The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-07-14

stones at one side Of the bridge. He was quite
still, and seemed dead, though the blood was
oozing from a cut on his forehead. He was
carried to the house of DR.. Livingston, and
when she came away, was quite come to life,
and was crying, with the dreadful pain he was
in, for it seemed that the horse had fallen on
him, and broken and shattered one of his legs
terribly--they didn't know how badly, when
she came away When this was told, there
was great sorrow and great CONSERVATION in
the house at Mr.. Flagg's. John went FIRST to
one door and then 10 the other, and looked first
at one pe;eco and then at another, saying to
himself as it were, that he wished he had only
told Oliver not to ride Sm,an he wished he
knew just that minute how he was; ant that
if he got we'll and came home, he would be
sure and tell him never to ride Sultan
|. Mr. Flagg seemed to grow ten years older in
few minutes, and after folding his arms and
sitting in silence for while, he put on his hat
and gloves, and drove towards Hadley taking
Care to stop on the way at the shoemaker's,
where he had ordered pair Of new boots for
Oliver, to see if they were finished Il was
easy now to remember divers needs.
| Mrs. Fiagg took off her cap, and laid it on
chair beside her, and with the towel in her
hands, rocked to and fro, reproaching herself
for the accident, and telling over just where
she saw Oliver last, and what he said that
morning and what he said the day before and
what she had intended to get and do for him,
and what she would do yet, if he lived.
Nancy cried out heartily for a little while,
and then she wiped her eyes and went to work,
for the house was all in disorder and Dnah
repeated the same story again and again, and
Aunt Caty said it was Just as if green branch
had been broken of, to let the light Of Heaven
down upon them, and she hoped now they
would all see how foolish. they had been, to lei
a handful of hops, and such trifes, make then
enemies.
And then Mrs Flagg asked what it wa
about the hops; and when Aunt Caty told her
she said she had never heard of their beiDg
sent for it was strange that Oliver should no
have told her.
Z" He told me-" said Billy "that Aunt Caty
sent for something, and said that in the whip
ping he got for being there, he forgot what
wasD
So the two women cried together, for they
had not known before about the whipping a
all
Towards night it began 10 snow, and Mrs
Flagg brought from the drawer, where it VIC,
put carefully away, the finest and best shaw
she had, and wrapped it all warmly about
Aunt Caty's shoulders, and so they sat by the
fire. and talked of all the mournful accidents
they ever knew Of You would have thought
they were sisters 80 lovingly they talked to-
gether. II seemed as if the old clock had
never licked 80 slowly and at nightfall the
wind grew bitterer, and the windows ratified
as the snow drove against them in gusts. II
will be a bad time to bring Oliver home they
said, to encourage each other, for both feared
that he would not be able to come and thai
indeed he would never come home alive.
They kept the fire bright, and made q sof,
bed close by it, and Billy was sent to Mrs
Martins to milk the COWS and lock the doors
so that Nancy and her mother remained with
Mrs. Flagg.
Eight and nine, and ten o'clock came, ant
there was growl of the watchdog, and thei
a soft sound of the carriage on the snow. Tn
women almost held their breath from fear AM
anxiety the door opened and Mr. Flagg cam
in, alone, covered with snow, and looking oil
I most frozen. All turned to him inquiringly
but without speaking; and John, who wa
! wide awake went close and leaned over hi
knee. The fathers hand shook as he put h
0 arm about him, and drew him close to h
t bosom, and his voice shook too, as he said
"Your poor little cousin Oliver is only ju
, aliveln
| will pass over that night Of sorrow, an
oil the other days and nights of suspense, du
, ing which there came news now of his bein
a little worse, and now little better until th
, clear snnshiny afternoon, when the snow Ia
} sparkling over all the hills, and lively jingl
OF bells at Aunt Caty's door caused her to drO
her knitting suddenly There was brigh
little sleigh, with great brown buffalo rob
in it, and stout, relable-looking sorrel hors
before il, and man, whom Aunt Caty hat
, never seen before, coming into the house. Hal
an hour afterwards Nancy went away will
him, dressed in her new olive merino and greer
silk bonnet; and, wrapped in her blanke
! shawl, Aunt Caty was trudging as fast as sh'
could 90, to tell the news at Mrs Flagg's; ant
while she is on tho way, we will 60 back {
little with our story.
Oliver, as you have been informed, was car
ried to the house of DR., Livingston, where h
, had every care and attention but after ter
days Of great suffering a consultation Of physi
clans was held, and it was determined that hi
could not recover without the amputation o.
the broken and injured leg. At first Oliver
said he would rather die and be buried alto
gether, than to never be able TO run about the
green hills and meadows any more; but when
his sufferings grew so intense that ne knew he
could not live much longer, he told them they
might do as they pleased; and 80 a great sur.
geon was sent for, and the broken leg was
taken off above the knee.
From this time he did well, and in few
days had his head raised on pillows, and talked
with DR.. Livingston quite cheerfully.
IL was on ono of these occasions that, more
to amusc him than for any other purpose, the
Doctor inquired who made the pretty comfort
and mittens which lay on the table.
Oliver said it was Nancy Martin, and that
she was the best person in the world, except
ing Aunt Caty.
The Doctor wound the comfort about bis
neck, and said il was nice and warm, and he
was sure Nancy must be very good young
lady.
Then Oliver told of great many good things
which Nancy had done and remembering the
hot cakes which she had given him the day he
got hurt, and which he had never eaten, he
took them from his pocket, but they were very
dry and hard.
"Don't you think you could eat some fresh
ones in asked the Doctor.
| Oliver said, If Nancy were there to make
them, he was sure he could eat them
"Well" said the Doctor, al will send the
sleigh, for Nancy to come.
And it was 70 tell all this, that Aunt Caty
hurried 10 fast to Mr.. Flaggs.
A month went BY and Nancy didn't come
back. Oliver could not do without her, the
Doctor said, though everybody beside thought
he was we'll enough 10 be taken home. II was
February, and the snow was all over tho ground
yet when Aunt Caty one morning came TO our
house, TO ask us all to pass the evening with
her-Nancy was going TO come home, and
bring little Oliver, who with the aid of crutch
could hobble about little now. She was in
fine spirits, and said she couldn't stay but q
minute, she had left mince- pie baking and
she was going " kill tho fattsst turkey hen she
had, and make custsrd, II she could hnd fresh
a..ns That sha ,ua erosrsr 10 ha ma liikla snn