The Old Homestead

sweet

mble there is no

y from the hearth-stone, in heart, if not in person; but to the virtuous poor, domestic ties are the

a certain degree of elegance that always betrays the residence of a refined woman, however poor she may be. A well worn but neatly darned carpet covered the floor. The chairs, with their white rush bottoms, were without stain or dust. A mahogany breakfast-table, polished like a mirror, stood beneath a pretty looking-glass, whose guilt frame shone through a

tic picture; especially when Mrs. Chester, obeying the gentle sway of her Boston rocking-chair, passed to and fro before the lamp by which she was se

ached the half hour before midnight, she laid the child's dress which she had been mending upon the little oblong candle-stand that held her lamp, and put a shovelful of coal on the grate of her little co

fire was darting in a thousand bright flashes, through the black mass that had just been cast upon it, shooting out here and there a gleam of gold on the polished blackness of the stove, and curling up in little prismatic eddies around the tea-kettle as she placed it on the grate. The lamp, clean and bright as crystal could be made, was urged to a more brilliant f

h a smile that told how impatiently she was coquetting with the time. "In twent

oth upon the stand, smoothing it lightly about the edges with both hands, and opening a little cupboard where you might have caught glimpses of a tea-set, all of snow-wh

an imprisoned bird carousing in the vapor. The fire glowed up around it red, and cheerfully throwing its light in a golden circle on the carpet, the stand, and on the placid face of Ja

aring in every painted rose that clustered around it the most convincing evidence that Mrs. Chester must at least have had a grand mother-when all was ready, and

of those smiles which one never see

heavy and unnatural in her husband's tread that troubled her. She was turning toward the door, when Ch

cold, and your forehead all in a perspira

child. She took off his hat and touched her lips to his damp forehead, while

or little girl I found in t

ncountered the glance of the great wild eyes that seemed to illuminate the whole of tha

miserably she was clad; but checking her astonishment, she placed her guest in the rocking-chair, took off

nd, who had seated himself at the supper table. "This is all she wants-a good fire and something to eat. Please pour out your

"I never tasted anything so g

ed, and the tears

her husband; "a small piece more. I must be careful, you know, John, and not give her too much at once," and br

e morsel of toast greedily,

f-denial settled on the child's face. She dropped her hand, drew a deep breath, and tried to be c

ng the appealing glance of

osed her eyes, and thus s

epy?" said M

ob. "I only would rather not look that w

ack eyelashes as she spoke,

In an hour-shall I s

ter, deep

; he did not like to tr

hour you shall have something more; a

h their humid lashes flashed a gleam

illows from our bed, with a thick blanket folded under them, and four chairs for a bedstead; that will do very nicely. You reme

bed, lately," faltered the little girl, bewildered

rs. Chester, looking at her husband; "ju

hose long raven curls lay in masses over the pillow, and down upon her night-dress, till they were lost among the bed-clothes. The child might be ten years of age, and nothing more beautiful could well be imagined than the sweet and oval cast of her countenance. Color

, passing one hand under her beautiful head very carefully, that her fingers m

d a portion of her tresses fell over the side of the bed, her curls sweeping downward half-way to the floor. When Mrs. Chester returned she found her child in this position, partly out of

ess being with cheeks so thin and eyes so full of intelligence. It seemed to her that moment as if the fate of these two children would be jostled together-as if they, so unlike, would travel the same path and suffer with each other. Nothing could be more improbable

d the pillows, the blankets and snowy sheets, which she brought with her, into a most inviting little nest in

nly clad, was clean in her attire, and that some re

child's hand and drawing her into the bed-room,

me ma'am," replied the chil

you got

child, and a spot of crimson

't k

said the child, meekly. "I don'

lowed with such unnatural brightness on the child's face with a

r! Oh, he

ished there, and the child clasped her hands in a sort of thoughtful ecstasy, as i

one of Isabel's night-gowns in the drawer, now and

utes had elapsed, "let me take off your f

k that thrilled through and through Mrs. Chester. "When I think of my fa

loved yo

despondency. "My dear dead father-did you ask me if I lo

r," said Mr

face again, and bowing her head with a loo

moth

ource she could only guess at, "I will not ask any more questions to-night. Keep up a

ning her large eyes downward upon her person, with a look th

children whom our Saviour-

es, I

ttle helpless creatur

e said, 'Of such is t

h as I am

erson, and then with a look of t

ing, to conceal her tears; there was something s

le Isabel, with a look of thrilling admiration, "I thought when I

hy lik

h I have seen of Heaven, where beautiful, curly-heade

hester, unable to suppress a feeling of maternal pride, and s

ures in my whole life, and I have looked for o

y according to the artist's fanc

pictures do not so much as fancy a litt

ange language of the child-"remember, little girl, that it is our souls-

ournful smile, "but she would not like to leave all those

ried to smile; the child puzzled

like either, to le

ttle girl?" said Mr

ogether, my soul and this poor

nd drawing the child toward her, began to untie her dress. A faint exclamation of surprise and pity broke fro

ed down and put on the nightdress. "What if she, my own child, were left thus,"-and dashin

the plaited ruffles around her neck and bosom. Drawing close to Mrs. Chester, she took hold of her dress, and looked earnestly in her face. Mrs. Chester tu

e said, looking do

ma'

you want-the mil

give up the milk, if

what,

nswered the child. And after one yearning look, her head drooped up

iserable orphan, begging with a voice of unutterable desolation for a few moments of that affection which she saw profusely lavished upon

ssed me since

f chilling the lips yet warm from the rosy mouth of her child, by contact with anything less dear

er face, and giving her hand to Mrs. Chester, she allowed herself to be lead