Rates ol Advertising.
I be lk Cobpiy ftdboctft.
I 16CAL AND GENIAL Nil W BP APEX
.t iKbfiltet JL'rrry Thursday
UY JOnN F. MOORJi.
Ttr Toar in advanoe....' $1 60
Adm'rs and Exeeto-'s Notices, each
6 times , ft t
Auditor's Notices, each .,.. lie
Transient advertising, per square of
IU lines or lass, 3 limes or lest.,..,, 2 00
For each subsequent insertion.. 60
Professional cards, 1 year .,,. I (K)
Special notices, per line , , 14
JJAU'suboriptions to be paid In ad
vanoe. Orders for Job Work respectfully
salioited.
JQOfflce on Main Street, in the eecoad
bitii; of Houk & Gillis Store.
Address
JOHN 0. HALL,
EDITOR & rROriUETOR.
Obituary and MaiHage Notices, each 1 0(1
1 early Advertising, one square , 10 00
Yearly Advertising, two squares 16 00
Yeai'y Adver'ing three squares 20 60
l early Aaverlising, column 26 00
Yearly Advertising, X column 15 0
Yearly Advertising, 1 column 70 00-
Advertisements displayed more thaa
JOHN O. HALL, Editor.
J.rF. MO ORE, Publisher.
TEIUtIS1 50 l'cr War in advance.
811
Mi If SI i H
ordinarily will be charged fw at
the rate (per column1, of r 00
" Ned has stolen her to friirhicn me.''
BUSINESS CARDS.
JOHN O. HALL, Attorney at law. Ridg
way, Elk county Pa. mar-WCD ly.
JOB WORK of all kinds and dcs.
criptious done at this office.
T7"EUSF,Y HOTEL. Ccntreville, Elk coun
ty, Pa., C. II. Hyatt, Pr. aug'J'fio
c
ARVER HOUSE. Warren. Pa.. Hull &
Hall, Proprietor aog'J'CO-ly
A
LriXE HOUSE, St. Mary's ra., Her
man Kretz, Proprietor. sug'J bo
mHE art of J 10 DANCING end P.AN0J
I t i-ivn i. t... n w mimw
1 liA I tauKUk uj i. j.-.' " .-.
lUdgway, Pa. seplltf
TJXECUTIONS. SUMMONS. SCBPCE.
f2j ntts Warrants, &c, on hand and for
sale at tins ouice.
TVR.W. JAMES P.LAKELY Thysician
land Surgeon, St. Mary's, Elk county
l'tt. mar-. oo ly.
DR. W. W. SHAW Practices Medicine
and Surgery, Centrevillc, Elk county
iU. A. S. HILL Kersey. Elk county Fa.
FWill promptly answer allprofessional
calls by nighl or day. mar-l'a oo-iy
"TA R. EDEN J. RCSS. Pliysician and Sur-
J geon. St. Mary a Llk county ra.
Juue-21'6f.-ly.
R
Pfined Oil, Good Quality, by the
i barrel, at W cents per gat ion. ny
oct 11 -if J.POWELL
Tf wn-nt a load of Salt. Flour,
1 of Feed, you can save money bvhuying
of oct. 11 tf. J. run i.Lii
It.
AURIE J. P.LAKELY, Attorney and
'Counsellor at law. and U. 8. Commis
iosnr. Kidgway 1'. U. fclH county, ra.
niar-22'ooly.
SOUTHER AND WILLIS Attorneys at
Law, Uidgway, Elk county Pa., wilt
ntlenuioail proiess'.onai nusiness prompt.
ij. mar-. oo-iv
TR. W. B. HARTMAN. St. Mary's. Elk
I county. Pa. Late of the Army of tl
Potomac. Particular attention given to all
cases of surgical nature. uiar-22 hO-ly.
T I' w-Mrir Dr- Jano'e or Dr
1 Aver s c2.-braie4 Medicines, pure, call
iipon i lie only authorised agent in Hidg-
vav. oct. ll-u j. 1'unr.L.L..
vrifprins of nil 1 iritis
T cheapur tiiau can be bouglit at Erie,
t wholesale or retail. lv
oct. 11 -tf. J. POWKLf,
H
YDE HOUSE.
Hidewa v, Tenna.
Mrs E. 0. Cllmrnth, Proprietress.
Nor 1,8i
TOR PRINTING. such as Cards, Posters
I Hand Bills. Dill Heads Sc., done at
the ADVOCATE OFFICE
nnd at reasonable price.
on short notice
II. VOLK. Manufacturer and Deale
V7. in Lnptr Beer, opposite the Railroad
Depot, St. Marys, hlk county la.
Mar-2J't')()-ly.
EORDWELL AND MESSENGER Drug
cists. Dealers in Druesand Chemicals
Paints. Oils and Varnish. Perfumery Toil,
et articles and Stationary, Rulgway, Elk
county Pa. mar-22'OC-ly.
HENRY II. THOMAS, Dealer in all
kinds of Furniture, Spring Beds and
Mattresses, Picture primes and Collins,
Bidgway Pa. Wave Booms on the corner
of Main and Depot St's. may-17'6G-ly.
HO. McCONNELL, House, Sign and
. Ornamental Painter. All orders
promptly attended to with neatness aud
despatch. Inquire at this office,' or of the
subscriber at Kane Station. augOOOly.
JW. BAILEY, Surgeon Dentist, Saint
. Mary's, Elk county, Pennsylvania, of.
iershis professional services to the citizens
of Elk county Office opposite Coyne k Mc
Vean'sStore: (July 2t,'00-l y
DR. J. P. I10RDWELL Electio Physi
cian. Late of Warren county Pa., will
promptly answer .all professional calls by
night or day. Residence one door east of
he late residence of Hon. J. L. Gillis.
Mar.2U'0ti-ly.
WASHINGTON HOUSE, St. Mary's,
Elk county Pa., Edward Babel Pro.
prietor. This house is new and fitted up
-with especial care for the convenience of
guests. Good stabliug attached.
Mar-2'J'001y.
OLIVER & BACON, Manufacturers and
Wholesale - Retail Dealers in
Flour. I'Votl and Oivvin,
VAy.iL MILLS, KRIE, l'A.
Orders solicited and promptly filled at mar
ket rates. aug Jth-fiti-ly
JOHH O. HALL JAS. K. V. BALL.
HALL & BRO.
Attorneys - at - Law,
ST. MARY'S:
BENZINGER P. 0. ELK COUNTY, PA
September 20, 1800. ly.
CiT. MARY'S HOTEL. U. E. Wellendorf?
j l'roprietor, rst. Mary i, fciK county ra.
'This house is new and fitted up with espe
cial care for the convenience and comfort of
guests, at moderate rates. Free Hack, to
and from the Depot. Good stabling at
tached. mar-22 bb-ly.
"TJRACTICAL CLOCK AND WATCH
I MAKER. KT. MARY'8, Elk county
Pa. Edward MrBride, keeps constantly ou
baud and for talc. Watches, Clocks, Silver
Plated Ware and Jewelry ot all descriptions.
V.Hepairing neatly executed, and done
on short notice and reasonable terms'
ar 28'Co Jy.
NEWSHOP.
TIN! TIN! I T1NH1
STOVES I STOVES 1 ! STOVES ill
John Sosenlieimer & Co.,
WHOLESALE & RETAIL DEALERS.
BT. MAuy's, TA.
Keeps constantly on hand and for sale,
a large and well selected stock of TIN
WAKE, STOVES &c. We have
everything generally kept iD a Tin Shop.
Our'Stock of STOVES consists in part
of ANTIDUST PARLOR &
COOKING STOVES,
ALSO IRON GATE & WHEAT-
SIIHAF STOVES.
STOVE PIPE can be had at our
shop either riveted or groved.
SPOUTING AND ROOFINO, done OD
short notice and at reasonable rates.
June 14'06-ly.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT
LETTERS 0 ADMINISTRATION
on the Estate of Eddy Hyatt, late of
Fox township, Llk county, deceased,
have been grauted to the undersigned,
thcreiore all persons having claims
against, or are in any way indebted to
said estate arc requested to call and settle
their accounts.
J. N. HYATT, Adm'r.
ORPHA HYATT, Ad'x.
decl3 Ctpd.
T"TK;E WHEREAS,
MY WIFE TER-
ISSA WILDFIRE has left my bed and
board without just cause or provocation, all
persons are hereby cautioned against, har
boring or trusting her on my account as I
wlil pay no debts of her contrasting.
ANTHONY WILDFIRE.
Dec. 13th 1800. 8t.
1 "WAVER HOUSE,
RIDGWAY, PA.
" DAVID THAYER, Proprietor.
The undersigned having fitted up a large
and commodious hotel on the southwest
cornet-of Centre and Mill streets, with good
and convenient stabling attached, respect
fully solicits the patronage of his old friends
and the pntlio generally.
decl3'06 1y DAVID THAYER,
l'Olt THE I10LLIDAYS.
4 M ERIC AN AND FRENCH CAN-
DIES. '7e will open for the
Chrihtuias Ilolliday a large and choice
stock of candies, Hon Buns, Fruit,
(green, dried and preserved,) jellies &c,
that wc have ever exhibited to custom
ers. Call and examine at the HOOK
STORE iu ST. MARY'S.
I710R CHRISTMAS vlND THE
- NEW YE.1R. We have laid in
large assortment of R. Catholic Pray
er Books, (both English and German,)
some of which will be found of the fin.
est quality, Family Bibles, Testaments,
Boots ot devotion, Rosaries of all qual.
lties, Scapulars, Crucihxes both carved
and cast, together with an assortment of
all those articles usually found in
Catbolio book store. Call and examine
at the BOOK STORE, in-
ST. MARY'S.
Ci I flf.!5111 YEAR!,
Til.flWw want Agents everywhere
to sell ouriHPBOVKU $20 Sewing Machines.
Three new kinds. Under and upper feed.
Sent on trial. Warranted five years. Above
salary or largo commissions paid. The only
machines sold in the United States for less
than S10, which are fully limited Ly Jfotre,
II heeler ,y II thou. Urover X Jiaker, binger
f( Co., and liaehemer. All other cheap ma
chines are infringement! and the teller or liter
are reliable to arrert, fine and impntonment.
Illustrated circulurs sent free. Address, or
call UDon Sliaw & Clark, at Biddcford,
Maine, or Chicogo, 111. . may-17'00-ly
170IISALE!! B .
' Iwj Steam Engines
b-iucli bore and 10-iaeh stroke, w;tti aain
shafts and line shafts. Sic.
Also, FOUR cylinder boilers thirty fee
long and of sufficient power to drive th
two engines. Any one desirous of purchas
ing Stea-u Machinery will find it to their ad
vantage to call upon the subscriber at Port
laud Mills. HIRAM CARMAN,
Ridgway, Pa. oct. 4th-8m.
SOMETHING NEW!
HOUSE, SIGN Si, ORNAMENTAL PAnfTINa.
'IMlii SUBSCRIBE R WOULD BE
X spectfully inform the citiiens of Elk
county that he has just started in the
above business in Bidgway, and feel confi
dent that he can please all who may favor
him with their custom. GRAINING,
PAPER HANGING!- AND CALC1M1NING
DONE ON SHORT NOTICE AND IN THE
most fashionable and improved manner and
style. Orders left at ibis Office or at the
Bunking Huuse of Souther, Willis & Souther
will be promptly attended to.
W. P. WILLIAMS,
May-17'G0-ly.
ATOTICE TO CREDIT-
J UBS. The late firm of Burke &
Woods ef the borough of St, Mary's, Elk
county, Pa., having on the 81st day of Oc
tober, A. D. 1800, made a general assign
ment for the benefit of oreditors to the un
dersigned, all persons indebted to said firm
will please make payment, aud all having
claims present them to
CHARLES McVEAN, Assignee.
St. Mary's, Benzinger P, 0.
December 6th, 1866.
Corh:sj)f'!)iW)ce of ilie fl?(wqie
Letters to Evangelist.
R UMBER TIlHEti.
Sir : In replying to your enquiries,
which have led to this correspondence,
nothing was farther from my intentions
and wishes than to crjgage in a polemic
discussion. Besides being foreign to
tny profession, I do not consider the sec.
ular press as exactly the proper vehicle
through which to discuss religious ques
tions. Believing, however, that you rc.
ally desired culightentrent on the sub
ject to which you referred, I consider
it to bo the duty of some one to affor.1
you a brief exposition of the proofs of
the question. 1 lie lullllmcnt. ot tins
duty l undertook, although fully aware
that many others might uo it more ably,
and more creditably to themselves nnd
to the doctrines they advocated. I
presumed that after having read what I
wrote to you, you would endeavor to
find still other sources than those to
which I referred you, aad to discover,
if possible, still further proofs if any
existed. In this I have been mistaken.
You have seen fit to deny everything I
have advanced, but in your seven let
ters to me you have not disproved one
single argument of mine. You have
dcuied them it is true, you have told
me that you do not believe them, and
you have given rne your interpretation
of the texts of scripture which I pro
duced, but iurthcr than this you have
done nothing, lo the superficial unnd
your letters read well, but to the think
er they are painfully barren of proof.
Moreover. 1 regret to say that you have
seriously mistaken my meaning on scv
eral important points to which 1 will
refer in the course of my answer. With
regard to your demand for scriptural
proofs aud your indispositiou to accept
any others, I would remind you that
your views and mine regarding the sa
cred scriptures are widely different
You, I presume, regard them as aiule
of faith and you are willing to accept
uo testimony except that ot the bible.
I, while reverencing, the sacred writ
ings equally with you, by no means re
gard them in the same light. I do not
believe they were ever intended as a rule
of faith, although the result ot revola
tion. Had they been so intended, the
poor christians who lived during the fif
teen centuries before the discoverittsr
ot the art of printing, would have been
sadly deficient in religious knowledge.
Had our Savior intended that His teach
ings should reacii the pontile of the
whole world through the writhuj of the
Apostles, He, certainly, would have pro
vided some method for their uuiversal
dissemination. The patient, toilin
monks of what many love to call the
dark ages, (but which really preseuted
the brightest examples of love ot rcli
gion aud of learning) who preserved
the bible torus and tor you, could nuv
er have supplied the people with man
uscript copies, while the millions, at
the present time, unable to read, would
live, I fancy, in the darkest of dark ages
were the bible the only rule ot faith
We differ also upon another point. You
believe in the na;lit of private interpre
tation of the scriptures. Catholics do
not. We consider tlio sacred writings
far too sublime to be readily couipre
bended by minds to whom ao ordinary
political article is often a mystery, much
more so a treatise on philosophy or mu
tual science, and shall we presume that
the Wold of (jod is more easily under
stood than the perishable works of man
We consider it to be far too holy to b.
twisted and turned aud made to suit ev
ery whim wlrch the huniau mind may
conceive. Ilish or low, learned or un
lettered, the Catholic aecepts the inte
pretation which the church puts upon
the bible. Therefore, it was not m
private opinion that I gave you when
interpreted the scripture I quoted
but the opiniou of the church of which
I am a member. Those interpretations
I believe to bo true; if you do not, it
were useless for me to advance more
which would only meet the same fate
The proofs in my second letter you pass
over with what seems very much like
sneer on " the writings of the fathers
aud the tombstones of martyrs," but re
member that although a witty remark
may provoke the mirth of the silly it
does tiot overturn arguments and proofs,
In my first letter 1 gave you the doc
triue of the church in regard to the po
sition held by the Blessed Virgin Mary,
I said that Mary was peculiarly the
Queen of Mercy and that to her does
not belong the attribute of justice.
Jlmigbty God, being omnipoteD
omniscient and omnipresent, possesses
all the attributes ot goodness, knowledg
and nower. Amonjr these are the at
tributes of Justice and of Mercy. H
can either satisfy justice by condemning
the sinner to everlasting torments or li
can exercise his attribute ot Mercy
pardoniug hiu: and admitting him iuto
the company ot the blessed. Mary
being a creature, has no pardoning pow
er. neither has she the power to cou
demn, therefore, having no right to cx
rciso justice, it is not an attribute of
ers, but belongs solely to Alnuahty
God. This must be plain to the dullest
comprehension. But Mary has the
rigot, not to be merer til to the sinner,
but to ask Almighty God to be merciful
to him. And here I must charge you
ith either misunderstanding my lan
guage or with misrepresenting it. In
your seventh letter we read : ' You say
to her does not belong the attribute ot
justice and so the sinner ' laden with
crimcs-and transgressions will stand a
belter chance of obtaining forgiveness."
Now. my dear Sir, I said no such thing,
nd any child who read my letters with
ordinary care will tell you so. You
have interpolated, into my language,
words of vour own which irive it an en-
irely different meaning. You have
quoted two disconnected pnrts of sen
tences instead ot the whole. Krom
your rendering it would be inferred that
I wished to elevate Mary to an equality
with Almighty bod ; that J. accorded
to II im the attribute ol justice and to
her that of mercy, so that if the sinner
feared to trust himself into the hands ot
God, he could appeal to Mary, and that
he, entirely independent ot Almighty
Godf would be merciful to him. Can
anything bo more preposterous than this
attempt to ascribe such a meaning to my
words, when I nave you so explicitly
the position of Mary as held by the
Church : IV hat I did say when speak
inpr of the sinner was this : " Casting
himself at the feet of Mary and Lrnginq
h'v to intercede for him, bcirging her,
pure and iinuehled, to ask her son to
suspend this justice and allow her to
exercise her attribute of mercy," that is
that Mary would beg Almighty God to
suspend his justice for a time aud allow
her to exercise her privilege of interces.
siod in octiait oi tne sinner, io show
further that, in your quotation, you did
not pie.seut my meaning, I will cite
from my first letter : "But the church
does not consider Mary the equal of .41
mighty God ; she does not believe, uor
does she teach, that she has the power
ot forgiving sins aud she would severely
rebuke any of her children who would
pray in that manner to her, and thus
insult Almighty God who alone has the
powei ot forgiveness." Your dialogue,
though exhibiting tiaccs of very Cue
dramatic talent docs not contain any
arguments on the subject, and, there
fore, cau bo passed over. ith regard
to satislyiog the justice ol God, I very
much feat that if mercy lent not her aid,
not one of us would be saved. With
regard to why I believe in the invoca
tion of saints, whether because I believe
it to be beautiful or whether because 1
believe it to be true is not, my dear sir,
for you to decide. I must say, however,
that I am very much led to doubt iour
sincerity in regard to your inquiries.
when x compare these passages from
your letter to the editor : " lam willing
to learn from anyone, and wish to be
corrected of any errors in regard to so
important a matter as prayer. If there
is any mode of communicating with the
faithful ot past ages, I would not be
averse to asking prayers of that valiant
soldier of the cross, who did not use to
fight like a man beating the air," and
" l do not deny that there may bo evi.
uence ot tins, out i nave never seen
any, nnd ask for information." with the
following, from your last letter to me :
The idea that God who so loved the
world, that He gave His only begotten
son, that whosoever believeth iu Him
shall not perish, that Christ who loved
the world and gave Himself for it
should need the intercession of Mary to
make them will'ng to forgive a repenting
sinner, is so preposterous that it should
come only from those who ate ' enemies
ot the cross of Ijhnst.
" Comparisons, it is said, " are
odious," but I think this one peculiarly
so. Ilow does it come that vou find
doctrine " so preposterous " which only
a tew weeks ago you were willing to be
lieve might be teue, and about which
you b"gged for information ? There i
a sad uiscrepancy here, and 1 very
much .car it was the desire ot whettin
your pokunc weapons, the cacoethe
ucribentii, or perhaps the desire to ap
pear iu print, and not an earnest loogin
for truth, " as the heart pants afte
fountains ot water, that led you to
nuke your inquiries. In reply to you
belief that you are justified in withhold
ing your assent from a doctrine which
you deem so " shadowy," I can only say
hat you have applied lor information
you have received it and have seen fit to
dissent from it, it remains now fur oth
ers to decide as to whether you are jus
tified iu denying it, or I in believing it,
This letter then closes our oorrcspon
deuce. That it hay fallen upon barren
soil in your case I regret; perhaps some
tew seeds nave fallen upon good ground
-mi .. u j, . ... .
wiiicu win spring up anu "yieiu iruu
hundred fold." Medicus.
No taxation without representation
says the Tribune, ' is a battle cry that
cannot be permanently resisted.' It is
exactly for this reason that all good men
await the downfall of the Kadical lie
publicau party.
Select SfOl'l.
I was bitterly discontented that morn-
ing, and there was no denying it discon
tented with my home, my husband,
even with my babe. I remember the
ninrniniv wntl if ttaa rvvnv nrtrl a niiHff
iritl, . In- Jro; k.t i,:iuj
ne to the bone, and hung the trees
with rce-king moisture The black mud
aoour. mo uoor, ot our western home.
, . , i i
was thick and deep ; nnd the bnre floor
of one room was badly stained and sml
d by the careless feet of th3 rough
shod workingmcn. 1 had been clean-
pg up all the morning, but the more I
cleaned the worse maters seemed to
grow ; snap and sand only served to ren
er the black toot-marks more visible :
and when a suddeu puff of wind whirl-
a tne smoKe nnu ashes down the pipo
of my cooking.stove,' covering the books
and tables I had just taken so much
pains in dusting off, threw myself in
the rocking-chair, and burst into a pas
sion tf despairing tears.
V c brought the rocking-chair with
us, Ned and I, when we left our cottage
on the outskirts ot the city, and journey'
cd westward. It Was a pretty cottage
my eyes fill with tears even now at die
thought of it, with its low, breezy win-
aows, inroiigii wnicii tne oaor ct roses
floated the livelong summer ; and its
clean, well ordered rooms, adorned with
all those charming, useless little toys,
that go so lar toward making a home
better than any other. We were very
nappy, iea ana i ; as cozy and com
fortable as two rohius in the heart of a
summer apple-tree. Ned was a clerk,
but with a good salary, and some little
additions flowing in now and then from
other resources. And when our baby
came, " Little Pearl," as we called her,
our happiness wus complete.
Jut after a while this new rapture
began to cool, and as Little Pearl's blue
eyes deepened, Ned, began to cast about
him in a sage and fatherly maouer.
" n c must do the best we can lot
Little Pearl's sake, Bell."
mat was tne opening remark a ens.
closure of the plans followed. He had
caught the western lever. " ' Westward
the star of empire makes its way
Ned quoted, with telling emphasis, ad
ing, " we must follow," Bell, and build
up a name and a home ior " Little
Pearl V
I assented, as I always did to Ned's
plan's though, in my secret soul, I felt
that the movement was a bad one. We
sold our pretty cottage aud furniture at
considerable sacrifice ; Ned left his
clcrkshin : and the Nove.uber nfter Lit
tie Pearl's birth found us in our western
home.
Ned had ur!ed ma to hrincr nut our
servauts; but, in a fit cf high-strung
heroism. I determined to be maid of-all.
work myself. Ned would have to sac.
rince his case aud comfort I would not
. ..... - .
Le behind inn. It was comnarative'v
light in the beginning, when only Ned
and myselt were to provide lor ; but at-
ter a while the hired men came ; and
baby required more attention rvery day.
n,t It ..
ine lull rains set iu, converting the
snonsv soil iuto black, adhering mud.
1 worked late and early, but found it
... . J l . . -
c-- . . . n -----
impossible to take care of my babe, nnd
ana Keen our ruue nome in anvtnint? ike
order. I bore up as long as I oouli ;
butat last mv strength uttorlv failed.
and, sitting down in the rocking-chair,
I sobbod lika u sillv child. I thought
of my old home, with its pretty well,
ordered apartments; of the hours of
nleasaut leisure and social eniovment
t ," mil..!, T hnim liann a ,,,c n rv nA . .nl
then, with a fiesh gush of tears, I looked ge'ber with the arduous duties, made
out at the low. trailiuor mist, and around biul an old man before his time : tha
the small, untidy room in which I was
imprisonea. It was wrong in Ned to
bring me to such a place, and aginst
my will, too, I thought bitterly,
At that moment I heard the voice of
the sick hired man calling for water,
and, catching up the pitcher, I brushed
away the tears,; aud ran up to the rude
loit wnero ue lay. as x icacr.ea tne
bed, I saw by the sun it waa almost
uoon, aud dinner was to cook for Ned
and the hired men. Giving the invalid
his water, I paused n moment to mix a
draught of medicine, my thoughts full
of the smoking stove, and distasteful du-
ties that awaited me below ; and just
then, shrill and clear, came Little Pearl's
cry. I threw down the dose I was mix.
ing, exclaiming almost angrily.
"It is no use, 1 can t get along, no
mt.tter how hard I strive. What shall
I do now ? Oh, dear ! I do wish J had
no baby !
My finger tips thrilled with terror
the instant the unwomanly wish had
passed my lips ; and, clearing the steps
at two or three bounds, I rushed to the
corner where the. crib stood, eager to
clasp her to my bosom, and pour out my
remorse in tears and kisses. 1 soatohed
aside the curtain. The crib waa there,
so was the snowy pillow bearing the
aamp impress oi ner head ; but Jiittle
Pearl was gone. For a moment I stood
dumb aud almost senseless, then a awift
ijuuifm lauua iu niv tsiici.
I cried and, lushing out, I searched
everywhere to find him ; but in vain.
The mist was thickening into: rain.
I knew well enough that he was too
careful of her to expose in sucb a man
ner; yetl'olung to the bcli'-ftiiat ho
had stolen her as I clung to uiv life.
There were fresb footprints iu the black
. u " . . luo .u"ur 'eaulDE toward
the wood lot, where Ned and the men
were at work. I followed them, uiv
head uncovered, unmindful of tb. chill
wind and driving rain plui;-;i -:,nkla
deep into the yielding soil at .f ; v step.
About halt way 1 seen sonietliin-f ii, the
path before me. It was a littl- ' , hnsun
stocking! My heart leaped lor jry.
Ned had stolen her, and she had kicked
it from her foot on the ay ; it wan
cruel in him to frighten me so. I won.
deredi hehad heard that silly wish of
mine i
Halt a mile from the houre I met
him and the men coming home to dir.tier.
He started forward the moment, he
caught sight of me-
" Oh, Beli ! whafa the mati.-r ? Is
Little Pearl sick ?"
One glance at his white, stai 'l. ! iice,
. . . , T 1 ... . I. . . . 1 .
uuuviuucu mo mat uiy nnpp u.-t ,.iu
yfV, c"e out hnXTl ' lo" " h
child, iNed, you know you hav. - dnu't
torture me any longer."
"Bell, what do you mean ?
" She's goneLittle J'ti
stole her Ned to frighten no '
No, on my soul, Bell '. '
"Then she's gone; God
mo my wish, Oh ! my bib
You
led
ba-
Dy !
I was rushing past him. li:t h- "aught
and held me fast, commi t , mo to
tell him nil and. I did. .-li,i thtn;hi
after words thrilled my onl w itli horror.
'TheludiansI the JtniU,'., boys!"
he cried, "they passed us, y-u know !
They must have stolen her. " ("o ne !"
They followed him without a word
and so did I. Over the spongy prairio
mud, the chill wind and driving rain
beating in our faces, through dense,
dripping woods, down to the shore ot
the river. But we were too late. The
last canoe was moored on the opposite
shore. God had granted me my wish.
I had no baby 2
Little Pearl could not be found, al
though our efforts were ceaseless. Her
crib remained in its corner, with the
impress of her head on its pillow ; but
the little, laughing face, that had look
ed at us from the depths of the cover
lids, was gone forever. I had ample
time to perform all my hou'ch-iM labor
then. No little ouiveriug crv v detain
me wheu was busy; no cling ng hands
noiuing mine, and keeping tin-m idle,
My wisk was grauted me; I hud no ba-
by l
lue aesoiate, lncoDsolahle sorrow of
tlie days tna' followed.no tooi-ua can
portray ; the tender longing, i lie sharp,
stinging romorse. But we lived and
, 1 I 1 n i .
"uracu, ior me ana labor must so on.
I 00 waiter how sore and weary our hearta
maJ ue- ai tne ena ot hve years, Ned
100,ea arouna mm on the ripe fruition
f bis most sanguine hopes. He had
I V.,ttf l.t.n .. . . I ,
u""v ,"u, UP "ut ooiy a nomo. cut a
name, in this new country W had
li . . .
peasant rooms, ana luxurious furniture,
J L 1 -la ....
BUU olru?i BDa nowers.aod all th? attn-
UU'DS l,,t"' k iu niine a naDUv Lome.
All did I say 1 Not all we were child-
lc3S- Little Pearl had never come bick.
""d GJ bad given us no othei chill to
n" her place; but we desired nj o'.lier.
our grief for her loss being de-irsr unl
ored than any new lovo o'.Mluva
been.
Poor Ned. that
silver threads were thick on his tcm-
Ples ana lne lurrows on his forehead
cut ; when we went back on a visit to
our old homo, the friends of his youth
IT. I a. i m v .
um uoi recognize nun. Mis hfo had
lost its impelling aim and motive.
One night, in the great city, wa were
retarding from the opera, when a voice
startled us.
" Please, sir," it said. " a penny for a
loaf.
It was mid winter : the MwmnhU
were glazed with ice ; and the c -witless
stars overhead glittered in the cold, blue
sky like so many points of steel I was
dreaming ot my home in th : .
i '!St,
i;-:urn
t"i-r.
w lott
. . he
ir
and longing tor the hour of mi
to como. A strange feeling .it
ness bound us to the spot wh.' - -
our Littlo Pearl. I could n
away from it, because of a to :
that she might come back, an i
i not
there to welcome ber.
The slender, pleading voice lei';n iu
upon my reverie ; and, gin , our at
the carriage window I saw a.-ouii child
ish figure, and a tiny band, blue aud
stiff with cold.
" Stop the carriage, N-d ; I shan't
close my eyes to night if we pass that
child."
My husband sta (d p Troa his half
I doze and obeyed me.
" What do you wait ? " ba aiked
1 kindly bending over and taking tha
i cuu'-i cuJ 13 Dll.