New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-05-27
HER 0NB ERROR.
r.<.1E OR
THE FISHERMAN'S BRIDE,

CHAPTER, XXXIV CONTINUED.
The good woman at the hospital
had subscribed a small sum for her at
parting, and with this she paid for the
care OF her child, while she went seek
ing work. She was young, and strong
and healthy-looking; and many stir
ring housewife would have jumped at
such servant; but, poor simpleton!
she told the truth and ruined her
chance; even went 80 far as to ask one
'motherly woman who had all but
engaged her, might she see her baby, If
1T was brought to her now and then?
Mercy! the good woman was Mortified,
and blessed her stars as she started
:aloOf from the contamination of the
young creature that could so unblush-
ingly declare herself-a mother! For a
moment, I believe, the virtuous lady
ity of giving the girl in charge; but
wanting precedent for the act, she
contented herself with emptying the
Walls OF her wrath on the "audacious
wickedness" of her "course Of life, "
and returned to her own nursery to
fondle her own unpolluted darling. So,
everywhere charitable maidens, child
less wives, and mothers Illustrating in
the righteousness of their blessings,
one and all turned stony, as by the
tabled Gorgon head, at sight OF men
ton OF that hapless little being, and
babe the young mother hence, as one
no longer worthy to consort with hu-
manity.
The poor soul chung to the only
y. thing she had to love with tenacity
Mat outweighed the love OF life.
\ She went on to say, how she soon
Learned it would be useless trying to
get work at any house, or without
parting with her infant-she could
not do that! So she took, at last, to
the dreary resource OF the desolate-
the needle. And on it's miserable
fruits she starved for months, from
her poor resources feeding two.
Then work failed, and she had to
seek it anew. There was pause here,
the pale cheek flushed, and her eyes
were cast down.. After minute Ag-
nesraised them and looked sadly at her
friend. "I'm afraid you'll not speak
to me; I've been bad, indeed; it is true
what she said, but won't deceive
you; and oh, if you knew what it was
to have dear babe dying beforeyo
eyes, '-she faltered, the big tears drop
ped on to her hands, and Nelly took
them compassionatingly in her own.
"Never fear," she said, I am sure
you have been hardly tried. God help
you! I can feel for you; tell me ALL"
~ In a broken voice, the girl went
Oh
Civ ~ had earned but fourteen pence a.
week, for a month past, and the rent
OF my share of a miserable room was
eight pence out of it.
Zone EVENING" can never forget it
the mistress had been hard with me,
and made an excuse, for a little mis-
take in my work, to dock off three
pence. Altogether I was cast down
and weak, believe I must have been
NEARLY mad, and the sight Of my baby
starving by inches-God forgive me! it
was then | went wrong; it was for my
'child's sake, and to get him food. Oh;
Mrs. Franklen, I have indeed been
wicked, but I was heavily punished;
and If repentance
She broke out crying, aud for a
time even the consolatory words OF
her companion had not power to
'soothe her.
Then she went on to tell
how her child pinned and
died, as she persisted in believing, as
a punishment for her crime, sorely re-
pented as it had been; how she had
herself laid sick to death for months,
and would then have entered an asy-
dunn that was offered to her, but that
she had accidentally learned that her
bad stepmother had deserted her fa-
ther, having robbed him OF every thing
she could lay hands on; and that the
old man, stricken with infrmity OF
mind and body, had been some time
past the inmate of a workhouse,
From a few charitable persons whom
she had interested in her case she OBJ.
tanned sufficient money to fetch her
father to London, where she found
promise of a better market for he1
talents than had before been obtained
and, up to the present time, she had
supported him and herselfby the work
81 of her hands, and borne unrepiningly
with the hayward selfshness OF the
parent to whom she had owed so lit
tie
This latter Nelly guessed at for her
self; no word OF Agnes would betray
that there was aught but pleasure
in the duty she performed sc
conscientiously. She asked the latter
if she knew at all who it was had beer
MISUNDERSTANDING using the implacable
landlady against her; but Agnes could
only conjecture respecting a woman tc
whom she had given offence by refus
ing to part with her treasured baby
things, which she, poor creature! hac
preserved through all. .-..-.
~ knew she was set against me-
said Agness Chaunce, "but I did not
think she would have carried it so far
!, I met her one day not long since, close
here, and expect she made it her bus
mess to do me an ill turn Well,
don't want to say evil OF any one, but
if all be true, it would be better fol
her that she didn't bear the name O.
an honest man. 1t does seem awful