The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-10-08

Vernon spoke collectedly ana solemnly,
and o strange awe crept over the girl as
she listened. ~ am very near my death,
and my mind knows no rest for the fore
boding that Is on my spirit for Arnold's
sake. Though he is not my son, | have
loved him--aye, do love him with a
strength that shall endure beyond the
grave, for his mother, my darling Mabel,
put him into my arms when she died,
and babe me love him as my own. /
have done that-aye more than have
loved you, my poor child. who are my
cwn flesh and blood. He needed it
more--he needed it morel Arnold is
weak and hayward the dying woman
went on, "you are strong and steadfast
sufficient for yourself, sufficient to guide
and protect. Erica, you love mey'' she
said suddenly, half-raising herself and
tightening her hold of the girls hand.
NMother -" The girl stopped,
choking down the burning, passionate
words that rushed to her lips-could
words, indeed, utter the love she bore
that mother, who had given her only
the second place, after all? "Mother,"
she said, then, earnestly and softly,
Il
give my very life for your sakel"
Mrs. Vernon turned aside for brief
moment. How cruelty that unsellish
love reproached her now. But still, for
Anold's sake, she would prove it.
You would lay down your life for
me- she said slowly. II believe you,
child. | ask you to do that. Hush!
hear me. ] ask you to give it me in Civ
ing it to Arnold. You start back. No,
| do not mean as his wife-unless, in
future years, you both wish it--but you
must be his protector against himself,
his guide, his strength. Arnold is
wayward and wild. Oh, Erica! my soul
quails to think of him left alone to fight
for himself in this dread battlefield of
temptation, and wrong, and sin. Ward
off the consequences of his falls, protect
him from'a Evil, whatever be the cost
to you or to others!" She lifted her.
self now, laying an impassioned clasp
on the girls shoulder, her eyes eager,
bright with the fervor Of her appeal,
Swear she said in low passionate
tones, 'sWear by all your hopes of
Heaven, by all you value and hold dear
to love and protect Arnold Murray
through evil report and good report, in
honor and dishonOr; to shield him from
all danger, however incurred; to do this
without counting the cost to yourself
or others; to suffer loss, shame, misery
in his place. Swear say, and then
and then can diet
With strange awe on her spirit, "A
strange power laying her soul under a
spell, from which she yet revolted in
the wild terror of her despair the girl
put out her hands, as though 10y that
she could ward off the black cloud clos
ing so densely around her, speaking
with smothered words:
Mother. mother, spare me! Not
that. | cannot do all that you would
bind me to. Oh, spare mel"
Child, am dying | ask this last
proof of the love you say you bear me,
Ny soul is in torture-will YOU not put
me out of pain, that | may die in
peace?"
In quick, heavy sobs came the girl S
breath, in wild, excited throbs beat her
heart. No. ii was not much-only an
oath made in the presence of death, on
" something that should tie her with
strong cords hand and foot.
lutH sic lilNcu lltl ldCc. du'l SlbNlN
in measured accents repeated the terri
bic words that bound her TO shield Ar
mold Murray from all danger, in honor
or dishonor, not counting the cost to
herself or others
And then she kissed the cross she
Wore. and knelt on still with bowed
head and clenched hands, and the WON
an fell back with long sigh of relief
and waited quietly for death.
And thus Erica took up her life bur
den.