Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-11-11

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where she RENE embered that the tailo
said he lived. He was in the shop, On,
remembered her the moment she enter
ed.
/ Can see the man you told me wa
named Fletcher p she asked.
H Yes ma a'am I; and | sincerely hop,
there has been some mistake, and iha
you will find him TO DO youv husband
Tor he is very III, and needs TO be nurses
by n careful hand
Mr.. Fletcher followed the tailor up
stairs, her heart scarcely beating under
The pressure OF suspense. In smal
chamber in the third story, the aimos.
phere OF which was close, oppressive anc
filled with an offensive odor, she wa,
shown u man lying upon bed. She
needed not second glance, rs The dim
light fell upon his pale, emaciated face,
To decide her doubts. Her husband Law
before her. Eagerly she called hi,
name, but his eyes did no, open. She
spoke to him again and again, but he
did not recognize, even if he heard her
voice.
Do enqnirne, she found that he was
III with violent fever, which the doctor
sad was about at It's crisis. This had
been brought on, the tailor said, he had
no doubt, by too long continued labor
he having worked, often, sixteen and
seventeen hours out Of the twenty four
by that means earning a third more
wages than any journeyman in the shop
Alarmed aud troubled as she was,
Mrs Fletcher was utterly confounded at
all that. She could not comprehend it.
All night she lowered over the pillow OF
her husband, giving him medicine at the
proper times. placing the cooling
draught 10 his lips or bathing his hot
forehead. Frequently she called his
name, earnestly and tenderly, but the
sound awoke no motions in his slug g ssh
mind. Towards morning she was sitting
with her face resting against "A pillow,
when a voice, speaking distinctly ,arous-
ed her from half sluDber into which
she had, momenlarily, lost herself. In
an instant she was leaning over him,
with his name upon his lips His eyes
were open, aud he looked steadily in
to her lace. But it was evident that he
did not know her.
Joseph Joseph Don't you know
me ? she said. i am your wife. |
am here with you.
Poor Mary = he mourned sadly, not
understanding what was said. 'If she
knew all il would break her heart.
What would break her heart quickly
asked his wife.
Poor Mary She said she would
never marry - here the sick mans
voice became inarliculate
But all was clear to the mind Of Mrs.
FLETCHER. She remembered how often
she had made The thonght!css remark
10 which her husband evidently referred.
The icars again fell over her cheeks,
until they dropped even upon the face
Of her husband, who, after he had said
this, muiered for while, inarliculaiely,
and then closing his eyes, went off into
sleep.
Towards morning n Sigh, moisture
broke out all over him, his sleep, that
was verv heavy, became soft and tran
1n'l. The crisis was past La order
not to disturb the quiet sIumberer, Mrs.
Fletcher sat down by the bedside per-
leotly sill. TWAS not very long before,
over wearled as she was, sleep likewise
stole over her senses. 1t was day Wight
when she was awakened by her name
being called. Starting up, she met the
face of her husband turned earnestly
towards her.
Dear husband y size exclaimed, do
you know me p
Yes Mary But how came you herer
he said, in a feeble voice.
We will speak of that at some other
time she replied Enough that am
herc, where | ought to have been ten
days ago. But that was not my fault.
Fletcher was about to make some
farther remark, when his wife placed her
inger upon his lips, and said
You must not talk, dear your disease
las ust made favorable change, and
'our life depends upon your being perfect
y quiet, Enough for me to say that
lnow all, aud love you just as well, per-
,aps better You are weak. foolish
nan, Joseph, she added, with a smile,
or else though, me weak and foolish
woman. But all that we can settle
hereafter. Thank God that have found
ou and that you are to all appearance
,ut of danger,
Aunt Prudence looked into K,te's
ace, and saw that tears were on her cheek.
Would you have loved him less,
Kate, she asked, if he had been your
husband /!
He would have been the same to me
rhatever might have been his calling.
That could not have changed him
No. certainly not. But have a
rord or two more to add as soon as
fletcher was well enough to 90 to work, +
e took his place again upon the shop
oard, his wife feeling happier than she
ad felt for a long time.
la about six months lie rose to be fore
ian ofthe shop, and year after that
ecame a partner in the business. At
ne end OF ten years he sold out his
itnraSt tho husinasc and vatnrpnb ,u