The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-03-09
NUMBER l..

latlon IN the funds, he accepted the sue
cess which had hitherto attended his
schemes as an augury and earnest of its
perpetuity; but the tide OF fortune, as is
frequently the ease, ebbed suddenly and
ceaselessly. Political events dan kened
and convulsed the horizon of the money
market" ;" n rapid and ruinous fall in the
unds was the consequence, and the hap
ess Moulton found himself not only beg
CARED but involved in liabilities to the
amount of thousands, which not the
mortgage OF every acre he pOSSc cSsed, not
even the sale OF the family jewels and
plate, would avail to discharge. Mad
dened, desperate, cowardly, he staggered
beneath, the new and Ovcrwhe elming
evils which met him on every side, and,
instead OF waiting for the helpful. healing
aid OF the time, faith, energy" the
three friends Goi has given to the poor"
Iut pistol to his head, and became n
suicide
The brief limits OF tale forbid us to
follow step by step the declining fortunes
of the devoted family of Moulton. The
widow and her daughter found-as, alas
TO the dIscredlt OF human nature, eNpe-
r.ence has ever proved-that the sum
mer friends of prosperity fly with the
irSt indication OF penury's wintry chills.
They gathered together the small rem
nant OF property, which, after the pay
-nent of all debts, yielded but poor pit
lance indeed and leaving the scene OF
their former splendOr forever, proceeded
10 New York. They entered the great
city, without aim, resources, or friends
IT was now, and ever since the shadows
OF adversely had encompassed them.
that all the beautiful points in Neva's
character moro prominently developed
themselves Though but a child still
such events seemed to have forced into
sudden maturity the wisdom and intelli-
gence of ripened years. She saw Ihcr
mother, weak in nature, now absolutely
helpless in grief and indigencc, with
only tears and lamentations, to meet the
evils which surrounded them, without
faith for the future. To add TO their al
ready "huEc calamities," an attack o
rheumatism laid Mrs. Moulton on sick
bed, and deprived her temporarily of the
use of her limbs; they had established
themselves in small lodging, in an Oh
scure locality. Their money had been
consumed by the long illness OF Mrs.
MoultoD, and she was dependant oa
Neva for support. Nevas tender age
presented an insupcrable barrier. Who
would take a child as an ins,ructress ?
The construction Of fancy articles for
the baZa.irs was the only me iium that
suggested itself to provide q ROOF and
maintenance for them. In the scorch-
nS heat the wlntry snow. was the once
painpercd cnild OF luxury and pomp
compelled TO traverse the streets. to ind
purchasers for her work. She rcpined
not II success were the reward OF her
abors, and they procured - the dearest
boon the means to purchasr some COW
eted dainty Tor her sick and querulous,
out fOnd!y loved mother. For herself
she cared nothing; her fLre was the
scantest, her dress simple toIling from
early dawn TO the midnight chime. never
fret al, never murmerIng. She conhded
an HIM who "CarcS Tor the tathcr.eSs."
Day by day her step became feebIer, still
she worked on. 1t was after 4 morning
more than usually harassing, when
weary hours had been spent proftlesslv
IN endeavoTlng to dispose of her little
wares that Neva, on her hOneward path,
took her route through the Central Park.
hoping that the fresh clear breezes
might, at least Temporarily, brace her.
The bright sunshine, the glItterlng equip
ages, the smiling faces, ali were in sad
contrast with the pale-faCed, sorrowful
girl, who was crawling, rather than walk
-ng, along the broad thronged path. A
nursery maid with two children, one an
.niant in arms the other a beautiful boy
shree years of age, were amongst tha pc
iestrlans. The baby dropped the toy it
neid IN its tiny hand: the servant stooped
40 recover IL, and AT the same instant, thu
Coy, in pursuit OF a dog which accom-
panied them, rushed into the midst of
he drive where the carriages were roll
ng Carelessly along; another minute
and the child would have been crushed
under the wheels of a carriage, when
Neva, who saw the boys imminent dan
ger, at the risk of her own lie, dragged
MIN from the road. But in her efforts
to avert danger from the child she her
sell received blow from the pole OF the
carriage, and she had scarcely place him
uuharmed on the fOotpath ere she fell
bleeding and scnseleSs on the ground.
10 summon the carriage of the grand
mother OF the boy, which was a little
way IN advance, explain tho nature OF
the accident, liC the hfeless Neva into
the vehicle, and convey her to the near
est surgeons 5, were events that followed
IN Instant succession. The injuries she
had received were found TO be on exam
mat on OF trItling nature. She was
Crivcn TO her humble lodging promising
to call on Mrs. Lee. the relative of the
child, as soon rs she was sufficiently re-
covered, and receive again her grateful
thanks.
But weeks passed ere Neva could do
this,-a long and severe illness followed
he event narrated above. Not un-
cheered, not un>olaced> however, was
her sick bed; Mrs Lee, aScertaining the
straiten"d circumstance of the girl who
aad saved her idolized grandchild from
death, provided every appliance which
generosity and wealth could supply TO
mitigate and relieve the sufferings of
Ncva. Finding, on n near and constant
with her, the beautiful char
acter exhibited, she offered, on her re-
covcry, permanent home to herself and
mother in her house. And when the
period OF convalescence arrived the offer
WAS accepted, Neva becoming the in
- - Ns raE 4
u the boy Mrs. Lees only daughterl
nad died IN giving birth to an infant, now
only lew months old the father was in
INDIA, AMI the whole charge of the chill
1ren devolved on Mrs. Lee, whose love
and wealth made her qualified for the
task, but who labored under the affection
OF total blindness. It was, therefore
with Joy she found one SO competent. so
gentle, so accomplished, as Neya IN
associate with her in the care OF the
children committed to her charge In
another way also wGs Ncva able tc
minister 10 Mrs. Lees qualification. Ncva
had a voice OF exquisite beauty. To
listen to the songs she had loved in early
youth, breathed 10y the sweet and bird
Ike voice OF Neva, was a source of in
5ense and unfailing delight to Mrs. Lee.
Perhaps in the great city, no house pos.
seSSed circle where the inmates we're
more TRANQUILITY happy, than were gather
ed under the roof of Mrs Lee. The dis
position OF Neva, serene, hopeful un-
shaken IN adversely, resumed the buoy
ancy which distinguished il in early
youth. Hers was a temperament which
1ot only is a boon to its possessor, but
difuses over a whole household its
beneticent and genial power. There
was soon another being on whose DESTINY
she should exert mighty and abiding
influence. Mr., Stephens, the father OF
the children, arrived from India Truth
rs stranger than fiction" He that has
provel and where is he who has no, p
ihat our common, every day life is char
acterized by passages of such romance
hat la rp,-alfst yro,ll c.,roo1.. 4