The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-12-13

She did not finish her sentence, for the
interlaced boughs before her separated,
and Oscar Temple stood before them,
with such look in his white face as made
Elsie utter low cry, and hide her face
in her hands.
at is true, then" he exclaimed,
fercely, "you are an arrant f1irt, charm
ing with your distracting beauty only to
ensnare and deceive! Thank heaven
that am awakened from my infatuation
at last | release you from the vows you
were 50 ready to forswear. Breathe
them again to your new lover, with cam
dor and love smiling in your eyes, but
with black perfdy in your heart, Take
her, and see what peace her love will
bring you
Oscar Temples grief and passion,
which were so violent at first, soon were
themselves out. He travelled, and in
two years time was as happy and tran
quill as ever. A trifie more grave and
taciturn, perhaps, but otherwise the
same genial, upright man.
Elsie married Carlos Olivero in six
months time, and left her native land
for Spain,
Her expectations were excited to the
highestpitch by the well-varnished tales
that Olivero had poured into her
credulous ear of his noble family,
great estates, lordly palace, &c.
Expectations that were cruelty
shattered by the rude hand of
Olivero when he became her husband.
To her dismay and chagrin, she found
that he was of low extraction and miser-
bly, poor; that his marriage had been a
speculation, and that her money was all
he wanted.
Olivero rapidly spent all her fortune in
vile pleasures and wasteful dissi patton.
Elsie suffered all the horrors of abject
poverty, made the more terrible from
the fact that her child shared it with her.
Years crept by. Sickness, induced by
want and cruel anxieties, at last laid a
heavy hand upon her, and death stared
her. in the face. Death, a welcome
release to her; but, all what new evils
might it not bring to her daughter, now
a girl of fifteen.
The western sky is ablaze with the
glory Of sunset, and long, slanting rays
of the setting sun stream through the
begrimed windows, and glance on the
floor where Elsie is lying, gaunt, hollow
eyed, and wasted, with the hand of the
fell destroyer hard upon her. Beside
her kneels her daughter; there is no
freshness or bloom of youth in her hag-
gard face, and her scanty clothing hangs
upon a figure sharp and angular. But
there is the same wealth of golden hair,
the same large violet eyes that made her
mother 50 beautiful.
Starvation as well az sickness is gnaw-
ing at the vitals of the miserable mother.
Olivero deserted her long ago; and al
though Clara, her daughter, has sought
anxiously for work to earn money-ay,
although she has begged in the streets
she has not been able to keep the wolf
from the door.
Mother" she sobs, g | cannot bear it
longer. Oh, let me go and try it once
more. Surely, shall meet some one who
will pity u.s."
"Don't go, Clara; don't leave me. Do
you not see that | am dying? There is
no help for me upon earth"
"Don't speak SO" cried the young
girl, in an agony of tears; "you are
faint with hunger. Keep up heart,
mother; / will not be long, some one
shall give to me-
And she rushed, frantically, down the
shaking stairs to the street. A gentle
man was just passing; she clutched him
eagerly by the sleeve.
"Give me some money!" she entreated.
ooh, give me some money to keep my
mother from dying."
The gentleman stopped abruptly,
startled at the agony quivering in her
voice.
"You must give to me-quick, quick"
she cried, fiercely. Every moments
delay fills my heart with wild misgiv-
ings."
Eyes, yes, child; of course you shall
have it. Where is your mother? Is she
ill?'
" Yes, i'll and starving, sir"
OH and starvingp' he said aghast,
putting his hand in his pocket and draw
ing out some money The young girl
snatched greedily at the few coins in his
hand, and darted away. Almost before
he had recovered from his bewilderment
she re-appeared, with bottle of wine
and small parcel.
"This way, SIR she said, breathlessly,
-" if YOU will come and see her"
eyes, yes, my dear; go on-Fll follow
you"
Together they entered the crazy house,
and began the ascent of the dirty stairs.
"Thank heaven you have come, Clara"
said faint voice, as they pushed open
the door. 81 thought l should die alone,
and it was so horrible"
cob, mother, here is kind gentle
man, and see, mother, | have some wine
and cakes for YOU"
And kneeIfng beside the tattered mat
tress which supported her mother, she
eagerly unrolled the parcels.
Elsie gave one glance at her bene-
factor, whose figure was Just discernible
in the fast-fading light; then pushing
back the cake which her daughter had
eagerly put to her lips, she burst into
tears, exclaiming, at is too late-it is
too late; feel no hunger now"
ooh, don't say SO, mother" said Clara,
sobbing too.
"Give her a mouthful of wine," said
the stranger, stopping upon the bare
floor, and raising the dying woman in
his arms.
She turned her glazed eyes with a
thankful gaze to his face.
"Good Ged," she CALCULATED; is it
you, Oscar IempleT'
An ashen hue stole over her face, and
her ey es closed in insensibility.
elsie" he cried, with intense emo
ton. Heavens, she is dead. Quick!
the wine"
And snatching the bottle, he poured
some down her throat. 1t revived her,
and laying her down, he took her thin
hand tenderly in his own.
Elsie, my poor Elsie" he said, too
much shocked at her condition to say
more.
"Ah, Oscar, you are well avenged.
See what misery | brought upon myself.
Sorrow and suffering have been pressing
upon me all these years, killing by slow
torture. | would have ended my life
long ago, if it had not been for my
child, Clara. Clara, my darling" clasp
her in her arms, what will become of