Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-01-05

tendant. She made last effort to rise
upon her elhows--sank back upon her
pillow. "Kneel, my son--receive a
mothers blessing" she said, as he knelt
by her sido-her wasted hand trembling
on his head-her dying glance was
raised to Heaven "God of the orphan !"
she muttered faintly-when the door of
the chamber was burst open, and the
merciless executors of the law, in behalf
of the exulting creditors, rushed forward
to dispossess the dying sufferer of her
bed.
The rude grasp of baililf tore the
expiring mothers hand from that of her
son, and her pulse ceased to beat, but her
eye lost not its gaze of fondness and
anxiety, as her spirit passed with sigh,
ito where the miched cease from troub-
Hng." William gazcd for moment on
the motionless features of what, an in
slant before, had been his mothers the
next, one of the ruthless minions of the
law was at his feet and another strug-
Cling in his grasp He spoke not, for
speech had fed with his mothers spirit,
but bis look was insanity and death,
while ruin and revenge chung like twin
tigers on bis tortured heart. One, like
a dying worm, still coilcd convulsively
beneath his heel, as the blood gushing
from the distended eye-bals of the other.
fell upon the burning hand that graspcd
his throat, then. dasbing him headlong
upon his comradc in oppression, William
darted from the house, and hyng-he
knew not, cared not whither-rushed to
the trysting tree, where the lovely Helen
had anxiously awaited his approach
AT this moment was the meeting and
parting already described. On the re-
covery of the victims of his natural, but
perhaps rash revenge, all inquiry regard
ing the fugitive was suspended, and by
all, save one, his very existence seemed
forgotten. For months, hunger
was his counsellor--his companion and
tormentor, but the sons of prosperity
know not its meaning Hunger is
draught in which the evils-the pains
the temptations of the earth are all--all
mingled with tortures of hcll-his blood
had forgotten the nature of heat, and his
bones were knit together in agony; the
pains Of want were swallowed in the tor
ment of walking sleep, and dreamy
consciousness of existence, confirmed
only by the acuteness of misery.
Disappointed in every effort to OBJ
tain situation unable to beg-to beg
the thought to him was death-the
death of a disgraccd criminal-covered
with rags--the skeleton of what he was
--bushing at his own shadow, and
barked at by the veriest ours that fawncd
upon others-thc once gay William
Stuart welcomed with feeling akin ia
delight, the straw covered shed of a
farm-yard which invitingly offered its
meagre shelter from the ruthless storm
of a December night 1t was a luxury
to which he bad long been stranger
and in few minutes the ghost of SLEEP
lowered over his eyelids, but the con.
tinual howlings of the watchful mastif
gave notice Of the intruder, aud ruliian-
blow aroused the comfortless dreamer tc
reality. The last shadows of day vel
rendered visible the features of his dis
turber, and in them, William recognized
Frederick Walcott, wretch who owed
his prosperity to the patronage and
bounty OF his father and who, from be-
ing liyeried bcggar in the hall, had
become factor and principal creditor upon
the estate yea, it was by his orders the
bed of his dying mother had been seized
William gazed upon him a moment, as a
man would upon a serpent, ere he strug-
gled with it in death. "Monster I" he
exclaimed, and the riding whip of the
william again descended heavily upon his
head. William clasped small knife in
his hand f; he was wont so 10 sleep with
it.in the fields, as though his poverty
were not a sufficient guard. He had dis
covered his Helen carving their names
with 1t upon their favorite tree, few
days previous to their last meeting it
was strange and unexpected last gift.
Before Walcott could repeat the blow,
the knife was plunged into bis body /;
his cries alarmed the family and William
fed, leaving the knife in the wound
From this period FIVE years passed away,
and the name of William Stuart was never
heard Helen's father was what may
pass, in the world, for good man, but
his ledger was bis religion-his purse bis
god-his happiness lay in the funds, and
his ideas Of felicity were all reducible 10
pounds, shillings and pence. He knew
Of no merit but the art of getting gain
and justly esteenIing William Stuart, at
the period Of their acquaintance deficient
in this particular, it, with the family
misfortunes, caused him 10 despise him
with a perfect hatred He indeed loved
his daughter, but it was love regulated
by bis own rule Of what constituted en-
joymont From this cause be was
anxious to bestow her band upon the
wealthy Frederick Walcott, who though
an uninyiting, was wealthy and de-
termined sutton. ThreateniDgs, cnireaties
and prosecutions, were alike unheeded
I by Helen, for while William Stuart
lived she was bis--his, betrothcd before
Heaven. Tears Of sorrow had wasted
the bloom from her check when glancing
over the variety Of morning paper,
she perceived the notice of the body %
young man having been found near the
banks Of the Dart, in Devonshire, and
that by a letter in his possession, his
name appeared 10 have been William
Stuart, native Of Northumberland. Tho
letter was signed Helen Mid, but
the remainder Of the signature was illegi-