Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1881-06-02

but even all their kindness can but
ease nv burden in very slight degree
My anxiety becomes more unendura.
BILE day BY day.
At last certainty comes. One
evening Mrs. Norris brings me pa
per containing an account of great
battle fought on the very day I re-
ceived Franks last letter. l seize il
eagerly and turn to the list Of names.
look first at the killed. Thank
heaven, not there Then l glance at
the wounded. 1stare stupidity at the
page tor moment, then slip off OIL
my chair on to the floor, and buret
into such tears as have never shed
before or since. Yes, bis name is
there, and among the first.
The night falls l have not moved
from my place. Mrs. Norris, enter.
ing with little Frank, finds me still
crouched by the window, staring at
that one line in the newspaper.
My tears are stayed; l think m US,
nave cried them all away. Frank
tumbles all over my feet while seek
ing to know what is the matter.
rouse my self to soothe him, and 6nd
my own first ray Of hope In the rep.
etItion that papa is only ill-yes
only wounded" Sickness and death
are but words as yet to my little boy
AS soon as / move and speak to him
he is consoled, and is speedily asleep
in bis CRIB. Mrs. Norris tries vainly
to persu 4de me to follow his example
The master knows, ma am; and be
sends his love, and he will not come
to see you till the morning; but you
are to keep up your heart and sleep,
now YOU know the worst. He's very
down tonight, poor gentleman, or
he'd have come to you before; but he s
al mys bad this day, though tbs one
1sa twenty years gone now-dear,
!M1ear |"
What is one and twenty years
gone now?"
ask, with languid interest, repeat.
ing her words, not caring for the re
ply.
His poor son, maam. Oh, tbs a
very bad thing giving wayl You
should take heed" she continues in a
warning voice. Just think how much
better it would have been for the poor
master if bed but kept up-not but
what bis was a real sorrow too
How was it?" | cry eagerly, with
a sudden sense of sympathy for my
strange old host. How did he lose
bis Frank7 Tell me. Can there be a
curse on all the heirs of this dreadful
place? Mr.. Eyret on 8 son is gone, and
Frank s father and BROTHER and now
my Frank perhaps" But the
sentence ends in sobs. cannot finish
it.
Hush, hushl" saws the old woman
soothlngly Don't take up such sill.
ly notions If our poor Master Frank
died by any curse, twas the one that
falls on disobediant children. Stay
crying. my poor dear, and III tell
you"
She seats herself, after lighting the
candle and drawing the curtains close
| nestle down beside the lilac prin,
gown which clothes the first woman
who has given me word of motherly
tenderness; and, moved, | fancy, by
the sight of my trouble ard excitement
and desiring to calm and divert my
mind, she breaks the silence she has
hitherto observed concerning the fam
lily mistortnnes, and begins her story
Master Frank" she commences
my Master Frank, you know-was as
fine looking young man MS you'd see
anywhere, and the masters darling
Maybe he spollt him; but twas all the
child he had, and the mistress died
when be was born. Anyway, Master
Frank grew up wild, though good
hearted he always was; and he got into
debt ard gave the master deal Of
trouble, and the master was hard upon
him then, all the more perhaps because
be loved him so. As last, when things
seemed to be at the worst, they mend
ed. Master Frank turned over new
leaf, and promised to settle down
steady. rcor young ladl He wasn't
one-snd. twenty then, but his birthday