The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-05-30

misery; God may have had PITY on her.
/ but man had none.
One day she sat rocking herself TO and
fro before tie entrance of her cave, her
I long grey hair streaming over her face,
and her dark eyes looking fierce and
glazing as she sat III the deep shadow of
the overhanging rock. The stream rip
pied softly at her feet, trickling over lis
pebbles with a happy sound TO tell OF
summer gladness, while the tendrils OF
the woodbine swayed in the breeze, min
CLING its scent with the clustering June
FJSes.
As she rocked her gaunt body TO and
fro, her withered eyes watched idly the
whirl and dance of a dead leaf-dead
even in summer-which the wind was
whirling around and round over the rip
Piles of the brook. Suddenly shadow
fell into the water, just where the leaf
dropped down-the shad w of child,
with IA white robe torn with thorns and
feet bare and bleeding, as though from
many a weary wandering Standing by
the brook side the child bathed one tiny
tired foot in the stream and watched the
water ripping over it with happy smile.
The old woman stared in amaaement
for moment then she started u, and,
with fierce and angry gesture, capped
curses on the child, while he gaza( back
at her with blue eyes full of wond, + and
pity.
. You shall not battle your feet that
stream" she shricked. 1T is mil :"
ut is Gods" said the little one The
answer angered the woman into ma lness.
Darling into her cave she seized burn
ing brand from the fire and rushed upon
the child with murder in her wor6s and
looks. With one honey hand she clutched
him by his golden curls, and with the
other raised the brand high in air to
strike; but at this instant the sun parted
the clouds in the sky, beams of glory
came down from heaven and formed a
halo round the golden head, bright wings
rustled over him, his white robe descended
to his feet in shining foIds-an angel
stood before her.
The woman fell upon her face expect
ing instant death, but she felt only the
touch of gentle hand laid upon her
head, and she heard voice like the
sound of distant music, whispering Fear
not"
! She knew the angel had gone, because
the shadow Of his glory had faded away
| from the brook and the water mirored
only the gray feeey clouds of the sum
mer sky; still she lay with her face upon
the earth, wrestling with her new born
soul, till the night breeze blew chilly over
! her and the stars came out one by one !;
/ then she rose painfully and and with slow
step went into her cave.
For many days after this no one saw
her at her wonted haunts in the woods,
but at last the hermit met and stopped
! her She had bunch of wild roses in
her hand, and her face was very pale.
He asked her if she had been i'll. She
answered. "No; ;" but said she had been
wrestling with an evil spirit. To the out
laws she gave the same reply, and they
believed her literally; but the hermit I'M
derstood her thought.
1t was but short time after this she
saw the child again.
He bathed his bleeding foot in the
stream and watched the play Of the water
smiingly as she had seen him do before.
Trembling and wondering, she looked
on, till his blue eyes turned on hsr and
his little hand, raised in air, beckoned tc
her.
With faltering step she came to him
and, falling on her knees, whispered,
"Dear angel, are you come to bless
me ?"
Il cannot understand your words,
bonnie mere" replied the child.
She started up with Il cry Of joy, and
burst into heartfelt tears. He had spoken
TO her in her own tongue-the language
of her childhood, which hal not touched
her ears since she-then girl of twelve
was stolen away from her Norman home
by Euglsh pirates. But she had never
forgotten this dearly loved speech of her
native land nthe dep rece,sess Of hel
heart it lay like shrined treasure
the sole thing, till now, she had wor
shipped.
She flung her arms around the child
for she saw he WAS no angel-and ii
his own tongue imp!ored him to speak
again.
1t was nearly her own story that he
told her "a French and English ship
had met in mid channel and tough
fiercely. The French ship was taken,
and the innocent child was the sole crea
ture allowed to live. Sailing past the
Devonshire coast this day with its prize
the English brig had cast anchor anc
sent boat ashore for water. The sailor.
had taken the child with them, and he,
left alone on the beach, had wandered
into the wood and lost himself.
: The ship was his only home now, anC
in artless words he prayed the old woman
to take him back to the boats crew. H,
' was from her own land, he spoke her OWL
tongue, and she hal seen a vision, il
, which he came to her dwelling as al
, angel 10 wonder she was unwilling Il
let him go, and gazed wistfuIly at tn,
| sea, as, carrying him in her arms, sh,
f journeyed toward it through the mazas o
the wood
5 The beach lay two miles away, but sh,
said little on the road her heart wa
r overburdened, it was full of fear anC
2 thought, and she held the child will
tight-clasped arms A smile broke upoi
l her lips at last when she reached tn
, strand and saw it empty, while, witt
] white sails set, the ship was going fast al
e channel.
She pointed to the sail gizteuing in tn
sun, and comforted the little one as h
. wept for the loss of his rough home
! Then with his tiny arms around her necl
5 and his soft face pressed against he
l wrinkled cheek, she turned back to tn
e wood. But net to go straight home
! many mile she went out OF her way t
t beg for milk and wheaton bread for he
e new charge.
4 The rough, kindly people gave willing
y ly what they had, gazing with wonderin;
r eyes at the child's beauty and the change,
r look in the old woman's face.
: The sun was sinking when she lay tn
o boy on the bed of leaves in her cave an
e busted herself To lEindle { re to VAN, III