Australian Tales - Setis

drawing pupils of an evening. Her old mother lives with her too, and she
is too lazy to earn a penny a month, so it is plain they must have some
way of getting money that all the world does not know of. Well, the
secret is out at last, as you shall hear. For five consecutive evenings last
week, my friend, who was on the look out, saw a dashing looking
gentleman get out of a hooded buggy at Miss Green's door just after dark.
She saw Emily open the door for him each time, and invite him in,
and — — ”
“Oho! that's it, is it?” croaked Mrs. Cackle, with her mouth full of
muffin, and her heart full of envy. “I see, I see, the brazen-faced minx.
That's the way she gets her finery, is it? That's why she tosses her
handsome head about like a soldier's horse! I understand it now; and, to
tell you the truth, I suspected as much. Well! well! well!”
“Now, pray don't mention it,” reiterated Mrs. Wen, “because I might
get into trouble. We had need be careful what we say about that sort of
people, for I dare say they have friends.”
“I tell you again I'll keep it quiet, though she deserves to be exposed,
the good for nothing slut,” said Mrs. Cackle, looking as fierce as a hawk
tearing a young pigeon to pieces.
Somebody did mention it, however, for it soon reached Mrs. Blank's
ears. She did not trouble herself to investigate the truth of the rumour,
but summarily dismissed poor Emily without a word of explanation. The
scandal rapidly spread, and her drawing pupils one by one left her, when
she was obliged to sell, from time to time, first all her little trinkets and
articles of luxury, and afterwards her household furniture, for the support
of herself and invalid mother.
It was some time before Emily learned the cause of her sudden
dismissal from Mrs. Blank's, and the removal of her drawing pupils, but
when the cruel reality burst upon her, it proved too much for her
weakened body and mind to bear. Her attempts at explanation were
coolly repulsed by Mrs. Blank and others, and on every hand she met
with insults and scorn, which crushed her sensitive spirit, and
overwhelmed her with sorrow. Anxiety brought on sickness and rapid
decline, which was accelerated by her constant attention to her bedridden
mother, and want of necessary comforts. The melancholy sequel is soon
told: her sufferings, though severe, were mercifully shortened by that
kind Providence which specially watches over the helpless. She was not
left long in lonely indigence to mourn the loss of her mother. Death soon
came to Emily, with the welcome passport to a better world, and her
weary soul soared away to its rest, “where the wicked cease from
troubling.”
Under the sandhills yonder, lie the remains of mother and daughter, in
one grave, hapless victims to the tongues of their maligners, which
proved fatal as the teeth of black snakes. But a great day is approaching