Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-02-14

ne wanted TO make his earrings more
comfortable ; yet, by doing his utmost,
his scanty earnings were barely sufficient
to give us shelter for our heads, and to
provide the poorest food for us.
"Such we're our circumstances when
there arose the cry, Gold in California;
and party of adventurers, among whom
was my father, started for the far-otf
Eldorado. We had still harder times
after he was gone, but my mother bore
up bravely, toiIing all through the long
days, and often the greater part OF the
nights for q substenance for herself and
child, until the news came that he died
with fever in the land OF promise. Then
she sank beneath the blow, and fell
sick. It was many months after the day
on which the dreadful letter came ero
she was able to sit up again. Duling
these long months | know that we
should have suffered from want of food,
fire and clothing, had it not been for tho
kindness of gentleman, stranger who
was recruiting his health at our little
village. Indeed, so kind was he that
when after time he asked for my moth
els hand in marriage, she could not
find it in her heart to refuse it to him.
They were married in the little church
in Alton, and, soon after their marriage
they purchased the house known as the
Maynard place, and removed to that
town, where, in accordance with my
step-father's wishes l passed for his
child.
"But my own father was not dead,
though he had stood upon tho bounda-
ries of the other world and after months
of hard labor he returned to find the
ones for whom he had tOiled claimed
by another
"'At first said this dear father to
me, on the night when he met me by
appointment at the masquerade. /
thought that 1 should go away, and
none would know that was still alive ;
but my love for my child overcamo my
resolution, and L resolved to see her at
all risks
"Atter that I met him oftontimes in
my own room, sometimes in the woods;
for it always gave me joy to live even a
moment in his presence.
81 have heard it said that | am too
unstable in mind to be good Christian.
Perhaps it so; still / have been strong
enough to endure everything for my
mothers sake. 10 keep the bitter truth
from her, saw myself an outcast from
society, and the object of the jeers even
of those who had prolessed to love me
the best.
at was only in the closing hours OF
my mothers life that she knew all and
when those unearthly bright eyes gazed
fondly upon me, and the dying lips mur-
INJURED family, God bless you my dar-
ling! tie suffering Of years was amply
repaid.
"Ihis is the confession you wished
me to make-this is the dreadful thing
for which you took away my good name,
and had meeXpelled from the church and
thank God, they can neeer return The
last sod has been placed upon my moth
ers coffin lid, and [ go away with my only
remaining earthly friend, never to be
parted from him until God shall call ono
or the other to the eternal rest. And
now, Deacon Mar, entreat you by the
love you once bore me, to clear my
name of the blackness with which you
have surrounded it. ID this, AMI you
will ever have the prayers Of
BEETHA ALIEN
This letter ] real aloud in church, as
it was right that | should do; and when
| had finished, there was not a dry eye in
that room, for all had loved blithesomo
Bertha Maynard, who signed herself
Bertha Allen now.
Aud | think that one and all of us went
home that day, wiser and better for the
lesson which we lad learned, Even
stern Brotbe" Gregg wiped his eyes and
hoped that God would forgive him for
the part he had in the matter, and not
lay it up against him at the lasu day,
when the booAs shall be opened, and
all, both great and small, shall be
Judged therefrom.