Lizzy Glenn; Or, The Trials of a Seamstress

arose. She found Ella's fever still very high. The ch

; and at the prices which she was receiving for her work, she felt that it would be impossible to buy more. After making the fire, she took her work, and drew near the window, through which the cold faint rays of the morning were stealing. By holding the work close to the light, she could see to set her needle, and in this way she commenced her daily toil. An hour was spent in sewing, when Emma aroused up, and she had

orning!" said that personage, with a b

ubled about her. She complains of a sore throat this mo

. Gaston. Ella's not down wit

t. But I ha

ton. It is bad enough when it comes in th

ee I am sure will do me good. And as I have a hard day's work before me, I must prepare for it. And then I must have a pi

. Gaston. Dry bread is poor eating. And you know you can't touch molasses." Half in sy

poor woman replied. "I must be prudent

now; treat yourself to a herring, or to a penny's worth of this sweet butter. You'll

esh butter looked inviting to her eyes, and she

" she said. "You may give me a couple

arefully weighed out, an

e smiling shopkeeper, leaning her elbows upon the counter

ulge the children a little also," was the reply; "so weigh me t

ady, and then the mother hu

little of the children's meat, and drinking her coffee with a keen relish. She felt braced up on risi

-table. The two foreparts of the jacket had been finished, except the button-holes; and the sleeves were ready to put in as soon as the body of the garment was ready for them. As the button-holes tried the sight of Mrs. Gaston severely, she chose that part of the day, when her eye

rlet fever, doctor?" the mother

e truth, her symptoms resemble too closely those of

sping her hands together as this sudden announcement broke down, f

. Gaston, and had observed that she was a woman who had become, from some cause, greatly reduced in circum

upon her calm and intelligent performance o

ith a strong effort. "But I was over-tried already, and your s

et that your child is in the hands of Him who regards its good in a far higher sen

s heart. I love my children, and the thoug

is to another state of existence, their co

abstractedly, but with touching pathos. "And yet, doc

l leave you medicine now, and call again to-morrow. If s

ng for dinner. She put aside the jacket, and went to the bed. Ella lay as if asleep. Her face was flushed, and her skin dry and hot. The mother looked upon her for a few moments with a yearning heart; then, turning away, she took from a closet her bonnet and shawl, and a little basket. Passing quickly down

bones and vegetables she had procured, put them into an iron pot with som

ent for a loaf of bread while she was doing this, and upon his return found all ready. The meal, palatable to all, was a well-made soup; the mother and her two children ate of it with keen appetites. When it was over, Henry went away again to school and Mrs.

id the finished garment upon the bed. "Too bad! Too bad! How

ally as she was in a raging fever. Soon after, Henry came in from school, and she dispatched him for Doctor R-, who returned with the boy. He seemed uneasy at the manner in which the symptoms were developing themselves. A long and silent examination ended in his asking for a basin. He bled her freely, as there appeared to be much visceral congestion, and an active inflammation of the tonsils

her, doctor?" asked th

madam-and, I regret t

rlet fever

ut do not give way to feelings of despo

ered were given by the doctor, who again retired, with bu

essity there was for her to let every minute leave behind some visible impression, made her, after Henry and Emma were in bed, leave the side of her sick child, though with painful reluctance, and resume her toil. But, ever a

herself to her task, in spite of an aching head, and a reluctant, over-wearied body. Thus she continued until near daylight, when there was an apparent subsidence of Ella's most painful symptoms. The child ceased to moan and throw herself about, and finally sunk into slumber. In some relief of mind, Mrs. Gaston laid down beside her upon the bed, and, in a little while was fast asleep. When she awoke, the sun had been up some time, and was shining brightly into

r arm, and spoke to her. But she

s morning?" repeated Mrs. Gaston

nce fell. Still, he proceeded to examine her carefully. But every symptom was alarming, and indicated a speedy fatal termination, this was especially

s. Gaston, eagerly, laying her hand u

replied, abstractedly; and then in a thoughtful mood

if there is any change. I would rather not give her any mo

abandoned grief to which the mother gave way. The chords of feeling had been drawn in her heart too tightly. Mind and body were both out of tune, and discordant. In suffering, in abject want and destitution, her heart still clung to her children, and threw around them a sphere of

tightly to her bosom. Little Emma had crept away into a corner of the room, and looked fri

to his ear so thrilling, that he started, and felt a chill pass through his fram

moment; and then, turning away her head, she laid her cheek against that of

woman. To bear is to conquer our fate. No sorrow of yours can call back the happy spirit of your child. And, surel

e replied, her voice rising and trembling more and more at each sentence, until it gave way, a

n this sore affliction, and say, 'Blessed be the name of the Lord?' It is your only ho

ned, in some degree, her self-possession. As she did so, she slowly disengaged her arm from the body of her child, placed its head,

" said she, in a changed voice. "I used to have fortitude;

tone so sad and mournful, that the doc

," he remarked, "who will be with

my children are alone in this hard world. Would to heaven we wer

room, and, getting into his chaise, rode off at a brisk pace. In about a quarter of an hour, he returned with a

, she was nearly without food to give to her living ones. To meet this pressing need, he went to a few benevolent friends, and procured money sufficient to