Up the ladder;

by Madeline Leslie

The entrance of her son slightly roused her. She turned her eyes upon him with, oh! so sorrowful a glance, and taking his head between her hands as he sat on the floor before her, moaned piteously. "O God! forgive me that I scarce know how to pray for myself, when prayer for him can no longer avail. Be present with me in this dreadful hour. Support me, Lord, or I shall sink under my heavy load of grief." She then burst out, "Oh that I could have seen him once more! Oh that I could have entreated him to prepare to meet his God!"

Here her sobs convulsed her whole body and Harrison becoming frightened at the violence of her grief, started to his feet, crying, "Mother, dear mother, don't cry so!" Just then the door opened, and the clergyman of whose church she was a member entered.

The good man afterwards described the hour which followed as one of the most trying of his life. But I must not linger upon this afflicting scene. By the liberality of the church to which she belonged, all the arrangements were made for a decent funeral of the deceased; and the poor widow buried her dead out of her sight, forever.

The same charitable hands also provided a suit of plain mourning for Mrs. Danforth and for her son, and promised to be responsible for her rent until she could decide upon her future course of life and make arrangements for their support.

As it was now some time since her husband had aided in the support of the family, Mrs. Danforth thought it no risk to retain the rooms she at present hired, and, with the aid of her son, to endeavor to meet her expenses by vest-making.

The affliction with which she had been visited had brought her into connection with some of the church, hitherto unknown, and their ready sympathy was a cordial to her sorrowing heart.

Harrison returned to his work at the hotel, but found that Mr. Haven had gone, with his family, to the country.

Month after month glided away, until it was nearly time for the fall term of the city schools to commence. Our little hero intended to present himself among the earliest pupils. He longed for the time when he should again be busy with his books and slate. During the summer Mrs. Danforth found it difficult to obtain work, so many persons were out of the city, and at length consented to the wishes of one of her new friends that she should go into a family as nurse. Her only objection to this was that it would deprive her son of a home, which she considered of the first importance to him at his tender age. But, as she was able to obtain permission for him to pass his evenings in the family of one of the neighbors in whom she had confidence, the difficulty was relieved. He had, for some time, been considered a regular boarder at the hotel, where, since his father's death, he had been more than ever a favorite.

At this period Mrs. Danforth had been in three families, had given entire satisfaction, and now her services were eagerly sought.

She still retained one room in the tenement she formerly occupied, and had returned to it only the previous day, when Harrison came home in the middle of the afternoon to inform her that Mr. Haven had returned from the country, and that Ella was dangerously ill. The poor boy was very much excited by the sad news, and had prevailed upon one of the chamber-girls to go and recommend his mother as nurse, hearing they had difficulty in obtaining one. Harrison was accordingly summoned to the chamber, and on being questioned gave references to the places where she had nursed, and now he expected they would come for her.