I only cared to live that I might be useful to her in
giving her such instructions as might be a blessing to her. I almost
adored her, but she is gone from me, and I am alone. I know she is
happy, because she was good."
"And have you always lived here in our town?" asked Julia.
"Oh, no! I am from Italy. When my child was but two years old, I left
my native shores, and with my only relative, my father, followed my
young husband, who is an American, to his own land. We settled in the
State of Virginia, and a short time ago he died and left me with a
charge to take care of our dear Elsie. She had her father's hair and
complexion, and inherited his delicate constitution, We were poor, and
I labored hard, but I cared not, if I could only make my child
comfortable and happy. She was not like me; her mind was full of
thoughts of beauty; she would often talk of things with which I could
not sympathize; the world seemed to her to be full of voices, and she
would often say, 'How beautiful _heaven_ must be.' Her nature was
purer and gentler than mine, and I felt that she was a fit companion
of the angels.
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