The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-04-29

devotedly loved, she would have ended
her own existence. Jealous of the atten-
tion she lavished upon her babe, the in
human father threatened to take it from
her. Not dreaming him capable of SO
diabolical an act, she did not fear the
fulfllment OF this threat, and on the af-
ternoon of the day they found her at
their deor, she left her darling under his
care, while she went forth in search of
employment. On her return after
fruitless afternoons labor, she found
their lodgings deserted, and not a 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 clue to the little ones retreat.
At length, tired of wandering about, she
sat down upon doorstep to rest. Here
she remembered nothing further; and
.Oh! Ellen" the invalid continued, ssto
think that I should have come to you,
to be nursed by you back to life-you
who would be justified in turning me
from your door, because of the blight I
have cast upon your noble brothers life.
But God knows how bitterly I have been
punished for my folly"
Tears filed Mrs. Parker's eyes, as she
concluded her sorrowful story, and
trinkeled down her pale cheeks. Ellen,
kissing the tears away, vainly tried to
cheer her by picturing q brighter future,
the possibility of again finding her miss
ing child. She declared she would never
be happy while her tyrant husband
lived
Ellen, embracing this opportunity,
and burial to his heart broken wife, who
listened with bated breath and long
drawn sighs 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 endeavered 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
condition-deprived of her father, hus-
band and child. '.My poor baby" she
walled, s'if I only had yen could bear
all else"
''Then bear your trials, dear Lucy;
your child is safe and well, Ellen said ,
and proceeded to tell the weeping
mother how the child had been found at
a gentleman's door; how it had been
taken in and tenderly cared for, until
she should be sufficiently recovered to
| take 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 find
ing herself alone fell 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
1 E
.tOh, Godi" she concluded, .tbless and
prosper him who, in charity, has sue
cored my lost lamb in its hour of direst
need" Rising, she stood face to face
with Frederick Wells"
For an instant her tongue refused to
articulate a word, but as her eyes
fell upon her lost darling whom
he carried in his arms, she uttered a
cry, and snatching the child to her glad
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 it is to give JOY than
sorrow.
When Mrs. Parker 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 kind
ness. but also that of this child, inf
nitely more precious to me?" he an
swered: By giving me the right to
watch over and protect you both, 1 will
be made immeasurably happy" and
drawing mother and child to his breast
he kissed Lucy's tear-stained face.
Of course she consented, for few
months later quiet wedding took place
from the Wells residence, when, after
all her sorrows, Lucy Parker became the
wife of her hearts first love.