Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-17

THE FISHERMAN'S BRIDE.
CHAPTER, XXXIV CONTINUED.

The good woman at the hospital
had subscribed a small sum for her ut
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 a servant; but, poor simpleton!
she told the truth and ruined her
chance; even went 90 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 q
moment. I believe, the virtuous lady
turned over in her mind the POSSIBLE
ity of giving the girl i'll 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 unpoHuted darling. So,
everywhere charitable maidens, child
less wives, and mothers luxllriating in
the Righteousness OF their blessings,
one and all turned stony. as by the
tabled Gorgon head, at sight or men
ton of that hapless little being, and
bade the young mother hence, as one
no longer worthy to consort With hui
manity
The poor soul chung to the only
thing she had to love with q tenacity
that outweighed the love of life.
She went on to say, how she soon
learned it would be useless trying o
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 desoIate-
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 a pause here,
the pale cheek flushed, and her eyes
we're cast down After q minute Ag-
mes raised them and looked sadly at her
friend. Pm afraid you'll not speak
to me; I've been bad, indeed; it is true
what she said, but I won't deceive
you; and oh, if you knew what it was
to have a dear babe dying beforeyour
eyes, she faltered, the big tears drop
ped on to her hands, and Nelly took
them compassionatingly in her own.
"Never fear" she said, am sure
you have been hardly tried. Godhelp
you! | can feel for you; tell me all. -
In a broken voice, the girl went
on
II 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 q little mis-
take in my work. to dock off three
pence. Altogether / was cast down
and weak, I believe | must have been
nearly mad, and the sight Of my baby
starving by inches--God forgive me- it
was then | went wrong; it was formy
child's sake, and to get him food. Oh;
Mrs. Franklen, | have indeed been
wicked. but | was heavily punished;
and if repentance"
She broke out crying, aud for q
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
q 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-
lum that was offered to her, but that
she had accidentally learned that her
bad stepmother had deserted her IA
ther, having robbed him of every thing
she could lay hands on; and that the
old man, stricken with infirmity of
mind and body, had been some time
past the inmate of a workhouse,
From 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 better market for her
talents than had before been obtained;
and, up to the present time, she had
him and herselfby the work
of her hands, and borne unrepiningly
with the maynard selfishness 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 SO
conscientiously. She asked the latter
if she knew at all who it was had been
instrumental inrousing the implacable
landlady against her; but Agnes could
only conjecture respecting woman to
whom she had given offence by refus-
inc to part with her treasured baby
things. which she. poor creature! had
preserved through all
Il knew she WAS set against me,
said Agness Chaunce, "but | did not
think She would have carriedit so far.
| met her one day not long since, close
here, and expect shemadeit her bus
mess to do me an i'll turn. Well, |
don't want to say evil of any one, but,
IL all be true, it would be better for
her that she didn't bear the name OF
an honest man. 1t does seem awful
to me that a woman can make light
-, o,,xy wav Of beino a. wife: OF having,