The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-03-09

1
occasion had she mentioned her pre-
servers name. This was, when speaking
OF her past wretched existence, she
blamed herself for having not only
blighted her own life, but for being the
cause of his misery. She told Ellen
that her father had extorted promise
| from her to marry Parker by avowing
himself on the verge of bankruptcy,
from which this marriage alone would
save him. Accordingly she sacrificed
her hearts dearest love in order to save
her fathers honor. Matters got worse,
instead of better, after this ill-fated mar
riage. Parker spent his time and
money at the gaming table, and, finally,
not content with squandering his own
money, spent that of the firm also. A
crisis was inevitable, and when at last
the house was declared bankrupt every
thing was sacrificed to satisfy the credi-
tors. Even her father was not spared
her; for, when he realized the extent of
misery in store for himself and his
cherished child, he took his own life.
But her trials did not end here. Her
husband fell from one degradation to
another, till at last, from neglecting
! his young wife, he grew to abuse her.
| With the aid OF few friends she OBJ
tanned several music scholars, and with
the money thus earned kept starvation
| from her door. When at length her
patrons refused to aid one whose
drunken husband was ever in attend
ance, she resolved to fly with her child,
an infant of seven months, from the
scene of her many sorrows, to the East,
where she hoped to get employment
but here she was followed and
tortured by her tyrant husbands pres
ence. Life became almost unbearable,
and but for her child, whom she devo-
tedly loved, she would have ended her
own existence. Jealous of the atten.
ton she lavished upon her babe, the
inhuman father threatened to take it
from her. Not dreaming him capable
of so diabolical an act, she did not fear
afternoon of the day they found her ut
their door. she left her darling under
his care, while she went forth in search
of employment, On her return after
fruitless afterp oon's labor, she found
their lodgings deserted, and not trace
of the whereabouts of her child to be
seen. Realizing that her husband had
kept his threat, she rushed, frantic with
grief, about the streets in hopes of find
ing some clew to the little ones retreat.
At length, tired of wandering about,
she sat down upon doorstep to rest.
Here she remem bered nothing further;
and "Ohi Ellen, the invalid continued,
"to think that I should have come to
you, to be nursed by you back TO- life
yoa who would be justified in turning
me from your door. because of the
blight l have cast upon your noble
brothers life. But God knows. how
bitterly I have been punished for my
folly"
Tears filled Mrs. Parker's eyes, as she
concluded her sorrowful story, and
trinkled down her pale cheeks. Ellen,
kissing the tears away, vainly tried co
cheer her by picturing brighter tu-
ture, the possibility of again finding her
missing child. She declared she would
never be happy while her tyrant hus.
band lived.
Ellen, embracing this opportunity,
disclosed the details of Parker's death
and burial to his heart-broken wife, who
listened with bated breath and long
drawn signs till she had finished the sad
recital; then throwing her arms about
Ellen's neck she sobbed out her grief on
her shoulder.
The latter endeavoIed to soothe her
sorrows, but Lucy was inconsolable, not
so much at the loss of her miserable
husband as at the realization of her own
destitute ondition-deprived of father,
husband and child. "My poor baby"
she walled, ''if only had you / could
bear all else."
"Then bear with your trials, dear
Lucy; your child is safe and WE'LL"
Ellen said, and proceeded to tell the
weeping mother how her child had
been found at gentleman's door; how
it had been taken in and tenderly cared
for until she should be sufficiently re-
covered to receive it back; that this
same gentleman was at that moment
waiting to restore it to her arms, and,
recommending her to quiet and rest,
Ellen left the room to prepare her
brother for the meeting.
Lucy had covered her face with her
hands and promised to comply; but
| finding herself alone she threw herself
on her knees, and raising her hands and
eyes to heaven, in fervent tones she
thanked the Father of the widow and
the orphan for having spared her to her
fatherless little one. "Oh, God!" she
concluded, "bless and prosper him
who, in his charity, has succored my
lost lamb in its hour of direst need"
Rising, she stood face to face with
Frederick Wells.
For an lnstfat her tongue refused TO
articulate word, but as her eyes fell
upon her lost darling, whom he carried
in his arms, she utterd a glad cry, and
snatching the child to her bosom, the
fond mother almost smothered the
frightened little one with caresses,
Mr.. Wells, standing silent witness
of this reunion, felt amply repaid for
his long years of pain, and he thought
how much more blessed IL ia In rive inv
than sorrow. -
When Mrs. Parkes raised her eyes,
streaming with tears of joy, to his face,
and said: "Mr. Wells, how shall /
ever pay this great debt of gratitude,
for not only do owe my own life to
your kindness, but also that of this
child, infinitely more precious TO meP"
he answered: "By giving me the right
to watch over and protect you both, /
will be made immeasurably happy;"
and drawing mother and child to his