Woodstown register. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 187?-1892, 1883-06-19
ooh, Belton-never :"

On, Belton-neVer !!
"Just as you please" said Mr.. Black,
his face growing as hard as adamant,
But remember n thing, Nora-you
must choose between them and your
lover!"
Honora uttered a sobbing cry.
"Belton, Bolton = walled she, chow
can you be SO hard?
II am only sensible and practical"
"They are so little, SO helpless. Oh,
/ cannot turn them over to the cruel
mercies of the world" pleaded Hon
ora.
That must be for you to decide.
She sat for a minute looking at the
child-hgures that fitted about on the
edge of the wood, listening to their
innocent laughter then she looked
up into his face.
II have decided" said she. 81 can
not leave the children"
Bolton Blacks brow grew dark as
night.
Every WE'LL said he. rising to his
feet you are aware what that i'm
plies"
yes" in a low, tremulous voice.
And you are willing to abide by
it?"
eyes"
"Good-by them" extending a cold
hand.
"Good-by Belton."
And her eyes followed him with a
vague. fascinated gaze as he strobe
out of the green glade and was lost to
view.
"Have l done right?" she asked
herself, with a sharp pain at her heart;
and then as little Nellie came up, cry
ing out, mora, Nora,me got a form in
me fnger!" and holding up the tiny
digit, with tear-stained cheeks, she
caught the child in her arms and Sob
bed out, God help me! Yes. | have
done right, for these little ones have
no one but me-"
So Honora Leigh went back to her
life of patient drudgery and ceaseless
toll once more. And the rich gentle
man on the first floor who saw her go
in and out with her little music-roll,
asked the landlady who she was.
It's Miss Leigh. sir" said the wo-
man "a daily governess, and one Of
the sweetest, most self-denying young
ladies as ever gave up her life for the
benefit of Others"
"Humph !" said the rich gentleman.
"There- are not many such in the
world"
mo sir indeed there's notn sale
q AMocYs
How the rich gentleman on the frs
floor became acquainted with the daily
governess-how the children began tt
run in and out of his room, and asked
him to tell them marvellous stories o
America, from whence he came-ane
how at last pretty Nora went back II
America with him as his wife, would
make too long a recital in detail. Suf
fee it to say that such was the fact.
God bless the little ones !" Mr.
Bonfield said there's room and tt
spare for them in my home. And, t.
my thinking, there's no sweeter soune
aboutthe house than children's voices
And if anything could have mad,
Nora love her husband more dearly
than she had done before, it woult
have been these words of his.
And the years went by, andthe it'll
children grew up into health ant
beauty, and Nora, in her satins, hat
almost forgotten the sore straits of he
early girlhood, when one day the pas
was recalled to her by a most unex
pected accident.
eff you please, Mrs. Bonheld,
said the cook, one day, Tim say
there's a poor family sittin' down il
the old cottage by the gates. as is al
most starving. Sure says I to Tim
why don't you tell the missus? Say
he: What for would l be botherin'
her, and they nothing to her? Say
I, The hand of her was never close
agin the sick and the poor, and II
tell her, Tim, if you don't"
"You are right Mary" said Mrs
Bonfeld. 81 will go this evening ant
inquire into the case"
And with Charley carrying a baske
in which was piled a goodly supply o
Jelly, wine, homemade bread and hot
house grapes, Nora walked to th'
ruined cottage at dusk.
Alas for the squalor and the povert,
of the wretched place! A candl
burning on the hearth, a gaunt form
outstretched on a heap of straw, witt
fever-glowing cheek and eyes rollin!
restlessly in their sunken sockets
while by the door sat a faded woman
rocking a child to and fro in her lap
II hope were not intruding, ma am
said she, with something of a lady!
courtesy and accent; "but my hus
band could go no further. W. are OF
our way to Omaha, where he though
he could get employment"
"You are quite welcome to sta,
here" said Mrs. Bonfeld, gently
land | will send you some things from
the house to make you more comfort
able. Your husbands name is"
"Black, ma'am-Belton Black. View,
had bad luck, and we thought perhap!
we might do better here" sighed the
woman. "But | heartily wish we has
stayed in England"
Nora Bonfeld's heart beat violently
as she advanced a space or two to
ward the wretched heap ofstraw where
the yellow flicker of the candle faintl,