Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-11-27

we're beginning 10 BE anxious Tor Inc return "
nv father who was expected nome ABOUT inns
lime. when Old Nurse, as we always caiied her
came 10 lell US Of all engagementshe hao 9o'
to attend young gentleman, who was iylnS
dangerously i'll in one OF the streets OF the oia
town: for at tina, time few Of the fine palaces OF
the New Town had been even thought OF, ana
many ! splendid street now, covers what was
then green fields and waving meadows. ohe
mentioned ,ha, a physician, who had a"sys1
been very Kind to her, had recommended her
to this duty; but as the patent was IN 'hoss
critical state. The manner Of her attendance was
TO be very particular. She was 10 go every
evening a, eight O'Clock, to relieve another VINO
remained during the day; and 10 be txtremei!
cautious not TO speak to the young man, unless
il was urgently necessary, nor make any motion
which might in the slightest degree disturb inc
few intervals of rest he was enabled to ENJOY,
bu, she knew neither the name nor the reS'>
deuce of the person she was to wait upon
There seemed 10 be some thing past Vie eom-
mon in all this, and remember perl wen
NV mother directing bel TO call soon and 'et
her know how she vas coming on, and any lar
Their matters she might be allie to lear; Out
nearly six weeks had elapsed, and we had never
once seen or heard OF her, when my mother 81
las, determined on sending TO learn wEe'her
she was sick, and to say size was longing 10 see
her aeain. The servant on his return, INFORM
ed us that poor Nurse had been dangerously
III, and confined to heI bed, almost ever since
she had been with US, but that she was now
some little better, and had purposed coming 10
see US the following day. She came accord
! ingly, but, oh, so altered, III SO short tlme,
,ha, no one would have believed IL. she was
almos, double, and could no; walk without
sunnort: her flesh and cheeks were all shrunK
away. and her dim Iustreless eyes were almost
| los, in their sockets We were all startled at
seeing her; il seemed that those six weeks had
produced greater changes 10 her than years OF
disease in others; but our surprise al the efec'
was nothing, when compared 10 that winch her
recital of the cause excited when she informed
MS Of il. and as we had never known her 10 'eii
q faIseh hood, we could not avoid placing impli-
cit confidence i'll her words
She told us that in the evening, according 10
appointment, the physician had conducted her
to the residence of her charge III one OF the mar
row streets near the abbey. 1t was one OF 'ho'e
extensive old houses, which seem butt Tor eler.
nifty rather than time, and in the constructing OF
which the founder had consulted convenience
ard comfort more than show or situation
flight of high stone steps brought them, 10 the
IL. IL
fenced with balustrades a foot broad, and sup
nor,ed by railing OF massy dimensions, led to
The chamber Of the patient. This was iot'y
wainsco,,ed room with window sunk yare
deep in the wall, and looking out upon VIVA
was once garden in the rear, but now grown
SO wild that the weeds and rank grass almost
reached the level Of lhe wall which enclosed II
.gd s.esa ~ Cd s fss1 81
ed iisfYas large as moderate sized room. Al
the OF. e end and opposite 10 lie loot at the
bed was fire place, supported by ponderGuS
stone bur,resses, but with no CRATE, and lew
smou,de rims .-.f were piled on the spacious
hearth.-There was no door except that by
which she had entered, and no other furniture
except few low chairs, and table co,eret!
with medicines and drsushts beside the Win,
dow. The oak which covered the walls and
formed the PANELS Of the ceiling, was as blac K
as time could make it, and the whole apartment
which was kept dark at the suggestion Of the
| physician, was so gloomy thai the glimmeiia:,
Of the single candle in he shade of the FIRE.
place could not penetrate il, and cast a tan,
! gieam around, mt sad, but absolutely sicket,~
| ing. While the Doctor was speaking in low
tone TO the Invalid, nui Sc tried to find out some
farther particulars from the other attentan,
I who was tying on her bonne., and preparing 10
| - -AA' "N'SS'' III ">' P'oib ''iS'S b'iHS away
for as said before, il was winter and bitterly
cold She could gain no information from her,
however, although she had been in the situation
4 considerable time. She could not tell the
name OF the gentleman: she only knew that he
was an Oxford student; but no one save herself
and the Doctor had ever crossed the threshold
| To enquire alter him, nor had she ever seen
any one in the rest Of the house, which she be.
| lieved TO be uninhabiicd. The Doctor and she
soon went away, aitergiving some unimportant
| directions. Nurse closed The door behind them,
and, shl'eriUg with the cold frosty gust Of air
from the spacious lobby, wrapped hercloak a
bout her, drew her seat close to the hearth, re-
| plenished The hire, and commenced reading
volume o! Mr.. Alexander Peden's Prophecies
which she had broash, in her pocket. There
was no soundt 10 disturb her, except now and
| then.a blast Of wind which shook the whitening
trees III the garden Cow, o. the death.watch
which licked necessarily in tie wainscot Of the
| room. In This msnner an hour or two elapsed
when, concluding from the motionleas posture
OF the patient, that he mus, be asleep she a. 1st,