Also Read
A Dying Woman's Secret
It was a snowy, bitter cold night, and Mrs. Corney, who now ran the workhouse where Oliver was born, sat with Mr. Bumble before a cheerful fire, drinking tea.
"It's hard weather, Mrs. Corney, and all the people in the parish complain about not havin' enough food and coals. People are selfish. Here we are, takin' care of these paupers, and they're always askin' for more."
Mrs. Corney enjoyed these visits from Mr. Bumble, he being a single man and she being a widow for 25 years.
 |
| A Dying Woman's Secret |
Mr. Bumble finished his tea, wiped his mouth, and suddenly jumped up and kissed the lady on the lips.
"Stop, Mr. Bumble, or I shall scream!" she cried.
But before she had a chance to scream, a knock came at the door and an ugly old woman put her head in.
"If you please, Mrs. Corney," she said, "Old Sally is going fast. She says she has something important to tell you before she dies."
Mr. Bumble Visits Mrs. Corney.....
Mrs. Corney was annoyed at being disturbed with her gentleman visitor, but she excused himself and hurried off.
Old Sally lay in a bare attic room, with a dim light burning near the bed. She was twisted with age and trembling with pain.
"Doubt whether she'll last two more hours,"
said the two attendants, who were stirring the coals in the fireplace.
"Listen, you old hags," snapped Mrs. Corney, "I can't waste my time waiting for all the sick people in this place to die!"
Old Sally Is Dying.....
She turned to leave the room when the figure on the bed pulled herself upright and stretched out her arms.
"Don't go!" came a weak voice. "Come over here and let me whisper in your ear. I must tell you something before I die.
Mrs. Corney pushed the other old women out the door and went to the bedside.
A Dying Woman's Confession.....
"Now, listen!" began the dying woman. "In this very room, I once nursed a pretty young thing who was brought in with her feet cut and bleeding and her clothing covered with dirt. She gave birth to a baby boy and then died. The year was, I think...."
"Never mind the year,": said Mrs. Corney impatiently. "What about the young woman?"
The woman on the deathbed moaned, and her eyes darted wildly around.
"I remember now!" she cried fiercely. "I robbed that young woman! Before her body was cold, I stole it!"
"Stole what, for God's sake?"
"I stole the only thing the poor creature had. She could have spent it for food or clothes, but she saved it and kept it safe. And it was pure gold!"
"Gold?" Now Mrs. Corney shared Old Sally's excitement. "Go on! Who was the mother? What was it she saved?"
"She asked me to keep it safe for her. She trusted me! But she is dead, and the child may be dead too. If he is, it's my fault, the gold could have saved his life! He would have been treated better if they had known..."
"Known what? asked Mrs. Corney, who was really puzzled now. "Speak! Speak!"
"The baby boy looked so much like his mother that I could never forget it whenever I saw his face. Poor girl! She was so young!"
The dying woman was out of breath and fell back against her pillow.
Speak! Speak!.....
"Speak!" shouted Mrs. Corney. "Speak now or it may be too late!" Old Sally struggled to speak. Her voice was very faint. "The mother whispered to me that if her baby lived, the day might come when he would not feel so ashamed to have his mother's name mentioned. I pray to Heaven that someone has befriended that poor child! He was so alone!"
"What was the boy's name?" asked Mrs. Corney, who was already beside herself with frustration.
What Does the Piece of Paper Mean?.....
"They called him Oliver. And the gold I stole - I took to a pawn...." The old woman's voice trailed off. She grabbed the sheet with both hands, muttered some strange sounds in her throat, and fell back lifeless upon the bed.
"Stone dead, and nothing to tell after all," muttered Mrs. Corney, as she took a small piece of paper out of the dead woman's hands and walked away in disgust, calling the attendants to come in and take care of the body.