The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-01-23

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she coulu only he made easy during her briei
STAY on enrth-shc could not recover Anu
at irnrth The time came when his words were
Ito BE verified, and Tom Wilson, standing AT
the side of the little couch, knew mat ms
mother conld not 1--we an hour On, II Emily
would only come, He could not bear the
terrible blow alone, with lut!e Allce CIinSlhE
TO him with fear. And sun inc tCr !D'c mo
ments dragon on, ana al 'cnStl Ehli,J eanic
nnd S,ond by his side; and to make him
s,rHnrnr She took one ofhiS hands in her own,
Tnro,hrr th, three looked down upon the
hInncb.d tace and wasted form OF the invalid,
and saw rlc chest move with iabored effort,
and the lips As ii praying for air. Great sobS
Sho,k the sons breast, and tears rolled down
his checks, and at intervals the words came
forth in convusive whispers: oh, God
must I lose my mother: She heard him
once, and reu to smile, but she had not the
strength, and instead she worked her hand
along the Counterpart until II touched his
Thatdestroycd the last particle OF self control,
and, sinking upon his knees, he wept as only
Il man can weep when anguish makes lin
child before his Creator
Tom said Emily, IN 10" Voice,-he
arose lust in time to sec the last pu!satloh o.
his mothers heart. She had gone forever
Weakened by griet, he tnrned toward Emmy
and gazed upon her imp!orlngiy;
BE calm, dear friend she said tearfulIy.
sOh. Emily, YOU are all have left Oh!
Emily if dared to love you--' He paused,
his BODY shook like n leaf. Again he spoke -
Emily, next to her love you, May :
Yes, Tom.
And thus they we're betrothcd in the pres,
ence Of death.
"
Five wears have passed since the light when
Emily gave Tom her promise at the bedside
OF his dead mother Very long and weary
had been those years many bcartaches, some
doubts and many fears Lad come and gone,
only TO come and 90 again. Emily was now
twenty-threc wears old and looked upon By
the Villagers as an old maid, no. that she was
less attractive, but because she had IT fused to
marry lovers, some distinguished and some
rich.
Ny child, dear Emily, said her father. one
evening, when they were sitting on the PIAZZA
in the very same place where she had first
seen her only accepted lover, 4 think you
have done yOurduty in waiting. loIr lie IS
your own, and from the fact that You have
not heard from Tom for two years, il i. not
likely that YOU will ever hear from him again
Don't, father. oh, please, don't said En-
lIN, Nuuiucl iIS'
My precious daughter would not pain
you for the world. 1t is only my love foryou
that causes NE 70 speak thus You proved to
me that Tom was good, else would not have
sanctioned the engagement He went away
to l,ake his fortune, taking with him his 1T
tie sister II Is sad TO think Of anything hay
ing happened 70 him, but time and silence
indicate something
He will come back, father, she replied, a
far.oH, dreamy look IL her eyes. Tom viii
come back
The old man shook III. head, and, rising
went into the house. lie felt that his daugh
ter waa throwing her life away; ANA such il
noble lfe a. hers ltmGdc him nspeakab'y
sad.
Still. time went On and tx months passed ;
but Emily only grew stronger in her belief
that Tom would cone back 1T i a mon0m-
ANA with her, the villagers said and with
grief, for K va, dreadful ia see the fairest
flower thus withcr But one morning Emily
came down stairs singing and looking like
her former self; and her parents wondered,
for OF late she had been passive and listlcss.
The day Dire" to a close and just at twilight
a carriage dashed up TO The door, and immc.
diatcly there a,i-l;cd tall, noblc-looklng
man, who presently assisted a very beautiful
yong girl 10 a'lgh', Togchcy they came up
the steps and into the house. Emily, stand
ing in the parlo:, grew faint with antici-
patton. Presently the door opened, ana the
gentleman entered.
Al last, my darling lac said, Missing her
pale face and smoothing her hair 1T last
Oh, how have prayed for th, hour. I've
been far away. Emily, in foreign lands but
the siar &C tore has -lon" bright knew
4 Ia fl ~ roy a. M n