The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-12-20
Two Dollars a Year.


! you, dear, To please your little pet Ally
Z | don't mind about anybody else. bur
can't feel quite happy till father an
mother know that l am your wife"
The listeners started and bent forwar
with longing eyes to hear more. 81
the feeble, hutteriug spirit, exhausted b
even SO short a fight, bad sunk dow
again, and the sufferers evelids dropped
and for a while she seemed TO slumber
Presently, however. she started agai
with a wild cry. and sat up in the bel
gazing with fixed. dilAted pupils, an,
Pressing her thin white hands upon he
torehead-"Oh, Robert, don't say that
Even IN fun, darling. don't say that
I on don't know how my heart Is beating
even now, when / know its a Joke Jus
put your hand against il, dear, aud feel.
Why don't YOU look at me, darling,
Why doyo turn away? Robert, il isn't,
II cant be true. \ false marriage Oh
Robert, how could you do it, when /
trusted you 500"
The loud passionate sobs of the dying
girl, rs She sat wriuging her hands and
rocking to and fro in her Ge.rious grief
disturbed the sleeping child, which awoke
with a cry. The sound seemed 20 touch
another chord. She ceased her subs and
listened, smoothing her hair back from
her forehead rs though trying 10 recol-
lect something. Her mother, with wo-
manly instinct, put the baby in her arms.
4 look of sweet content came over the
faded face, and she sunk back upon her
pillow, nesting the little one to her DO.
som, and caressng the baby head with
her wasted fingers. Then the wandering
mind roved into another track.
" Baby dear. baby dear Baby will
never, never 90 away from his poor
mamma, will he? Poor mamma, left all
alone with baby in the whole wide world.
Hush, dear; mustn't cry poor mamma
Alice may cry, but baby dear mustn't cry.
Baby must be happy baby boy, ana
grow up strong and handsome, like papa.
Oh, baby darling, pray God you may
never break anyboly's heart Hushaby,
dear; 90 to sleep on mothers bosom.
Mamma will sing to him-sing him to
sleep
And then she softly croaned frag-
ment Of a song that bad been her favor
rite in the old home days, sad song of
taithless love, and with a tender, plain
tive burden Of one hoping against hope
He will return, know he will:
He would not leave me here to die"
The effort Of singing SCENE to exhaust
the sufferers strength, and socn, still faint.
" murmuring that sad refrain, she sunk
INTO a heavy slumber. Her mother took
advantage Of the opportunity to Olsen
gage the child from her arms and to give
t some milk, which it swallowed eagerly. |
This done the parents continued their |
IuIet watch. The night waned, and the !
gray light Of daybreak stole in the win /
lows; their daughter still sleeping on. |
90 calmly and peacefully that they would /
nave fain hoped that the worst was over. /
md that the dawn Of her renewed life |
night come with her awakening. But |
me glance at the sufferers face forbade |
mem to cherish the sweet delusion. The /
bright look Of youth had faded away .
rom its spring bloom but ia this last \
lour the graces If fCrm and color were |
epIgced by another and higher beauty
| beauty SO spiritual, 50 unearthly, il /,
eemed as though the robe Of CLAW had |
allen oil, and the soul alone lay sleeping |
here, bidding the summons 10 spread its \
wings and take flight to heaven.
At last, when the sun was high in the
heavens, shedding it, morning glory far
nd wide over the crisp white snow, the
leeper aw0ke. The fire of delrum had /.
.iven place to the calm light of reason
n her eyes, and she ga4ed around with .
n inquirins look, Have ! been i'll.
lother dear| she said family.
" Yes, darling; very ILL.,"
" / don't remsmbar falling i'll, " said
he dying girl; Everything seems gone
rom me-
A tiny cry from baby lips supplied the
alssing link. The white forehead Grim
oned, and the blue eyes filled with tears
f grief aud shame. 81 remember now
)h, mother, can you ever forgive me"
a loving kiss was the mothers only
nswer. But it said enough.
" And father. does he know? VIII
e forgive me too"
David Holt rose and stood by his
aughter's bedside, looking down upon
er with inetiable love and tenderness.
The old love for his only child repressed
D long, swept away all barriers; pride,
elf love, resentment, all were forgotten
j the-deep emotion Of that bitter hour.
My darling, may God forgive me as
RELY as have forgiven you all that /
ave to forgive!'
" Ii you and mother forgive me, can
eel almost happy again. Oh, how nice
is to be at home. But how did 1 come;
Who brought me%
The father and mother interchanged
lances. " We found you on the moor
lst night, Ally, and brought you home"
" Last night last night | don't re
lember. Its gone from me. | seem
ear, am | DYING
The OH woman tried to speak, but
REF choked he, David answered for
er, himself little less moved, Ny
hid, life and death are in the Lords
ands His will be done -
NAY, David, said his wife, with an
fort "dol- give the child false hope
ow. Ally, dear, we fear-indeed, we
now that-that-" The mothers voice
roke down, but her choking sobs told
II the rest
There was the faintest culver Of the
rooping eyelids, and a single tear rolled
yer the wasted cheek.
care you afraid to die, Ally2" said
er father
"No, father dear, / don't think I'm
fraid I've longed for death many and
lany time lately, and prayed to be
sady to meet it and now it has come,
ont fear much. But its hard to leave
on and mother 50 soon after j have got
on back, and my poor little baby. May
have him now, please mother it won't
2 very long, l think. There is such a
TRANCE feeling Ct numbness coming over
,e"
The baby was placed in her arms, and
he kissed and fondled il with Passionate