Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-08-27
! had gone I'd almos, to the house; had


passed the stream where we fshed on that
day many years before ; and thought that
now since she had grown to womanhood,
should never sit with her there again, and
surely never drag her as did out of the river,
and never chafe her little hands, and never
perhaps kiss her, as did when she sat up
on my mothers lap-oh, no-no-no.
saw where she buried Tray, but the old
slab was gone there was no ribbon there
now. | thought that at least Isabel would
have replaced the slab; bu, it was wrong
thought. Itrembled when went up to the
door-for it flashed upon me that perhaps
she should not, but knew it would make
me uncomfortable to hear that she had.
There was tall woman who opened the
door; she did not know me; bu, recog-
nzed her as one of the old servants. ask
ed after the housekeeper first, thinking |
would surprise Isabel. My heart fu,,ered
some what, thinking she nigh, step i'll sud
denly herself-or perhaps that she might
have seen me coming up the hill. But even
then, thought, she would hardly know me.
Presently the housekeeper came in, look
|
wished to see her
The gentleman did wish it, and she sa,
down on one side of the fire; for it was
autumn. and the leaves were falling, and the
November wind were very chilly.
Shall | tell er-thought who ! am
and ask a, once for Isabel tried TO ask
blu, it was hard for me to call her name !;
it was very strangc-bu. ! could not pro-
nounce ii at all.
"Who sir - said the housek eeper, in
voice so earnest, that ! rose at once and
crossed the room and took her hand "Y ou
know me,' said J, ''you surely remember
Paul -
She started with surprise, but recovered
herself, aud resumed the same grave manner
thought | had committed some mistake or
been in some way cause OF offence. | cal
led for Madame, and asked for Isabel
She turned pale---terIibly pale. ''Bella:"
said she.
'sY es, Bella"
- ASir-Bela is dead
- chair, said not
- bless her kind
hear, - o1iau hands
were over my eyes. The VI Hers sl,=
ing outside, and the clock ticking mournful-
! ly within.
did not sob, nor weep: nor utter any
sound.
The clock tiched mournfully, end The
birds were singing; but did no, hear them
any longer; there was tempest raging with
in me lha, would have drowned the voice
of thunder
1t broke at length in long, deep sigh
''Oh God - said !. II may have been a
praver-it was not an imprecaton.
BeIa-sweet Bella was dead 1t seem
ed as if with her half the world was dead
every brightfAce darkened-every sunshine
blotted out-cvery flower wilhcTed-evcry
hope extingui,hed.
walked out into the air, and stood un-
der the trees where we had played together
with poor Tray-wiere Tray lay buried.
But i, was not Tray thought of as stood
there with the cold wind playing through
my hair, and ny eyes filling with tears
How could she die? Why was she gone i?
Was it really true? Was Isabel indeed dead
in her, cofin-buried? Then why should
ANYBODY live Wha, was there to live for,
now that Bella was gone?
All, what gap in the world is made by
the death of those we love! 1t is no longer
whole, but poor haI-world that swings
uneasy on its own axis, and makes you diz-
zy with the clalier of its wreck.
The housekeeper told me all-li,'le by
little, as found calmness TO listen. She
had been dead month Lilly was with her
through it all she died sweetly; wlhou,
pain and without fear-what can angels fear?
She had spoken often of ''Cousn Paul ;"
she had left little pacquel for him, bu, il,
was not there she had given i! into Lilly's
keeping.
Her grave, the housekecper had told me,
was only little way off from her home
beside the grave of brother who died long
years before. ! went there that evening"
The mound was high and fresh. The sods
had not closed together, and the dry leaves
caught in the crevices, and gave ragged
and terrible look to the grave. The next
day, ! laid them all smooth-as we had
once laid them on the grave of Tray 81
clipped The long grads, and set a lurit of blue
vIolets at the foot, and waiered it with
tears. The homestead, the trees, the fields,
the mcado"s-in the windy November,
looked dlsmally. ] could not like them
again liked nothing bu, the little mound
that had dressed over Bela's grave. There
she sleeps now-,he sleep of death.
We may ss we'll tighten up our column
of gravlies by stating that Pntsburg editor
recently SAVIOR says he saw--a pretty
girl of say ''sweet sixleen,'' dressed within
an inch of her life, with long shining, black
rlnglets, holding one of those worthless,
; dIsg gushing poodle dogs in her arms, aud af-
tccsIonatcly kissing his nasty nose and the
dog seemed to like 1t Lucky dog Who
wouldn't bc 4 poodle