"Yes, 'twas me," said the other woman, "I was passin' 'long at de back of de lot, an' I hearn a mighty quare noise, so I jist looked through the crack, an' there I seed him a beatin' of her, an' I hollered to him to stop, for de Lor' sake, or she would die right dar. Den he got skeered an' run off in de house."
The narration was here interrupted by a fearful groan from the sufferer. One of the women very gently turned her over, with her face full toward me.
Oh, God have mercy on me! In those worn, bruised anguish-marked features, in the glance of that failing, filmy eye, I recognized my long-lost mother! With one loud shriek I fell down beside her! After years of bitter separation, thus to meet! Oh that the recollection had faded from my mind, but no, that awful sight is ever before my eyes! I see her, even now, as there she lay bleeding to death! Oh that I had been spared the knowledge of it!
There was the same mark upon the brow, and, I suppose, more by that than the remembered features, was I enabled to identify her.
My frantic screams soon drew a crowd of persons to the room.
My mother, my dear, suffering mother, unclosed her eyes, and, by that peculiar mesmerism belonging to all mothers, she knew it was her child whose arms were around her.
"Ann, is it you?" she asked feebly.
"Yes, mother, it is I; but, oh, how do I find you!"
"Never mind me, child, I feel that I shall soon be at peace! 'Tis for you that I am anxious. Have you a good home?"
"Yes; oh, that you had had such!"