Connecticut western news., 1884-02-20
A Story of Duty
From Every Other Saturday. l


 In the middle of dark night Joel, a boy of nine years old, heard his name called by voice which, through his sleep, seemed miles away. Joel had been tired enough when he went to bed, and yet he had not gone to sleep for some time; his heart beat so at the idea of his mother being very ill. He well remembered his fathers death, and his mothers illness now revived some feel ings which he had almost forgotten. His bed was merely some clothes spread on the floor, and covered with a rug; but he did not mind that; and he could have gone to sleep at once but for the fear that had come over him. When he did sleep, his sleep was sound; so that his mothers feeble voice calling him seemed like call from miles away.
 In minute Joel was up and wide awake
 Y. s'Light the candle," he could just hear the voice say.
 He lighted the candle, and his beat. ing heart seemed to stop when he saw his mothers face. He seemed hardly to s know whether it was his mother or no. N "Shall call-?"
 "Call nobody, my dear. Come here. " He laid his cheek to hers. ''Mother, you are dying" he mur- ,. lured
 2 ''Yes, love, am dying. It is no use !: calling any one These little ones, : Joel"
 1T will take care of them, mother" :. "You, my child How should that | be ?"
 , "Why not?" said the boy, raising Y himself, and standing at his best height. 7 "Look at me, mother. can work, I s promise you"
 Rl His mother could not lift her hand, but she moved finger in way which checked him.
 7 "Promise nothing that may be too | hard afterward," she said. "I promise to try, then," he said 'sthat little sisters shall live at home, and never go to the work house." He spoke cheerfully, though the candle light glittered in the two streams of tears on his cheeks. ''We can go on living here; and we shall be so-'
 It would not do. The sense of their coming desolation rushed over him in a !. way too terrible to be borne. He hid his face beside her, murmuring
 ''Oh, mother mother p
 His mother found strength to move her hand now. She stroked his head with trembling touch, which he seemed to feel as long as he lived. She could not say much more. She told him she had no fear of any of them. They would be taken care of. She advised ' him not to awaken the little ones, who were sound asleep on the other side of her, and begged him to lie down himself till daylight, and try to sleep, when she should be gone.
 This was the last thing she said The candle was very low; but before it went out, she was eone Joel had always done what his mother wished; but he could not obey her in the last thing she said He lighted another candle when the first went out, and sat think 7 ing, till the gray dawn began to show through the window.
 When he called the neighbors, they were astonished at his quietness. He Y had taken up the children and dressed them, and made the room tidy, and lighted the fire, before he told anybody $ e7hat had happened. And when he M ,pened the door, his little sister was 1T
 is arms. She was two years old, anc 'uld walk, of course; but she liked being
 Joels arms. Poor Willy was the most VI nfounded. He stood with his pinafore -ssS his mouth, staring at the bed, and wondering that his mother lay so still.
 If the neighbors were astonished al Joel that morning, they might be more so at some things they saw afterward but they were not. Everything seemed done so naturally; and the boy evidently considered what he had to do so much , matter of course that less sensation wal exc1tea than about many smaller things
 After the funeral was over, Joel tiet up all his mothers clothes. He carried the bundle on one arm, and his siste on tbe other. He would not have hkeC to take money for what he had seen hi mother wear; but he changed them ava, for new and strong clothes for the child He did not seem to want any.help. H went to the factory the next morning, a usual, after washing and dressing tn children, aud getting breakfast of breat and milk with them. There was no fire and be put every knife and other danger ous thing on q high shelf and gav them some trifes to play with, an, promised to come and play with them a dinnsr-tims. And he did play, H