The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-24
milk with few blackberries all-suffi-


cient.
Another letter from Helen, few
days after the first, will quote entire:
HOTEL DE L EURoPE, ROME, August 20, 1877.
my DEAR JANE am the most wretched
of women Birdie is dreadfully i'll. The doc
tor and the nurse send me from the room. 1t
matters little, for my precious child does not
know me. They urge me to ride, send car
r1ages for me continually, but must stay near
her. The doctor has just ordered me to write
to some friend. He scolds me for my dis
tracted state as if could be less overcome by
TINS affiiction than am. will open my heart
to you my dear old friend. Jane God is pun
lshlnR me for my sins Jack will not admit it.
put know it well. The finger of God could
not write it palmer upon my heart. We were
happy-oh, so happy!-in our dear old Mount
hope cottage, for we were serving God by
labor for our own and all those around us.
me wilderness about our home we made bios
som IKE the rose. Birdie grew strong and
beautiful every day. o. those days when we
were really rich! for all we had was ours by
honest right, not gained by some trick of
speculation. Our simple food was sweeter
IMAM all the banquets of our grander state.
Jack was tempted by his old friend to go into
what he called and the world calls legitimate
business. They were finally two of eight men
who bought up all the flour in the market, or
enough of it, Jane, to make every starving
cnlld Ioaf OF bread cost its wretched parents
penny more; for they held on to this flour
qntll II went up and up. Then they sold and
Jack became a rich man. Jane, the grand
Iorrlceill you so much admire was built with
such money as that. | felt that Jacks bust
ness was an uurighteous one. but / allowed
my instincts to be argued down. There was
my great sin; but, o God, my punishment
you, my cousin Jane, for here ] solemnly
swear that if my Heavenly Father will spare
my beloved child | will retrace my steps and
go back to my simpler and nobler life. But l
Ever yours, dear cousin,
"HELEN BURBANK."
This letter explained a great deal.
saw just why Helen had not appreciated
Gas thought) her lovely home. During
these lonely weeks as mistress of Tori
cell reflected deeply upon the vanity
of riches, the coveting of which had al
ways been my besetting sin. 1t was
discipline | needed, and it taught me to
distinguish between real and apparent
wealth. Helen, in her poverty, had al
most every blessing; in her wealth a
beggar might have pitied her could he
have read her heart. 1t was plain that
the great love once existing between her
and Jack had become as cool as that of
the most worldly husbands and wives.
Then saw by this letter that Helen had
forgotten how to be Christian, else she
would not have made a conditional VOW
to God. She would have simply bowed
her head and promised to return to
better life.
My suspense was soon relieved by
telegram, or cablegram, as some say.
Simply the words, /" God be praised;
Birdie is saved a month afterward
Helen wrote gay letters from Paris, and
spoke of soon returning home. She had
bought some wonderful pictures and
some old carvings, . worth their weight
in gold" She wrote of certain changes
she was contemplatingin the decorations
of Torricelli, and gave me directions
which she had not done before. was
terrified Had she utterly forgotten her
solemn vow? There was a sense of I'M
rest continually with me, and when
dispatch came that the family had taken
passage on the City of Lyons, my first
thought was, There is Jonah on that
steamer" Still, it was an idle thought,
which did not occur again when weeks
and months passed and there came no
news of the vessel. 1t has always been
supposed that she foundered in mid
ocean, and that every soul persisted.
Jack left no will, and when his estate
came to be settled there was not one
dollar for any of his heirs, though he
had passed for very wealthy man. Ev-
erybody presented claims. | thought of
Jacks watch-word: "Visible opulence."
He had known, then, upon what frail
foundations his wealth had rested. Even
the stately Torricelli with its ivy-crowned
towers must have been to him verita-
BILE castle in the air.--M HOULdnd, IN
HnrDe9'S IOnfbHI