New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-25
CnAPTER .Rslnilnq.

FLORENCE had need OF help. her iatnef heet
Of II was sore. and made the ard Of her old friend
invaluable. Death stood at his pillow. shade
already Of what he had been, shattered IN mind
and perilously sick in body he laid his weary mead
down on the bed his daughters hands prepared io
him. and had never raised It since.
she was always viii him. He knew her, gen
orally; though IN the wandering Of his brain. he
often confused the Circumstances under which he
spoke 10 her Thus be would address her, some
times as ii his boy were newly dead aud would
tel her that although he had said nothing OF hei
ministering at the it,le bedside, yet he had seer
it-he had seen IL and then would hide his face
aud sob, aud put out his worn hand. Sometimes
he would ask her tor herself Where IS Flor
ence -" am here, Papa, am here " don
<now her he would cry. " We have been part
cd So long that | don't know her. and then Q
staring dread would be upon him. until che could
.ootbe his perturbation and recall the tears she
tried So hard. mt other times, 10 dry,
Hersmbed through the scenes Of his old pursuits
through many where Florence lost him as she
llstened-sometImes tor hours. He would repeat
that childish question, q" w hat IS money and
ponder on IL. and think about ~ aud reason win
himself more or less cOnnectedly tor a good an
swer. as If It had never been proposed to him un
III that moment He would go ON with musnp
repetition Of the title az his old firm twenty thou
sand times and. a. every one OF them. would turn
bis head upon his pillow. lie would count has
chi ren-one-twO--stop. and 90 back, and begin
again In the same way.
Bat this was when his mind was IN its most DIS
tracted state In all the other phases Of lts illness
and in those 10 which il WAS most constant, u al
wavsturnedon Florence. What he would oitencst
do was this he would recall that night he had ~
recently remembered, the night on which she came
down 10 his room and could imagine that his heart
smote him. and that he went out alter her. and up
the stairs to seek her Then co9ounding that time
4. - h.. f..uI
be smszed at their number, sud begin - count
them as he followed her Here of a sudden, wss a
bloody ijOtstep going on among the others; SUD
after u there began % be AT Intervals doors stand
ipg open through which certain terrible pictures
were seen in mirrors, Of hsggard men, concealing
some thing in their breasts. SUI, among the many
footsteps and the bloody footsteps here aud there
was the step OF Florence. Still she was gong on
before. Still the restless mind went. following and
counting, ever farther, ever higher, to the sum
mt OF a mighty tower that II took years 10 climb.
One DAY he inquired II that were not Susan "a hc
hsd spoken a long while ago.
Florence said Yes, dear Papa and asked him
would he like to see her
H.ssid VERY much" And Susan, with no liz
tie trepidstion. showed herself at bis bedside.
ltssemed a great relief 10 him. He begged her
not t. 20 10 understand that he forgave her what
she had said and that she was 10 stay. Florence
and he were very different now, he said, and very
happy. Let her look at this He meant his
drawing the gentle head down % his pillow, snc
laying IL beside him.
He remained like thi. for days and weeks A,
length. lying, the faint feeble semblance OF man
upon his bed, and speaking In voice so low that
they could only hear rim by listening very near "a
his lips, he became quiet Ii was dlmly pleasant u
him row. to lie there. with the window open, look
ing out AZ the Summer sky and the trees end, n
the evening. at the sunset. To watch the shadows
Of the clouds and leaves. and seem 10 ieei ~ m.
pafhy with shadows. twas natural that he should
To In A. life and the world were nothing else.
II began o show now that he thought OF Flo
rebce 3 fatigue; and often taxed his weakness %
whisper 70 her, " Go aud walk. my dearest IN the
sweet air. GO your good husband One time
when W alter was m bis room. he beckOned him 70
come near aud 70 stop down and pressing ms
hsnd whispered an assurance 10 him that ne knew
he could trust him with his child when he vas dead
l. CHANGED Que evening, toward sunset when
+ lorenzo and Walter were sitting in his room 10.
eether as he liked % see them. that Florence, hay
ing her baby in her arms, began In a low voice d
sing % the little fellow. and sang the old tune she
had so often sung 70 the dead child. He could not
bear il AZ the time he held up his trembling hand
imploriog her % stop but next day he asked her
o. repeat H. and % do often OF an evening" which
she did. He listening, with BIS face turned away
Florence was sitting on a certain time, by hi,
W
her old attendant. who WAS still her faithful com.
panion He had fallen into dose. IL was beau.
rifal evening with tao hours OF light 10 come yet
and the tranquility and quiet made Florence very
thoughtful She was lost 10 everything FOR the mo
ment but the occasion when the so altered figure
on the bed had frr presented her % her beautiful
mamma when a toucl from Walter leaning on the
back OF ner chair made her start.
NV dear" said Water there IS some one
down stairs who wishes 10 speak TO you"
She fancied Waller looked grave, and asked him
If any thing had happened.
% No. no my love I" said Walter. Il have seen
the gentleman myself and spoken with him Moth.
ing has happened. Will you GOMEZ
Florence put her arm through his, and coniding
her father 10 the black eyed Mrs Too,s who sat :
brisk and smart az hsr work as black eyed woman
could accompanied her husband down stairs In
the plsassn, little paror opening the garden sat
q gentleman who rose 20 advance toward her when
she came in. bat turned of, by reason Of some pc
cuiarity 10 his legs, and was only stopped by the
table.
Florence then remembered Cousin Feenix. whom
she had not first recognized in the shade Of the
leaves Cousin Feenix took her hand, and congra,.
olated her upon her marriage
- could have wished. | am sure" said Cousin
Feenix. sitting down as Florence sat, to have
bad an earlier opportunity Of offering my cougratu
stions but IN point OF fact, so many painful occur
FENCES have happened treading, as man may say