"
"Ah!" interrupts Franconia, welcoming him with a fervent heart, "I
knew Clotilda would never forget Annette; I knew she would remember
me; I knew her ardent soul would give forth its measure of
gratitude. Happy am I that you have come-though years have rolled by
since I gave up all hopes of the joyous consummation-to relieve this
sorrowing child," she says, running to Annette, and with tears of
joy in her eyes, exclaiming, "My child! my child! you 'll yet be
saved. The ruffian who tortured you to-day will torture you no
more-no more!" And she kisses the sorrowing girl's cheek, as tears
of sympathy gush into her eyes.
Rosebrook handed Franconia the letter, which she read as her face
brightened with joy. "Good Clotilda! how happy she must be! How
generous, how kind, how true dear Maxwell was to her; and they are
living together so comfortably, and have such a nice family growing
up; but she wants her slave child! A slave mother never forgets her
slave offspring!" she exclaims, with enthusiastic delight, as she
reads and re-reads the letter. Back she paces to Annette, lays her
right arm gently over her shoulder, and pats her cheek with her left
hand: "Annette will see her mother, yet. There is an all-protecting
hand guiding us through every ill of life. Be of good cheer, my
child; never despond while there is a hope left; bury the horrors of
the past in the brighter prospect of the future." And leading her to
the table she seats her by her side and reads the letter aloud, as
with joy the forlorn girl's feelings bound forth.
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