Early the next morning she again visited Charlotte, and found her
tolerably composed; she called her by name, thanked her for her
goodness, and when her child was brought to her, pressed it in her
arms, wept over it, and called it the offspring of disobedience. Mrs.
Beauchamp was delighted to see her so much amended, and began to hope
she might recover, and, spite of her former errors, become an useful and
respectable member of society; but the arrival of the doctor put an end
to these delusive hopes: he said nature was making her last effort, and
a few hours would most probably consign the unhappy girl to her kindred
dust.
Being asked how she found herself, she replied--"Why better, much
better, doctor. I hope now I have but little more to suffer. I had last
night a few hours sleep, and when I awoke recovered the full power of
recollection. I am quite sensible of my weakness; I feel I have but
little longer to combat with the shafts of affliction. I have an humble
confidence in the mercy of him who died to save the world, and trust
that my sufferings in this state of mortality, joined to my unfeigned
repentance, through his mercy, have blotted my offences from the sight
of my offended maker. I have but one care--my poor infant! Father of
mercy," continued she, raising her eyes, "of thy infinite goodness,
grant that the sins of the parent be not visited on the unoffending
child.
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