The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-05-15
CIRCUMSTANCES,

CIRCUMSTANCES.
o world, both gifts were pure and bright
Holy and sacred in Gods sight
God will judge them and thee Alright.
1.-Two beautiful fine boys as ever was
A sad pity she did not live to set eyes
on them p
"She's better away, poor thing
there were naught but pining afore her,
and her but weakly at the best"
And there's naught other afore
them, poor babes, as can Sea-" re-
Joined the first speaker. q pinched up,
hard-featured woman, whose sharp face
softened for q moment with a passing
CLEAN OF motherly feeling as she bent
over the NJ t whereon lay two hour old
infants, Justify announcing their safe
axnvAl In the world where no place
seemed ready for them.
whats to do with 'em ?" asked the
second woman, looking obviously at the
newcomers. They've. neither kith
nor kin to work for 'em, and there's
mouths enough here without 'em. Best
carry EN- to the poor-house, say L"
Best charity would be to smother
was spreading her shriveled trembling
hands over the shovelful of fire in the
CRATE, and cycling wistfully the broken
glass OF gin from which few drops had
been poured down the dying woman
throat, in the vain hope of reviving the
failing life.
There was knock at the door as she
spoke, and it was pushed open as gen.
tly as its broken, one hinged condition
allowed, admitting a gentleman, who
stepped hastily forward and bent over
the inanimate figure lying on the floor.
"Gona !" he calculated. swell,
well, it's just too late then-and Just
as we'll, perhaps" he added under his
breath. Then, catching sight of the
babes, Whew-twins That is more
than we bargained for. Here, Mrs.
Brooke" he called out, going to the
door" come income in!"
A comedy, comfortable looking mat
ron answered his summons, and step
ped gingerly, picking her way, into the
wretched room, looking strangely out
of place as she stood there, with her
plump, smooth face and rustling, am
pie dress.
What viii your mistress say to two,
Mrs. Brooke ?" continued the surgeon,
as he pointed to the two children lying
beside the dead mother.
Mrs. Brooke glanced around the room
such q room as had never before en-
tered into her easy ideas of life-as
though she were too lost in amazement
to notice his remark.
And this is what poor Lucy came
to, she said, at last, shaking her head;
=" 1t is judgment and a warning, sure
~. And she 30 pretty and handy too,
and as nice a hand at bow as I ever
wish to seei She's gone, sir, is she :?
Alb, we'll. the young go quicker than
the old sometimes"
"Amen," groaned the old woman by
the fire, joining in the conversation
with hazy idea that some such ejacu-
iation was suited to the quality" and
would show her Just appreciation of the
presence of death. 1.-THE pretty darl-
ings are kindly welcome, ma'am, as I
was Just a-saying to Polly Sanders,
though we be puzzled above a bit what
to do with 'em. Likely Lucy had some
grand friends, ma'am ?" she limited,
siding up to the portly dame, who
shrank away visibly from the contact.
Yes, yes, my good woman" an
swered Mrs. Brooke, hastily stopping
her skinny hand threatening her arm
with some parcels she had been carry
ing under her shawl; !" here, take these.
I brought poor Lucy some tea and
things, and as she-pexhaps you will
take them, az you seem Kindly inter-
ssted in her. Doctor" she wound up
appeallngly, " 1 need not stay, I think:
we can do nothing for poor Lucy aud
as for the child, sir-well, sir, one baby
is we'll enough, though don't hold to
1t but two, and such large ones, sir ~
as If the size were anadditional ofiense.
7" 1t seems pity to separate the
brothers-it seems scarcely right" the
surgeon said, thoughtfully; then, more
briskly, turning TO the woman, who had
been standing listening and puzzled.
Here, Mrs. Sanders, lift up the boys
till we see them; they've no one belong
ing to them, and Lucy's former mis-
tress is willing to take charge of one of
them as for the other, it is Q pity"
Here he broke Off
Mrs. Brooke eyed the two infants
scrutinizingly, as they were held up for
her inspection.
They are fine children" she said,
with reluctant appreciation, {" and as
like as two peas. There's nothing to
choose between them"
As she bent over them again, one
child opened il eyes. The accidental
circumstance decided the fate of the
two lives, for Mrs. Brooke lifted the
boys into her own arms.
Pretty dear, it notices already, it do
bless its little heart I" with which
perfectly understandable assertion she
wrapped the child up in q warm shawl
of soft crimson wool, and announced
herself as ready to depart.
The doctor fingered behind moment
as the other child, vaguely conscious of
heat and comfort from the
cessation Of contact with his brother,
set up a wailing cry and moved its little
arms about in search of something
warm to nestle against, and found,
Door babe, nothing but rough shawl
which grated on the fender flesh.
"Poor little one !" calculated the
1octor. "You may well
cry for the chance you have lost to day.
It seems a cruel thing to leave you
here to be educ1ted into q scamp,
while your twin-brother will have every
advantage in life. But there, there
sueh as you are born every day." and
he good surgeon hurried away from a
,cene that was AZ he felt, no sadder than
hose his practice brought continually
1nder his notice, and which had only
made . deeper impression on him than