The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-04-10
SsIsttsA gtorp.
MAY and SEPTEMBER,

In Well furnished apartment in
one Of the houses in Blooningdale
street.. there sat, on the morning l
speak of, three persons. One was
a man whose smooth brow and un-
faded locks told nothing of age;
second was lady who might once
have possessed great beauty, but on
whom consumption was making
hasty and unmistakable ravages.
The third was girl of eighteen or
nineteen, whose likeness to each,
as we'll as her evident devotion to
their wants, proclaimed her their
daughter. Kate Ashcroft was not
beautiful, in the common acceptance
of the word. She had fine express
sive eyes and sweet mouth, but
even these did not entitle her to be
called q. beauty. The highest
charm of her face was o sweet and
lovely expression, speaking of in
ward peace and gentle, kindly
thoughts.
MIR. Ashcroft had long been an in
valid. When still in the prime of
life, paralysis had done it's work
upon his frame, bringing all the ap.
pearance of old age to his noble
figure, while his face was still youth
lful. Mrs. Ashcroft had watched
beside him faithfully and deyotedly
until consumption had touched her
with its chilling fingers, and laid
her upon bed of pain and di>tress.
Thus it fell to the daughter to
nurse both invalids; and she did it
with devotion that made the task
light. She was the light of their
eyes--the only being whom they
could not eheerfully give up, in the
prospect of death.
What would she do when tl.ey
were gone, was question tLat
weighed upon their minds most
heavily. They had no relatives
near enough to take an interest in
the child; and the few friends they
possessed were in foreign lands.
Judge, then, how desolate was the
path that seemed to be before the
daughter they loved so well. It is
added, too, to their anxiety, that
they must leave her penniless.
Sickness had melted away their
resources until the little that was
left would hardly, Mr.. Ashcroft
thought, pay the expenses of the
double funeral which must inevita-
bly, follow their long and lingering
Illness.
DO not grieve so, dearest father
Kate had been saying: Il shall
surely be provided for. I can work
as well as any others. The little l
shall want, l can earn
Her father gazed at her with
fearful eyes. "Poor Child! !" he
exclaimed; chow little you know of
the world. How will you, who
have known SO little of the trials of
life, be able to stem the rude torrent
of adversely? How will you bear
up against the terrible burden
Of poverty? Will these little hands
be strong enough to earn your daily
breade You who have never been
trained to work.. who have never
borne the: weight of crushing sor-
row. o. mereiful Father! Bring
her into the fold, and make her
thine especial care! !''
Tears hot and bitter impeded his
utterance. It was long ere Kate
could soothe him into anything
like composure. Mute and still
was the mothers grief, yet as deep
as that of her husband. All the
terrors of q desolate, lonely life foF
Kate qpFose before her; yet she
conquered all trace of emotion. It
was but the prelude of graey suf.
fering, for that night saw her in the
shadow of the dark valley. The
breaking of blood vessel was the
consequence of her Suppressed
emotion, and before morning the
weary spirit was released from the
suffering body.
There sat the shadow feared
| of man.
More rapidly than ever Mr.. Ash.
croft was failing. The death of
his wife was his own death blow.
From the moment of her departure
he ceased to speak, and lay wrap.
ped in grief. 1t was pitiful indeed
y 70 see poor Kate. She went ftonl