Litchfield enquirer., 1874-07-02

su1EE SHIiAl1tlss HIttl 5u6F lac6 HHS1lQG SCaF- Let, ssI m one of si' lost oncs nnysen, but ed yet; and so help me God, ,-if God has owt to do with such loike as me,-if l could hurt an humble thee, even thee, with thy hard words an thy pride,-if l could chrush an humble thee before my face. this minute, in raisin' my finger, 1 would na raise it; nay, I would na." And she dropped her head upon her arms again, her excitement ending in passion ate burst of sobs and tears. 'sTak' tn child. she cried, ''tak' her an keep her! Teach her what her mother is, an train her mp to point her finger at her! Aye, I would be willin' fur that, if that would save her-aye, an thank tn God as has nowt to do with such as me-"
 Surely some pang of conscience smote her judge. Her pale face grew paler, and herieye was not so steady as it had been. Some fine instinct at work within hel made her shrink, for she faltered as she spoke.
 'tHe may have to do with such as thee il thou would repent, she said. ''There is time for thee yet
 Repent p said Jane Ayers. "Repent thysen. Hast tha nowt to repent on : No. such as thee never has; tha'rt on the narrow path fro first to last; it wur made for such as thee. Dunnot tell me to re- pent."
 Phillis's hand trembled a little. That sense of discomfort grew upon her strong ly, and it was this lost creatures words that stung her.
 thee, she said. ''I came to plead for the child"
 "Will Henders's child," put in the wo-
 ssWil1 Henders's child" said Phillis, without change in her voice. Twill theegive it mp to me-
 Janet Ayes lifted her face with strange irony in her smile.
 '"Tha art na askin' much" she said.
 ''I ask thee for a human soul,'' answer ed Phillis.
 "Aye," said Janet Ayres, ''hut such as Ina art as kin me fur all as I've gotten i tn earth-thee as niver had child O thy own.'
 ''Thou art mistaken" said PhilHs. "I had child who died"
 "Thai" exclaimed. Janet.
 But Phillis stopped her with gesture.
 H uAcu, SAc 0ttIO, StIlu It DtlOllS5eu- poor little one Ito a past that is all over But this child of thine is not so safe."
 elf that Is true I can trust thee better, ' said the woman, ''nOt but what I believe thad do rect by tn little un. hard as tha art. Its thy way to do rect
 There was pause for a moment, and then she looked up.
 q do not see what sent thee here to tempt me to-neet," she said. '1 have often thowt O this, but never thowt as I've done to-neet. l never thowt as ] were thinkin' when tha' came in. Aye Jamie, little wench-Janie!' with a gush of tears. Come wi me" she said abrupt ly to Phillis, rising and taking the lamp from the table.
 Phillis followed her across the room to the shaded corner where the child's cot St0od aild thoro tIae5r 5rfsausod.-- Look, a said Janet Ayers, holding the light over the pink, flushed baby face.
 Phillis did not speak; the eyes that had mocked her so were closed; but it was not easy to forget the pang they had giv- en her.
 eff l gi' her up to thee," said Janet, ''I shall gi' her up foriver. Her way will not be my way either now nor-nor after-if theer is an after. If gi' her up to thee I shanna do 1t by halves. I shall gi' her up to be led 10 heaven while drift down to hell. Aye Jamie! Janie!" dropping up- on her knees, ''thou1t be further fro me then cen than tha art now-but better one than two-better one than two-bet- ter me than thee, my lamb, for tha has ma a spot upon thee.''
 Her weeping shook even Phillis Den fhnnnIl if 1t did not even waken the child though fl seemed as if the struggle tore her very soul. But suddenly she got up, and talk ing the little one from it's pillow, kissed ed 1t once, twice, and placed 1t in Phillis's arms.
 ''Tak' 1t away" she said breathlessly. Il am na of thy blood. I canna keep up long. For Gods sake talk her out O my sight before n the strengths wrung out O me. I gI her up, I tell thee-I gi'- her up foriver."
 And stricken dumb by the sight of the agony in the mothers face, almost before she could realize that her strange request had indeed been granted, she found her self out in the night holding the child in her arms.
 It was not many days before the women at the Mills were gossiping among them selves concerning what little they knew oi the story of Janet Ayres's child Phillis Denham had taken it to '"fetch up," as they put it, though how she had gained possession of it was mystery. The two women came and went as usual, but there was no intercourse between them; each going her separate way when work was over, Janet to her desolate house, Phillis to her cottage and the child, who was cared for in her absence by a woman whom she had taken into her house fol the purpose. Since the night Phillis car ried the child away in her arms, Janet had consistently avoided her. Evidently she had not meant to. do the thing by halves when she said she gave the child up for ever. As to the little one herself, she had soon become accustomed to hel new surroundings, though the novelty disturbed her at first. With Phillis she made friends in way of her own-strange ly enough, without touch of baby effu. siveness. They were the best of friends, but nothing nearer. Perhaps Phillis's way was not exactly the way to win ba by's heart-perhaps she was too calm and quiet, or perhaps some more subtle in t1uence held her apart from this tiny creature; hut, however that might be- she often felt novel pang that she was held apart. At first she felt 1t but slightly, but as time went on, and the child crept into her inner heart, the feel ing became stronger. How could the child fail to creep into her heart. She was woman after all, and her sighted love for handsome Will Renders had beer very strong one. She had given up al for him: the friendship of her people, tht affection of her friends-al she had pos sessed. She had looked upon. the grea sorrow of her life as just punishmen for her defections, but, though she haG cut herself off from this man whom sh. had so loved, she had never forgotte, him for an hour-his physical beauty, hi dashing ways, so unlike the ways of tn. grave young friends who had admired her the shade of poetic romance in his admi ration of her pure. high, self-containei style of beauty-she never forgot one at traction. And as this little creatur, played about the room in her quaint fash ion, she fell into the habit of watchin, NWRRu