Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-06-26

KIND lady-could She-mIght she, only be
permitted to stay in the house until his re-
covery, and in her turn watch over, and
wait upon him.
She had been living out, it appeared in the
neighborhood, as nursery maid {; but her
employers, in their dread of scarlet fever,
. objected to her daily visits ofinquiry atthe
Doctors Office, so the afectionate creature
had unhesitatingly given up good place
and fastened away, delighted at the thought
of being useful to her benelactor, and show
ing her gratitude for his former kindness by
rendering her services to him as nurse.
A look of scrutiny, turned upon her as
she told her simple story, was met by one
as thoroughly pure and honest in its express
sion, that after moments pause, willing
consent was given to the arrangement, and
with noiseless tread, but with an expression
of relief, as if the weight of the world had
been lifted from her bosom, the warm-heart-
ed girl bounded up stairs, and took her sta
ton at the bedside of the patient.
1t was melancholy case altogether. The
mother and the sisters of the young man,
though written to, were as yet far away, and
his weary hours were still farther embitter-
ed by the knowledge that if he died they
would be left utterly destiute-the proper
ty upon which they all lived being entaiied
upon him, the only son, and reverting at his
death TO the next male heir of the family.
But to return to the more immediate sub
ject of this sketch. From the hour of her
first assuming the duties of nurse, she never
left him, day or night, for a single moment,
unless to bring for his comfort and relief
such things as the other girls of the house,
IN their fear of Infection, were too much ter
rifed to carry up to his room. The symp-
t0nsssoon' became too marked to leave any
more Than faint hope Of ultimate recovery,
but the courageous girl never suffered her
feelings to overcome her; her manner is
described as calm and sel(-possessed to
singular degree, the features generally mo-
tionless, and the voice without a trace of
agitation in its tone.
Once indeed, and once only, toward the
her hands pressed convulsive1y against fref
eyes and her bosom heaving with emotion.
But the tears were resolutely forced back
the feelings bravely gulped down, and in
one moment more the devoted girl had turn
ed the handle with quiet touch, and re-
sumed her duties by the bed of death.
The poor sufferer was attended by a host
of medical friends, but the fiat had gone
forth "stiIl small voice" had whispered
to him that he must die. And he did die,
calling upon his mother and wondering how
she would be able to bear the tidings of his
loss.
Amid all the EXPLANATIONS of sorrow and
CONSERVATION around, not one word was
spoken by the poor girl who had been his
untiring watcher SO long. A stranger might
have almost imagined her an uninterested
spectator Of the scene-''a hireling who
cared for'' her charge-but those who knew
her better could observe that she never NOV
ed from his side-never lost sight of him
for a single instant. 1t was she who closed
the starting lids-bound up the head, and
prepared him for the coffin. And all in ut
ter silence-not word of sorrow came
from her. The pale cheek and trembling
hand were the only interpreters of the feel
ings with which she did it all.
At length the last sad offices were to be
performed. They persuaded her to leave
the room for short time, and when she re-
turned the body was removed from the bed,
and the coffin-oh, bitter disappointment!
the coffin was Screaced dOoCn.
Then indeed wall of despair escaped
her lips. She could see no reason for such
haste-there was time, plenty of time be-
fore them-and what had she done that she
should not be allowed one look-one last
look-belore they took him away and shut
him up forever?
Being made to understand, after time,
the necessity in such cases of immediate
burial, she suffered the men to depart with
out further emonstrance-but within the
next half hour she had quietly borrowed al
screw driver-shut herself into the ROOM
Withdrawn every screw in the coffin lid
and gazed, oh! who shall say with what Bit
terness of 1eeling?-upon the face within;
then fastening the lid down again, remained
tranquil, nay almost happy, in the thought
that her hand was the last that had been laid
upon his brow-her eye the very last that
had rested upon his features.
After the funeral, when the few valuablesI
belonging to the deceased were collected to-
gether, she was asked whether she would
not wish to keep something inremembrance
of him, and was told that she might take for
that purpose anything she pleased.