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poor Nelly, as she caught and understood Mary's inquiring gaze.

"Have you a doctor, Nelly?" was Mary's first question.

"Oh yes, Miss, my doctor is very kind. We owe him a bill, but he doesn't keep away for that."

Mary took the poor little babe in her arms, washed and fed it, and did what else she could for the comfort of Nelly. She was about leaving in search of a neighbour with whom to charge the care of Nelly and her babe, when, to her relief, the doctor entered. Meeting him in the door-way she inquired the real extent of the danger, which she felt sure the poor woman was in, and was shocked to find that he had little hope of her recovery.

"It was a mad thing," he said, "for her to do. She left her bed and went out in the night air, after that wretched husband of hers. Her death will surely lie at his door."

"Oh, is there no hope, sir?" asked Mary, with anguish in her expressive face, "what is to become of the poor children ?"

"I will not say there's no hope," said the kind doctor; "I assure you all that is possible shall be done on my part, and I see she will not want for a friend in you. It is but an hour or so since I was here; let us see if there's any change for the better." Poor Nelly's flushed face, as she raised her glit

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tering eyes to the doctor, said little in her favour, and thanking Mary for her offer to find a nurse, which he said was an absolute necessity, he left without any more encouraging words.

By dint of inquiry from house to house, Mary at last found a woman to "look after" the mother and child, and when she had seen her in charge, went home with a sad heart.

Next morning she returned early, hoping, almost against hope, to find some improvement. To her surprise Thomas was watching at the bedside of his wife, who appeared now in a state of insensibility. He was weeping bitterly-tears come readily to the eyes of the drunkard-and when aware of Mary's presence, could not look her in the face.

"Is she worse?" asked Mary in a whisper.

"Oh, Miss Lister! if shoo dies what must I do?” and he wrung his hands in frenzied grief.

"Let us hope better things, Thomas; it would indeed be a dreadful thing for you."

"To be t'death o' sich a wife!" he exclaimed in agony; "I can't bear it! I can't bear it !" Mary could scarcely pity him in his grief, real as it was. But she forbore all reproaches, and finding she could be of no present use, with reiterated charges to the nurse, she left in the fear that she had seen Nelly alive for the last time. But it was not so. Many sad visits Mary paid, but at length a favourable change

took place, and contrary to the expectations of all, Nelly slowly recovered. Her husband, who had been terribly frightened by her danger, seemed to have turned over a new-leaf in earnest, and rapidly made up by his diligence and skill the losses his vice had brought upon them. Mary took the first opportunity of urging upon him the necessity of securing himself against temptation by the pledge-the working-man's safe-guard, whatever moderate drinkers may say.

"Do you think I need to pledge mysen agean that 'at nearly cost Nelly's life, Miss Lister ?" was Thomas's response to her remonstrance. "Nay, I got a lesson then there's no fear o' forgettin."

Nevertheless, if not forgotten, the terrible lesson lost its power; and Nelly and her little ones were once more brought to misery and want, by the intemperance of her husband.

And here I may as well trace their sad history to an end, though it took years to act it out. Nelly, ever ready to excuse her husband, for, "he had no other fault, and was the kindest of husbands, when he was sober," strove to keep want from the door by going out to daily-work; thus neglecting her children, who were left to the neighbours, or the street, becoming depraved in body and mind. Thomas went from bad to worse, till his health at last gave way. He died, leaving Nelly to struggle for a livelihood for herself and children; less hard to gain indeed, though the

ever.

poor widow never owned it, when the destroyer of her peace, and the waster of her earnings, was gone for Thus ended Nelly's visions of domestic bliss, so brightly glowing in prospect on her marriage-day. And such is the history of thousands, and will continue to be, so long as the foe of all true happiness, strong drink, is tolerated and used.

CHAPTER XIX.

HOME PLEASURES.

Domestic happiness, thou only bliss
Of Paradise that has survived the fall!

¡COWPER.

This warm but simple home, where he enjoys,
With her who shares his pleasure and his heart,
Sweet converse.

IBID.

RANK HAMER and his bride spent several weeks on their wedding tour. William and Laura Lister returned after a fortnight's absence, to enter their new home, a small but very pretty mansion—a villa perhaps it would be called in these days-not more than an easy walk's distance from "The Cottage."

It was a pleasant time with us, when Mary and I, after spending our leisure for days before, in adding various decorations and elegancies to Laura's pretty rooms, received the "happy pair" in their new-abode.

It was no mere conventional term, the phrase I have here used, as applied to them! They were truly a happy pair. Theirs was a union in which esteem and honour went hand in hand with admiration and love

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