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. • . . U 'W 3 ,IL, TU FEET. OF THEE' Tf'TJI GLA3 TIDINGS OF 6001 THINSI
V I : :,,. NEW .OiRLEANS, SUNI"AY 14,.868. ______. NUMBER 19.
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ltOOatrlll `mss rlm at Im Ieau.
--amr-m aarP .astm.yaks ,14. 1900s.
TZZi QXIVZCw Q.GOOD.
was Oavaca qrro-o.
BriONi.t..
My fanmy smands am Time's disn hore.
Beyond which rolls the sea.
Mysterions, dread. and stretilidnu ona,
Throughout eternity.
Upon It mils flail smdny a hark
Of wnoblorlag human thought:
For sonie, lak gales seem tilled with hope:
For smlne, with fears aur tfaught.
There in a rock upon that hore..
W*hose hasbr brs'es the gal,.
Apainst whose ships, with spirit crews,
No blasts of hell prevail.
Joy ills my" s.ul-fur safety near.
Until,-alas, th,. griet!
I think of imy cure n.ufttug lil*,.
The past-Its unbelief.
It still ye wav.-s. a0 .,am that siigiht
Christ ,alnned tht. ra:l,_r sea.
And leave no I-s art aa1s I,t.t .as tlhose
Dear waves oef alilee!
Ikthold! I stretclh lumploring ihntals
To where His feet lhave trot :
ar.e me through that unfailing rock
Where standas-' The Cltlrel of God.'
IWritten for the Morning 8tar.I
LOST FAITIH;
OR,
THE TWO SISTEI'S.
I)Y JACQUELLNtE.
CHAPTER IV.
A few weeks after the conversation detailed
above, Mr. Stewart anriprised his wife very
ntmuclrone day, by asking her : '" How she would
like to try her hand at housekeeping?"
"' I don't knoa bow ylt .feel, my love, "e
a "kb.ut I, for one, am heartily red of ta s
a o- life, where you see the same things to
eat every day, where everything is so cooked and
served as to prevent even the most vivid imag
ination from dreaming of variety; and where
you have to encounter a hundred pair of
strange eyes every time you want to put some
thing into your mouth. •
"uh, Charles!" exclaimed Kate with delight,
."it is the very thing I have been longing for;
but I didn't like to propose it, becanse I fearedl
you wouldn't be comfortable under such a nov
ice in the mysteries of housekeeping, as I fear
I shall prove be. That is a part of my edu
,:ation,y t ow, that has been sadly neglect
ed ; I, with a food will, a great deal of ant
bi , and the inoomparable Miss Leslie, of
wonderful assistance I have heard young
Shousekeeers expatiate upon with so much
gratitude, I am sure, if you will only have pa
tience with me, that I shall get along very
"Niever fear that Kate," said her huinband,
iatting the little hand that lay within his
own; but the next consideration is the amount
of money necessary; for you see, it would be
against my interest to draw too large a sum
out of my business just now ; and yet, you have
been accustomed to so much style and superflu
ity at home, with so many little darkies to
dance attendance on all your wants, that I
fear my little wife would not be content with a
mesage on a small scale now."
, ndeed. Charles, you .have a poor idea of
how little [ care for anything beyond positive
comfort and good taste; and I am mire that
you have both the means and generosity suffi
cient to indulge these. liesidal. you know that
I have an ahnndatlice of ,latanldtollne bed anti
table linen given tae bIy luanua nau : then all my
silver, too, that patl gave lu.e: andi, in1 additioln
to these va*inaubIa' I hlavce ai i,- hlallnlredl tdol
lars laid away, thatt Inaa has l,,elt sentlding me
for pin money and lfor whic I htave hand no
use; so let uIs hnave. the. Ihousei jst as l uik its
possible, and bid :i joyous :ldieu to our six
months' probation of hotel lilft."
So it was all settledl, and in-a few wee.ks Kate
found herself in a home wlhich. without any os
tentatious display, yet afforded every imagin
able comfort for the bodies' w ants, :aid greeted
the eye with such a pleasant sense of perfect
order, harmony in color and ornament, that
made this little home a-lrfect bijou to look
upon and enjoy.
Mrs. Field had been indefatigable in aiding
Kate in her labors, and never lost an opportu
nity of a suggestive word on the all-important
subject that never left het thoughts. Thus, on
one occasion, when the two friends went out
making purchases together, she urged Kate to
buy a very pretty little statuette of the Blessed
Virgin and an ivory crucifix, both ofgwhich she
hied placed in Mrs. Stewart's dressing-room, on
as bracket, which answered the purpose of a inini
ature itasy., By t3ie side of these she laid her
prayeu.tbikk, `letanieit, and Kemnpia, and
trnusted nnmli.t to the daily plreBce of these
sacred and tassociative uiemorifbs to keep, at
least, the reimembrance of her faith gree .in
heart. With the exception of an oceasionu.m at
tendance at high mass with Mrs. Field. Kate
never ventured to invoke her huslannd's ire hi
any allusion to the forlidtlin slubiject. at
since he had sought ano occanion to talk to her
,)n the confessional, anti lay his .oletnll. prohi
bition on its prtactise shlle hlad never dated dis
obey him; so, thus sil now lived entirely out
sid of the performance o:' her religiots ditties.
A few months a:ftse baeing settlhed in her new
homt her first celilh was born. but hetr lappai
n;ts w:ias utliarriI 1 th, 'an:r .l" MIr. Stewart
raisinlg dhj.ati .:ns is h ' ha I l ti -imt it" her intf.tiat.
.v ji.ia l.:. i's, . .: l .i i .iI . Li. lltllll .nll.; i,( . ,t .. t.l
." Infant baptism is all nonsese, Kate," said
4r. Stewart, " a invention of the Church to
work e ,the fears of the ignomat. It will be
time eno gh wihe the child is of an age to
'Jndge anduchoose for himself; theu.tha l .e
idony s proper enofgh as an initiation into his
new fsit ."
So, this point, like all othesr' was quietly
yielded, mnerely for the want of a little moral
eornage. For the want of nerve to stand one
contest, one storm that, after all, could have
been but temporary in fliect, this weak woman
preferred to risk, both Ioar herself and infant, an
eternal loss.
Thus, in all other externals, time passed
smenothly, pleasantly on for Kate, who, without
resistaunce, suffered herself to float with the
caln surtfce-eurrent. of her life. Gccupied with
her infuut, who was an unfailing source of de
light to her; uI,nied with her household pr
rangement anud her needle, taking very little
interest eitlherin general or fashionably society;
only caring to entertain or lie entertained in a
socrial, unceremonious way, she soon settled
Idown into that hum-drm life, devoid of all
culture and development that is the comupon
taste and habit of the generality of Amerlcan
jwomen. -Of late, she had received accunts
from home that had served to make ber feel
somewhat anxious. Her dear father's' health
'was reported as failing, and there seemed to be
troubles and losses, growing out of utfortunate
speculations, which made her mother very un
happy 'and anxious. There also caae the news
of her sister's marriage; andshe-was greatly
surprised.to learn that her love of wealth, and
ambition for a high position in the world, had
yielded to the elevating iflences of a true
and deep afection, and se.had given her hand
to a man who could only promise her a compe
tency in the present, but if life and health were
spared, and prospects realied might eventually
be able to 'give her all shb coveted. Mr. Tal
madge was, unfortunate -, her father wrote,a
Proteptanc t but very liberal, and quite willing
to assure Mr. (Brien o his fll co-operation in
all his wishes, for which, this time, he took
good care to secure/promises in advance so
that Nellie should never, he said, run the risks
that he feared had been the portion of his dear
Kate.
Thet birth of Mfs. Stewart's second child was
now saproaching, and she had been very feeble
and dispirited /for some time. The nnrse of
little Dennis had .been with her since she first
went to hou ekeeping, and had ever proved
herself a ito-lLaervaSnt mad good Christiand.
Being nuisually depressed one morning and
feeling the need of some strong arm upon
which to-lean, some one to Whom she could
look for aid, she turned in despair to this hum
ble servant-woman, and said:
" Bridget, you have lived with me a long
time, now, and I believe I may count on your
attachment and fidelity."
"'Indade, then, main, them's the truest words
you ever spoke," replied Bridget, quite pleased.
and awake to what was to follow.
*"Vell, Blritlgct," continued Mrs. Stewart, " I
am going to ask a favor of you, because of all
others, you will have the best opportunity of
ranting it. Perhaps you don't kniow it, Biddy,
but I amnt a Catholic."
" The Lord in Heaven be merciful to us!" ex
claimed Biddy. " It is'little of the sort I have
ever seen about you, mam, save the little
images and books that lay in the room beyant;
and sure I've often wondered to meself what
business they had there, with never a crathur,
barring mneself, to wipe the dust and the mould
off them."
"You are mistaken there, Biddy," replied
Mrs. Stewart, " I have them in my hands oftener
than.you think, but I dare not let my husband
see men thus occupied."
" Sure it's not of him, mam, that God will ask
your soul." .
" Well, it is too late now to talk about what
is past," said Mrs.-Stewart. "\Vhat I want of
you, Bridget, is to promise Inm that if I- am in
any danger in my coming snikness r that you
will go either for the bishop or rather C- ,
to he with me."
" Iudade, then, Mrs. Stewart, crany, I will do
that same, never fear. But oh, mam, begging
your pardon for the liberty of giving the likes
of you advice," continued Biddy, with great
earnestnetss; " why wont you make your heart
lipht, and your eonscience asy, by going to the
hshop,1i yourself, before the time of your trouble
eomesn."
"" I c;n't. I dtlare not, Biddy," said Mrs. Stew
art, greatly :agitated. "' I am under a promise
to llay hushanlld never to go to confession, and I
caln't deneive hint by breaking it."
"~'.\ld .sure wln, , didn't you make the first
Ep romise to (;od in your baptism and first com
Ilntniont, and isn't Iie the most to be considered
antd feared: for sure, your husband can only be
angry, and, may be, spake ia few hot words,
but the Lord save us, what be they to the fire
of hell. Oh, main, continued Bridget, now
Squite roused, "it is a dreadful thingto live out
side of the Church; but the Lord and His Holy
Mother defend us, it's twice more awful to die
out of it."
S"Don't talk about it, Bridget," said Mrs.
Stewart, palg with suppressed agitation;
"only promise me that such an evil shan't
befall me."
" It shan't, inlade, main, if I can help it,"
sadly respouded Bridget. "lBut, .ayhpp, the
divil may circumvent all'ify planid;titeiii
a frightened expression oli Mrs. Stewart'4ice,
she quickly added, " But nevtir fe~ir;, mam, I'll
do nm endeavors to hell, you, sld I'll bring the
bishop or the praste, if me head turns as white
as a piece of chalk in the effort."
Buoyed up by the hopes that grew ontof this
u~tranee, Kate became more cheerful, and by
'degrees threw off the gloon y forebodings that
had iso ,long opplressed hier; and when a few
rdays aifterl Mrs. Field i called to see her, and
begg'ed her to prepaure hirsoelf for any continl
g'ciiey tl:hat umight arise, shel assured her of
Hiddysa promise, and thus lulled herself into
see'rity agaiinst all future dlangeor, anti showed
no distposition to listen either to the warning
ii" ;ir'gumnuiit of her friend. daving all present'
loi,nt I, by promnising her, after her hialth V:rs
ai..n.l i.storel, to snake a brave ,stue.L lgainl
ill u',rlite.i" otlnOitifon in the futuret' ,, Hi :,,,,
d weeks thus passed in alternate changes of
o cheerful and d apiits, and Biddy, who
e now looked at her with more anxious
o eyes, watcied her elosely, and found that- she
.. was oftenai her oing-room alona ' and he
is prayer aooks were moved every day from the
position- in wte h Biddy purposely.arsnl ged
y them in the oin.
l At length she hour of trial arrived sad a
e little danghtb r was given to these two hearts,
Sso united oall points save one but that one,
a acting wit its numberless chilling infleneea
n and g effects, was like an ieberg that
comes sddaily down upon a calm' sea that is
heaving and sparkling under the radllanedbf a
t glosius July sun.
e Mra Stewart was doing so well, that all
i th ht of any future danger was enthil &aaw
from the minds of her friends,when, ea
tlfa tairdl day, strange and serious symppons of
Spuerperal fever, then but little known, and
;Awea now dflclttto manage, becme onlly tOo
a, apparent to those who had watched her mast
cI anxiously.
I Biddy was on the qu rioe day and night, but
a the delirium and prostration attendant upon
a the disease succeeded each other in such rapid
s succession, and the order for perfect quiet was
I so imperative, no one being allowed to enter
b her room but Mr. Stewart, the nurse, and the
Sphysician, thlat there was no opportunity for
a Biddy to a tas she desired. At length the
ninth day arrived, and knowing that some
a change had taken place, Biddy watched and
y waited for the dctor as he came down stairs,
1 and asked, eagerly, with .tears in her eyes :
a `' Was the madam better, or was she worse '"
e The doctor had known Bridget a longtime as
d a good and valued servant, and
o her affection for Mrs. Stewart, tald her very
e quietly that there was nd hope, and that only
y a few hours of life remained to her. Stunned
Sas she was by the verdict, shelostnot amoment
a in putting on her bonnet and starting for the
g bishop's house, but the way was long, and as
there were neither omnibusses nor street ears
It in that day, a long time was consumed in the
o errand.
sAs the doctor was getting into his buggy, he
r was accosted by an intimate friend of Mrs.
Stewart, who, learning the sad intelligence of
a Mrs. Stewart's danger, made it her business to
e go at once for Dr. Beechwood, believing that
of such a precaution would be acceptable to her
It friends.
d In the meanwhile Kate's mind had become
. luci and the itful struggleo a' at ldying tlaue
I had giten evidence of reviving strdigt. Her
a hnsbahd hung over het in an agony of snp
I pressed grief, and looking up into his thee, she
saw aiul read her doomn. With superhmnan
will she roused her waning faculties and spoke :
"I see. I understand it all, Charles. I am
r going to die, and must leave you and my dar
ling, atewllbas little ones. I have given you all
I of my love and duty; grant me, then, oh, my
. hinstllnd, in this, my last hour, the only couso
latiol: I' -f mte! Let nme die, forgiven by God
I for 0 Imy it:ithleslness to Him! Now, in this
1 awfitl momnent,. withdraw your injunctions, andl
f send for the bishop, that I may have'the con
solations and assurances that only the sacra
ments of my own Church can give to me. For
your Lake, I have given up the service of God,
a ol$' have pity on me, Charles, and let me, ere
a too late, have a chance to save my soul!"
She was too weak to say more. but kept-hlier
t eyes fixed imploringly upon his face. Love
and grief were at last about to triumph over
preijudie and ignorance, and Mif. Stewart had
relinquished the hand ho-held, saying, as he 1
1 kissed her wan face-:
r "It shall be asit wish, love. I will senda
1 for-t
When, uaiunlnouneed. to his great surprise, 1
t Dr. Boeehwood walked quietly into the roon.
Thalimpulse to, performn thi, last net of .justice
I as gone in a niontent, and following lat-.
SBoeechwoodl to the bedside. anli.L:
" See, love, I'rovidence has seltt this gomo l
tliala to colmfort you; alid surely, Kate. his
prayers andl adlvice will aid you quite ast Ilulllch
as any others."
The shock was so great to Mrs. Stewart., as
1 her eyes opened upon the form of this mlan
bending over her, that she was at once struck 1
i speechless, and she could only wave him off
I with her hands, whilst an expression of unut
a terable agony passed over her sweet, white
a face. Dr. Beechwood, wholly undaunted by t
this chilling reception, lost not a moment in
-launching forth into an extemlporneous prayer,
in which he dwelt particularly upon the signal t
I mercy of (htd in giving hinm the opportunity to r
resentc this soul fronm the clutches of the Evil
t One, and the abominable errors of Popery. C
While in the midst of a grand oratorical flour
I ish, Biddy, followed by the bishop entered the
a room. -- t
Mr. Stewart, who.had been watching his -t
a wife rather than listening to the prayer, saw
r that a fearful change had taken place,anad lost s
what remnant of hope -ho had before felt. a
r Nearly crazed by his own emotions, he knew a
a not, in this dilelma, what to do, but as he I
mechanically rose from hisknees to receive the I
bishop, Dr. Beechwood, fearing his weakness, i
interposed himself between them, and at once
t took the settlement of future action in his own
hands. The ood bishop, understandiugad a
glance the stle of the cane. addressed himself c
a to the Preol yerian divine, saying: t
, "I have been .aniled here, sir, by the earnest a
request of that lying ladly; Iat,l as I know that 1
I my minlistrations arile what herI hteart demlanidstl
Sand her soul req luires, I beg that youc will allow v
me take your lilacs at her side." t
" You, sir," replied Dr. teclhwoodl, '" .have
come here on a tacit sign from Mi'. Stewart, r
r which that Irish woman interpreted into a rr- i
t quest; hbuit I, sir. have been sent her by Goied t
in adIvatMce of von. to save this poor soul now
I wavering in tcle balance letwei-u truth andl
- error, knowledge and sulperstition. I shall not, e
f therefore, revereud air, give way, but will con- t
Stinuue ilny exhortations for the comfoirt and sal
Svatiolu of her disatracted soul." t
The liheopll was a gentlelnmal, and a mani of
tendtcc. ldelicatce feelings; therefore, after a few
, more efforts tlhalt were mlet with a louder voi.e a
tulid anlre illalsltilag language. lihe moved tow:armI
h1Ic. da,,:. m. tanl taid: :I
of " "eeemot stand hsDr.Berchwood, wrangl
he . ing over the bed of a dy~ sp b buteark
he l os wilhq of yon whe you tand
he Hs ljudgent for, devoid of author
he |ý jo'havie robbed her of her own etd'-ssed
ed desire to die ik'th, beoom of that Church in
which she was born.•
SSaying which, and turning a rn ast inquirng
t. look nue Mr. Steweat hao-stood helples be
te, ween t two, e lef et room. During this
as scene Biddy ad sp rond by the ed, and
at placed the cruihi InMrs. Stewart's Ihnds,
is seei by the expressipnof her eye that she
a wtebstill conscioua, thou h Sbpehless.
Although uinableto .readthis poor woman
ll was .not at a loss-i r prayers in such an ex
at tresity. o80 putttrg her fagse los to the.idytagi
o -woman's ear .se repeated the litany fir the
of d , wJiacl shehadbg known by heart,
ad andse had nst qnualded the verse " 'When
90 my oul shau l be on my lips dert rom this
1st world, and shall levye my body ol.and life
less, then merciful Jesus; have pity on me,"
ut when Mrs. Stewart gave a start; followed by a
an long, heavy sigh, aid fixing her eyes, frst on
id the erucifixt, then on her husbanld, who knelt
as by her side, she closed her eyes forever on time
or to open them on the pain or bliss of etetmity.
he Well is it for us who watch such lives; and
or witnees such deaths, to know .that the mercies
he of God are infinite, and to recall when fear
ne and doubt torture the loving heart, that scene
od of the long, long ago, whe ak 'sinful, wicked
re, man, whose life had been spent' ih breaking
a: the divine law whose. lips hadne4e tittered a
prayer, whose heart was the reeptacle of lvery
as bad passion, was sauddenly ovetaken . by his
a_ hour of donm. Thm totn ad torment
ry inexpressible his iniqiti e to him like a
y partof himself, and as he ie .the double
ad agony of soul and body, suddenly his eyes fell
at upon the God-illumined face thMl hung by his
e side, and a voice more piering 'and' moving
than the weird trumptes that scudded theitoon
as hour of that awful day, (as these notes never
he vibrated before or after,) fell upon his ear, en
tered his soul, and made clear like a lightning's
ie flash aH the vileness that had so long rioted
rs. unchecked therein. Like a fountain in the
of desert love for this patient sufferer suddenly
towelled up in his heart, and through its light he
at beheld the divinity that enloaed him in a halo
er of glory. Moved by faith, love, and repentance,
this poor sinner cried out for salvation, and
ne with that one word, the evil of the past was
uo forgotten, the rolws of his wickedness fell off
er like the mantli of Elias, and he entered with
p- the Son of God Into glory. Thenceforth, "This
io day shalt thou be with me in Paradise," stands
in emblazoned on shifting clouds that 'hang be
e: tween ths repentant sinner and eternity.
in When all was over, Bridget sent a lhasty nime
r- sage to Mrs. Field, hoping that hirough hdi in
11 flence her beloved mistress n ight at last he
ty accorded the rites of burial in consecrated
o- grounds, but Mr. itewart'st friends liehd already
dl nrae every arrangement, and when Mrs. Field
is spoke to the bereaved hiynpfand on the subject of
dl paying this last tribftfe to the ltelings of hlip
n- wife, he said :
a- "It is top/qate, no-W, to interfere. Beside,
ar what m -trs it now who consigns her to earth,
1, or w ero he lieat She has gone now beyond
re aIlthopee or desires for this world, and the an
guiah is mine alone."
tr The good bishop, knowing what a double
re blow this sad death of his daughter would
ir prove to Mr. O'Brien, strove to give him, by
d letter, all the. consolation in his power. Al
te though he maule no attempt to excuse her past
derehetion front duty, he yet seized-upon the
ti good desires of the last few weeks of her life ;
dwelt upon her frequent prayersher solicitude
i, for an opportunity of reconciliation, her dying I
It. appeal to her husband, all of which, joined to
e the evident horror with which she rejected the
r. ministrations of Dr. Beechwood, he believed
would be weighed inl her favor by our all mer
ii ciful Lord. -
i, c'iHAi'TER V.
I P'oor Kate hadl laid many days in her grave
ere the hews of her sad end reached her loving
Is par,nts. Only n: few days previously they had
Sheardnl of her comparativesafety, and not having 1
k thlihi iltost idea of her danger, the blow fell 1
if heavily upon them both, but more especially
t- upon Mrs. O'lirien, whose remorseful conscience
a added tenfold misery to her loss, and proved
y the mneans of setting the final seal to her with- 1
it drawal fromt those ambitions aspirations uplon
which sheit, had staked o much, andi out of
3 which site had gathered so ntprhtodctive and
i nusatisfactory a harvest.
ii Mr. ()'lrie's business hlad for sonme time lb- 1
r. come inure and more entangled, and his losses t
greater, through injudicious speculations in t
e lands which had been pressed into the, market I
under a tictitious value. Under the pressure of
s -these-inerenieing troubles, his health had. been I
v gratistlyfiling, and when the news of the last
t sad hours of his beloved clild reached him, the
shock proved too much for his broken spirits e
v and wasted strength. He never egain rallied, t
e but in a few months was borne to his last home
e by a large number of friends, though few ofithe 1
i, former attendants of his wife's grand fetes a
e were noticed in the cortege.
n Upon the settlement of his atlkirs it was
a found that only a emnall annuity, through the I
If consideration of his creditors, cofld be secured I
to Mrs. O'Brien during her lifin ; but as she was a
t allowed to retain nearly every article that had i
t been endearedh to her Ity long association, and I
, hal the hleart itmil a tihomte of her remaining child a
still open to hitr, shel was content to accelt
thes, hlessings ire the trte spirit of a chatened I
e soul, ofti'eitng rt rest. o. her life as an atone- (
, ntent for her past false atnd foolish use of blesa- I
-ings anttd ,pplsrtunities for good,that rarely fall c
d to the ,lot of those whose birth.wassuch ashers.
v Nellie, snow Mrs. Talmadge, though grieved x
d at thAi ath of both fathlr artd sister, relulled
e, even mornt against ae los of her great expeta- t
tioles. The Atrst ardor and romance of her mar- I
I- riags had subsided into feelings more practical I
than ideal; and her natural love for luxury,
f Initioln, and all the concomitants that abundant 1
v wealth can bring, rankled ceaselessly, and al
e most totally annihilated the happiaess that was I
II still afotrded her iii the devotion and goBntess of
her hutbeand, and the sweet efdlearmucut, of h,:r
l- little girl. Nellie had never la any evidence
k of mnch natural piety, thoga, in her youth,
I she had kept to the letter of law in the fal
i flllmentof her religious duties. Ech year, how
ever, as she advanced it life, *i her more
I andiferent; and only to please er mother did
Sshe seemingly ire to uep up even the appear
ance of fidelity in such things
- About a year sueeeding aessrent, Mr. -
- Talmadge was called by presing business to a
a journey of a few days up the river. He parted
I reluctantly from his lttlefbuily, for he loved
his home, and felt unwilling to leave it even for
a few weeks. Alae! those anticipated weeks
were lengthened into an eternity; for one of
those terrible accidents, so frequent in our
waters, happened to the boat upon which he
embarked; and, in a moment, without time for
thought or word, his, with numberless other
seulse;- wraJrled into eternity.
i The agony of hiswife, when the news reached
her,-was wild and convulsive. For a time, she
sought solace in prayer; but her temperament
was naturally so rebellious, that she failed to
fnd those consolations which come so merci
fully to the more regulated and trueting heart ;
and thus, she put upon God the blame which
rested solely within herself.
Alone, with two little ones, the youngest an
infant boy of a few weeks, with barely means
enough to last, with cloe eeenomy, more than
two years, at the moat;. yo6ng and inexperi
ence, her trial was indeed a hard one; but she
made it even greater by the uncontrolled, re
bellious spirit with which she met it. Her..
n mother did all in her power to console her, and
induce a more ('lristian and philosophical view
of her siturtion. Mr. Steyvart wrote her letters
of condolence. and. offered her any assistance
she needed--offered it, too, in auch words f
Sgenerous sympathy and interest, that she t
they were not a mere empty form, but ttO1be
accepted and relied upon, if her necesi o
manded the obligation.
By degrees, under the soothing hand of timDe,
the weight grew lighter, and she carriedher
burden less compelaingly. Her mOttlsbr'
health was now falling, and dpladtd unqlhp f
hereare and time; andthus, thl,4l}rsd ol
trial absorbed somewhat the. oth p iet
These fears were realized wgthe ft g
year, by the death of a h ,whode "4
faults seemed virtues tdo'ie t d fasly
were in alife of nnselfishtlevtll' cewadeiba
love; and, as she was t dI' s t'eetersr
s'sight forever, a gloom fitrdatrhk'Itan ebibdd
F yet known settled like Is aetallrl ryulrr ,kor
soul, and for manly, nlyIra q y 1Ia'rtuse ll
consolation mad compsptijsµ tfrogl . o
thizing friends ; and ý'hilfr rejsai.es ofseit r
little ones failed to r'olIse' br.iti tlti e.
At length, the settkleilfut'iit'ifiTrlln cn.,.ulcdlld
her to look over Mrs. '(Ylriali #frec.ts. : rid lt-r
grief was renewed ain's Whrnsiatnd that in the
tfiluhoss, of her mnothi'r's hvet for hler, she,. had
shcriliced Imany of hobf oRilntasten anl wLantgirnm .
order to lay by quitp seice little Uln ,. :, n "uy
as a legacy for her f'iture.lusL ,.
Tlhe winter fbllowiug, inm, O'llri.ur'. ,l,. i,.
StStewart made his rt vsit to New t iris .
after an absence of several ears. .As.ocidtiI4
soclosely as hle wla with thelr emn ries of hlrltt
sister, Mrs. Talmadgeweleoniedlhin w:,rnlmlt~mid
received him as aslnrotlertallerhunmre. .liodilt
no hesitation in giving htim n r'adll :onrideate
regarding her busirwtand smkiug hi. at4.i
for her future course p4te )nuanagentzr of c r
affairs. In. one of tios. a -
weeks previous to ome rturn homne, he Ii
startled her by'a pro on of marriage.
"I cannot bear, " iel hli said, "to t e
you so isolated and do ridneh in need of a attiffg
arm to lean upon. My hen.ie.si also deQla,.
and my children need: r mothep$; and who.cas
so well supply that plac-,Nelie, as the sits· pf
her who is gone. I mskg you~4p wild .po'
stonS of love, for all saue ,eelinga are bur ;
but I can offer you a comf rtabe home, w a
sincere affection, accom snied by an e4
desire to promote your li)rlr ets. º "I
Seeing Mrs. Talmadge s ttd tepir. h itiin h
tinned: . . ;1I
"Donit give me your answer,rnow, N,.llie.fDbr
I see how such a proposition has sUartled yot ;
but take time to think over it, and letme kt -w
by letter your conclusions."
And she did think over it, and weighed in -
all its bearings; and, by degrees, the w f y
advantages of the connection suppressed afl '
repugnances and conscientioun sernples t
would force themselves into thesie lprtte
'ouncil challmnlers. ;it
True, she had no love to give Mr. Stetsrt;
she was not by nature gifted with much Mstqi
hility, andwhat she lissessedhad been lavigrl1
upon her hursbarnd. -."What matters it, tbh."
she argrued, "who the object be, provide t'sIc
can secure to rme and my children all th ' I
most love and covet in this world; and. .1' I
like Charles as well at any one else, and la'is
growing to be a rich man, I should be a atb!l
nriot to accept him." Io, she wrote him to tMis
eflect, and the early fall was settled upon for
the fulfilment of her promuise.
Upon the return of Mr. Stewart to New Or
leans, when the preliminaries of this bawsiess
arrangement had all been settled, he said, with
some appearance of agitation :
"There is one more point upon which I have
not touched, Nellie, trusting that you would
relie.ve, me of the necessity. The subject was
anedr source of trial in my first marriage, and
is no fraught with bitter and remorseful memo
rie,, that I never wish to allude to it. Need I
say that it is religion f I want to relieve your
rind in advance, Iy telling you that my views
have undergone a very great change; that
Catholicism occupies a far more ecalted position
in my judgment than formerly; and, that I not -
only give my free and full consent to your un
molested practice of its require~ ents, but ant
also willing that my children-Kate's little
ones-may be brought up inthesame. Indeed,
they ar, already somewhat initiated, for Biddy
has weeen faithful to the memory of their dear
mother."
The face of Mrs. Talmadge turned crimson at.
this unexpected confession; and, for an instant,
shame for her own faithlessness overcame he'r.
lBut, quickly recovering lher equanimity. she
Sreplied :
jTe bt f(.;untisnerIl.