it was only two months after the kind matron of the bellevue home had the invalid mrs. moses removed to its hospitable walls, before she saw, with regret, that the life she sought to save was fast passing away. the delicate frame was rapidly yielding to the devastation of consumption. all the skill and attention of kind dr. gibbs had proved unavailing. it was too evident that she must soon die.
on the afternoon of a soft june day, succeeding a terrible night with the invalid, mrs. marshall had withdrawn for a moment's rest from the fatigue of watching and nursing. her slumber was soon broken, however, by maum isbel, who, unceremoniously thrusting her head into her chamber, said in an excited tone:
"miss lizzie! miss lizzie! mis' moses says she would like to see you at once. she seem werry bad to me, ma'am, werry bad indeed; she's so weak!"
"hasn't the doctor come yet, maum isbel? i have been expecting him this hour," replied mrs. marshall, arising and preparing to go at once to her patient.
"not yet, ma'am."
"if he comes, send him in at once; but i feel sure he can do the poor woman no good now. her life is nearly done." maum isbel sighed, and dropped a tear at these ominous words; and then she shambled along into ward number two, to inspect the washing that mark antony briggs, a colored man of her acquaintance, was doing there. there she grew garrulous over the demerits of the work, and soon forgot her emotion and her sympathy for the invalid. in the meantime, mrs. marshall hastened to the sick-room, and softly entered.
by the bedside sat the pale-faced little child, holding her mother's hand, and bestowing upon it kiss after kiss of fervent love.
"mamma, here is good mrs. marshall come in again. mamma! mamma! wake up," said the little girl as mrs. marshall entered.
startled by the sound, the sick woman roused from her uneasy slumber, and turned her heavenly dark eyes, so lustrous and bright, full upon the face of the matron. her eyes for an instant flashed, then filled with tears, and dropped again. there was a strange, mysterious expression in that one gaze, that thrilled the heart of eliza, and filled it with sorrow. "what can i do for you now, dear mrs. moses?" she said with feeling. "the doctor will be here soon."
lifting her emaciated arms, her body shaking convulsively, the invalid said, in a tone shrill with emotion, "come here! come near to me, lizzie heartwell! come to these dying arms of mine! i can hold out no longer!" confounded at these singular words, and the more singular demonstration of an undemonstrative woman, mrs. marshall shrank back, and the invalid continued, "come to me; nearer! nearer! i can hold out no longer. god knows how hard i've struggled! lizzie heartwell, don't you know me? have you never suspected your long-lost leah? have my disgrace and degradation wiped out my identity? in heaven's name, is there not one trace of resemblance left to the friend who loved you so much in our happy school days? o lizzie heartwell, i am indeed your long-lost leah! your unfortunate, heart-broken leah! your forsaken, despised leah! your dying, dying leah mordecai! is there no trace left, not one? here, see this-this hated scar. do you know me now, dear lizzie?"
lizzie, who, terrified at these startling words, had stood like a statue, sprang forward when the pale hand pushed back the hair and revealed the scar, exclaiming:
"is it you, my long-loved leah, my own leah mordecai? in pity's name, why this disguise? why this cruel deception upon me, upon your faithful lizzie, whose heart, like your own, has been wounded and bleeding so long? tell me, dearest, tell me while you can; tell lizzie heartwell again of your sorrows."
"am i not dying, lizzie?" inquired leah with a shudder, "i fear i cannot tell you all. my time is so short. but i could not die without one uttered word of thankfulness, without one kiss of recognition and love! this, lizzie dear, is the end of my unhappy life; this the end of the wrong-doing of others; this the end of disobedience-the bitter, bitter end. it's been a hard, hard struggle, lizzie, between pride and love, for me to throw off my disguise; but love has at length triumphed, love for this sweet child," she said, laying her hand tenderly upon her little daughter's head. "i could not die, and leave her entirely to strangers. when i have told you all i can of my story, then i shall hope for mercy from you for this child. it has seemed so dark and fearful to me, this untried, unknown life into which i must so soon enter! god knows how i tremble in his presence."
"have you tried to pray, dear leah?"
"yes, dear; but still all was dark, dark, dark-is dark yet."
"be calm, dear, and let me listen to the story of your life. tell me what steps have led you at last to this strange end. be calm, and tell me slowly. i would know it all."
"be patient then, and listen. i'll keep nothing back. if god gives me strength to tell it, i'll tell you all." then faintly she began her sad narrative, and unreservedly unfolded the story of her life, from the unfortunate day of her marriage, on through each succeeding year of sorrow, till she came at last, tremulously, to its sad close. calmly she told how her father had discarded her; of the removal of her husband's father to france, where his family still remained; of emile's misfortune, persecution, and forced desertion, of his innocence; of her hopeless longing to see him; of her despair as the conviction settled upon her that she could not hope to hear from him again; of the harrowing suspense that had slowly eaten out her life; of her penury and want--"and now, thank god," she said, "you will see the end."
lizzie wept at the story, and when it was ended, she said lovingly,
"leah, dear, let me send for your father? i know he would come."
"alas! the chillness of death is upon me, and the thought of dying without his forgiveness is terrible! would not his blessing dispel this awful gloom, dear lizzie? ah! a soul in the presence of its god is a helpless, pitiable thing!"
"our father is a god of love and mercy, leah; trust his goodness."
"i prayed last night from my prayer-book, but still all was dark. won't you pray, dear lizzie? pray for my father to come, with forgiveness, and that his blessing may banish this gloom-this mysterious gloom. pray for me, lizzie, pray for me now; and then you may send for him. but stop! my child! lizzie, my child! what will become of her? will you not take her? will you not keep her? will you not love her for my sake? i could not give her to another. tell me, dear. it's growing-oh! so chilly!"
eliza softly murmured, "before heaven, leah, i solemnly promise to deal with your child as i would have others deal with mine. give yourself no further sorrow for her, leah."
"thank god! and now, you may pray for me; pray that the gloom may be dispelled, and this death-chamber brightened by my father's forgiveness. here, clasp my hands. kneel close to me. i would catch every word. a shadow seems to hang upon everything! now."
thrilled with emotion, eliza sank upon her knees, and with one arm embracing the sobbing child, the other hand clasping the dying woman's, she prayed:
"eternal god, our heavenly father, in weakness, in darkness, and yet in confidence, we appeal unto thee for succor. in life, as in death, we are dependent upon thy mercy and love, and yet, ever unmindful of thy goodness, we must constantly implore thy forgiveness.
"grant now, dear father-now, in this dark hour of dissolving nature-a clear and sustaining view of thy goodness and mercy.
"draw very near, compassionate god, with assurances of thy full and free pardon. dispel with thy brightness the darkness of death that now enshrouds a helpless soul; and take it, in thy boundless love, into everlasting rest. manifest thy forgiveness, o god, for the deeds done in the body, and sanctify this soul for the habitation of thy saints. as earth has been dark and sorrowful, may heaven be bright and blessed; and may faith be given now, in this hour of awful extremity-faith to dispel the gloom that now veils thy goodness, mercy, and power.
"give light, light, o god, for darkness and terror, and peace and joy for apprehension and mourning. eternal, ever-blessed, unchangeable god, send now thy spirit and manifest thy forgiveness. o father, let thy sacrifice avail! pity, too, the helpless orphan, compassionate father, and like a mantle wrap thy love about it. guide its footsteps with wisdom, direct its way with love, and may it live to thy honor and glory. hear us in our weakness, helplessness, and sinfulness, and to thy eternal being be everlasting honor and glory. amen."
releasing the little child, and unclasping the dying hand, eliza rose and said:
"now, leah, i'll send for your father."
"well. be quick!" and as a seraphic smile overspread her face, she added, "leave me alone till he comes, lizzie, but be quick. i would see him now, now; all is light, light, light! joy, love, peace-at last."
an hour later, mr. mordecai-in answer to a message saying that his daughter was dying at the bellevue home, and wished to see him-came tottering into the hall-way, his face expressive of the deepest sorrow; his head had grown venerable and gray, his form was bent beneath a weight of grief that might have crushed a heart of stone. not a word was spoken, as he silently took the hand of mrs. marshall, who met him at the threshold, and led the way to leah's chamber. the expression of his face told the anguish of his heart. noiselessly entering the room, they found that the little child had fallen asleep on the foot of its mother's bed, exhausted with weeping. the coverlet was drawn carelessly over leah's face, concealing her features. softly approaching her, lizzie tremblingly turned the coverlet back. alas! she was dead.
on the bosom of the dead, as she was being prepared for burial, was found the miniature of her mother, the birth-day gift of years ago. the jewels were gone. one by one they had been removed from their places, to answer the imperative demands of hunger and want. but the face, the beloved face of the mother, had ever been pressed to the heart of the unhappy daughter. and now, it was not to be removed, even by death itself; for the agonized father, beholding the evidence of leah's devotion, said, "as she kept it in life, so shall she keep it in death. place it again on her bosom. thank god, i shall soon sleep beside her in the quiet burying-ground of my people; and may the eternal god forgive my sin toward her."
