Judged her to be--was now fourteen.
She had improved wonderfully in those
six years, and was now healthy, hand
some, intelligent girl. She had complete
ly grown out OF tho pert hslt savage
way in which they found her. and was rs
modes. as any one could desire. And
rarHer Goodwin and good Aunt Marcy
had grown to love her as tenderly as il
she were their own baby. Much rs they
loved children. they had never been
blessed with but one OF their own. OF
whom we shall speak shortly.
One morning in January, when the
snow lay deep across the fields and the
air was keen with frost. Farmer Goodwin
came in from the post Office with a letter
in his hand and Il troubled expression"
on his lace Aunt Marcy was busy about
the room putting things TO rights" as
she called the daily sweeping, busting,
&c, which made the house always look
clean and neat as waxwork. Nell had
gone out to schoolmaie's for lille
while.
Marcy, said the old man grayely,
"comc and sit here = few moments, ]
have something Of importance TO tell you.
You know there is q name never men.
toned in this houSe--a name once heard
here oNener than any other" Here the
good old lady stole her hand into the big
brown one that lay in her lap. and tear
crept into her eyes rs she turned towards
him. sixteen years ago" he went on,
THAT man came and stole our
Bessie from Us. We would not have
objected to their love il he had been an
honest good and true young man, what.
ever his station in life might have been.
but he was not. He was william and n
vile impoStOr, and when | found il out
anu told our daughter the truth she would
not listen. but ran away and left US
You know l sought Tor her in vain.
Ready 10 forgive and forget all, if our
child might only come back TO Us. but ii
was Of no avail We never found her or
heard a word from her after the day the
wsnt away" The old lady shook her
head through her tears, 10 indicate her
concurrence in the truth OF the Story.
Then the good man said solemuly:
MARCY, my good wife, l have q letter
here, and it is irom-trom Bessie"
"Give tito me! oh. give it 10 me =
almost screamed Aunt Mracy in her cS.
element. "Let me read it, and she
almost tore it from his grasp
"She is dying. Marcy. Dying in that
big and wicked city, aud must go at
once
Yes, co." said the mother, and l
viii 60 with you and in half an hour
the weeping father and mother were on
their way to New York.
Nigh. was falling when they entered
tAs dirty. miserable street to which the
tier had directed them. Oh, what q
desolate. dreary place i, was: old,
tumL,cd down buildings, ro.tOn. grimy.
wet and mouldy, And what q fearful
crowd were the pale. wan faces they met
IS they went on. Though they shuddered,
yet they still pressed forward, until the
house-or ruin where Bessie lay dying
was reached. Up the trembling old
stairs they went, and now the mother
groaned, "Oh.. my God, John. what 4
place Tor our child to live or die in "
Aud that was all they said. ~ last the
top was reached; iickety door tumbled
open At their touch, and they entered a
room.
\ gloomy room lit by only one window
and that nearly all darkened by straw,
RAGS. and such things. stuffed in TO fill
the places OF broken panes. No carpet
on tho floor TO hide the bare boards. no
fire in the CRATE. although the day was
bitterly cold; no chairs. no table. no
furniture Of any kind save a bundle oil
straw in one corner. covered with rags,
upon which lay human figure.
4 human figure | say. but should say q
human skeleton, for that is what it was
so pale. so weak and cmaciated that life
itself seemed to have deserted The frail
tenement. One beauty only remained
a mass OF long and wavy golden hair,
that streamed around her as she lay, like
q cloud OF glory from another world.
WHO is it?" feebly asked the sick
woman As they entered.
For moment no one broke the silence