Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-08
The Ballad Singer.

brought an eager, expecJant look on nel
pinched features, as if she were waiting fol-
some one.
The mother sighed She had long since
lost all trust in her husbands promises, for
tn 3 love of drink had taken hold of him
such a hold that he could bear to see her and
his children suffer rather than deny himself
the indulgence which was running soul and
body, as it had already ruined his prospects
and his home.
Hours went by, but no father came to
little expectant Bessie, who moaned with
pain, and turned away from the bread which
was all her mother had to give. Not
penny was in the house no fire, no food for
the sick child, and poor Mary Brian sat
with her infant in her arms trying to hush
its cries as she pondered over the thought
which had been in her heart all day. And
that thought was how she might earn a few
pence to get food for Bessie she could not
leave the little ones and 60 to work, even il
she had been strong enough. Only a month
before, her husband had brought her to
London, with the promise of keeping from
the vice which had disgraced him in his own
village, That mouth had been time OF
worse suffering than before. Not only had
Brian given way to drink, but Mary herself
had been i'll and laid aside, and now Bessie
grew worse daily from the want of proper
food.
All this the poor mother thought ovei
during the long day-hours, and she could see
but one course before her-she had still a
clear, sweet voice. and, shameful and de
grading as it seemed to her, she resolved a.
evening fell to go out into the streets and
try thus to earn something
Mother'l not be long, DEAR" she said,
bending down to the sick child as she las
tened her shawl round her with trembling
fingers.
A faint smile passed over the pinched little
face, and Bessie lay still, listening as her
mother went down the dark, creaking stairs
with the baby in her arms, and out into the
sharp keen night air.
Once in the street, poor Mary Brian
walked on few yards, in doubt where to
go. 1t must be somewhere away from her
wretched room, in some road where mothers
lived with happy, wel-fed children in com
Portable homes-mothers whose hearts God
might touch with pity for the poor singer.
On she went, till streets and courts, and
dirty, fever-stricken alleys were lett behind
turning into a quiet road where she saw
lights Shining from behind the drawn cur
tains, she began with trembling voice to
| sing little ballad she had sung in her girl
| hood many a time az she worked bv her
mothers side in her country home.
No one needed the singer-her song was
ended, and no voice called her. What
should she do ? A picture of Bessie lying
on her miserable bed rose before the poor
mother.
40 God, have mercy on me Send hell
to me in my great need" was the cry of tn,
an oid ,,Ia;,t;,a son, and now tbera va,
M nhI;n, in the tones Of her voice
ao,,'att;,,a, soa,,,,5 70 tell bar cha had M,
oSLad ca baIn in vain PRESENTLY a cnr
ra;n nae jra ,rr hanL From, ,yindoy and ,
fair ittl,, face anneared
Nav RI y, ,ha ANAL hand noint;n,
bsr ont hrt sbn conld not hear the child
',neai 70 ;,s mo,ber fnr :. the Moor woma,
appd ths ut,Io :" Sba fel, as .he wa,
onIIad ~ ,ha dcor tbat ODD had answare,
ber nraver ''' N' '''''
pai' ,,o 60 tho r,rrou streets an,
,,,.saoas hn, oh how ii'Tbt was her bear,
Sivne,,co il, her bond bes;da niscas of msat
hradd and othar thiuos ,y,a,,nad in a marcel
',',j aar';ad 'rdor has .hanf What rche
:; ~ sa''','ad, T,ta.;nr shnn Mrs. Rr;a,
hongbt two oranges and tonk them nm /,
tha sya;,;nr chiid yhn smiled 80 gladly a
,ha s;%ht
+, cod,s do;rn Rase;s said th
noor mother :. Pm AFRAID I have been for
i,etting him a long' time and vet he is 900,
Ill Sin, to toncb soma ona,
haan, ,d h., IA H."
"ps,hans he would mako father GOOD i
Won a.ted motbar" said the dear child. ia,
S,a,,;',,. e., ,,'ar,i,,t har d.l;nht
Ea,tl th,, n;nht Nory Rr;an tbouobt n
tbooa ,yords 40 sbn wa;tad for her husband
ste H vet waited in vain Never vet had sh
,oo atd., ' that ',ravar 10 Cod. hnt che made
,han anI asL.J ,bat nor hnshand might h
h romrht hacL to lis old salf--the steadS bo,
a,t g. h., Id - ,,bar sha narr;od hin
A wal, u,ant hv and notbing yy.s seeu q
"'0n 80 ~ ",a a;,, h;s T' ,,ant ~,
j., tI' ;' 80 Us, for tl,"s o,,i,, conl
H. H. 'a e.i - o; hraad H., he
nra,,ar Co.. barbnshond ran,ainsd una,eware
80 ,;,, iad 'nt ,,at 60 MaanY,h;l
pass;a,s EttIo H. fo;,ad Sast NO fnod N
ar, oo',d hal,, har n",n, tho doo,or so;d
L' 49, 80 So, H., ,,oorl,
ne w d""2 o"' II lbs i'J ,,t NJ, hi.
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uv au sa ohs' a. sa,har b' oaJ = a
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ns ~" ne "e'' "iIn u"sVea'y ooopo " ~ y,
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pad fo thop 10 thsa IN mind that vii IN
p't IJ ID ainand sa', w., ~
uuv r, 1"o aod w. o"d head No lono " W
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nf th, rast +, ,,ae thara hu e. Ia ohi, i,
10, he ,oro;sod 800, a,,,;n 10 nir, . a'',"
w. n" th n vica ,"bich had hrennht rSir NV" wa
sntfering ~ Iit,le Rass;e Mr. did be 1r o.,
;sa in IN for Mar, Rria, could soon -