Year: 1861

ollN pun CiItStS.


They went in


CHAPTER II.


The youth did not stop to count the
contents of the purse he had received
but turning onward as rapidly as his
benumbed limbs would allow him, he
went on his way towards the south
western part of the town. He at last
turned into a small dirty lane whose
aspect betokened the abode Of power
ty. Lifting the latch Of an old frame
fabric, situated therein, he rushed into
an apartment, whose wrctched ap-
pearance fully correspondcd with the
exterior Of the building. Indeed, it
was almost destitute of furniture. A
table, two or three old broken chairs,
few plates and cups, upon dresser,
a water pail standing in one corner,
and candlestick of tin that was up
on the mantle, completed the furniture
of the apartmcnt-with the exception
Of truckle bed near the chimney
place. Upon this bed lay woman,
pale and attenuatcd, whose face,
though thin and wasted, still bore
marks of having been beautiful. The
soft Grecian outline of features, the
thin and finely chiseled lips, the deli
cately arched eyebrows, the full, dark
liquid eyes, and the jetty silken hair,
that fell in a rich food over the wretch
cd pillow on which her head rcclined,
all told of her past loveliness and
| beauty.


She was pale, and appeared to be
very weak and fccble-so much so
that she did not shudder even as the
keen air, entering the cracks and crew
ices of the apartment, blew over her
miserable couch with biting chillness,
though it might be, perhaps, that it
was the intenseness of the cold. which
had already chilled the blood in her
veins, and made her inscnsible longer
to its freezing breath.


Mother! mother !" cried the boy,
! throwing himself on his knees beside
the lowly couch, as soon as he had en-
tered the room, mother, cheer up !.
look Il have money-sce see ="
and he held up the purse before her as
he spoke.


The woman essaycd to raise her
self suddenly mp as if to grasp it, but
the effort was vain, and her slightly
raised head fell again heavily upon
the pillow. Her lips moved SLOWLY y :
he bent his ear to catch her words.


You did not get it unlawfully 2"
she muttered brokenly.


No, no mother" said the boy, a. it
was given to me by sweet creature
an angel--God bless her Yes
God bless her sweet FACET was al
most as pretty as your own. She was
SO kind, too. No, no, did not steal
it,"


Thank God !" murmured the wo-
man family, and the blood played for
a moment over her pale cheeks, around
her lips, and then lied, leaving them
still more ghastly pale.


Poor woman her trials were near
ly over. That momentary flash told
that deaths icy touch was fast chill
ling her very heart The lad seemed
to nave an apprehension of this, and
throwing his arms about her neck, the
tears coursed each other rapidly down
his checks, as he gazed earnestly in
her face.


Mother, dear mothcr!" he cx,
claimed earnestly, look up--be Of
good chccr--wc will yet be happy.
will go and get the doctor for you
he will come now, for will do with
out victuals, and give him all this
money if he will make you we'll"


:" Tis too latc--too late" she wills
pared, her eyes slowly unclosing part
way, and smiling half tcnderly, half
wildly.


"Oh say not so, dear--dear moth
er, say not so. will go this instant
and call the doctor, and he will make
you well, dear mother-he shall, for
cannot bear to part with you !"


As he spoke he grasped his cap from
the bed where he had thrown it when
he entered, and was about to leave
the room. He had scarcely taken "A
step, however, ere low groan from
the sick woman arrested his attention,
and he turned again to the bedside.
Her eyes were gradually closing, a
slight convulsive tremor played for a
second or more around her mouth, a
chattcring Of the teeth, shuddering
Of the frame, that slowly passing
away, left her stiffening corpse. Her
spirit had winged its flight to eternity


Mother oh dear--dear mother =
he exclaimed, almost franticaIly,
"speak-speak--do but speak again |!
Why do you not look upon me, moth
er upon your Willie. Can it--can
it be that you are -"


He could not say dead it seemed
too gratng-too harsh. He took her
hand in his it was cold--icy cold.
He knew it then he knew that she
was dead. He threw his arms around
her neck, and pressing his lips to her
pale check, wept as though his heart
would break.