Windham County Democrat. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1836-1853, 1853-03-02
MY FORT TUNE.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

q
the windows, and a melancholy, moaning wind
creeping through the lea6ess branches 1t had
been quite sad winter time to us at home-thc
only sad one had ever known, for it was two or
three weeks after the accident had happened that
first laid me on my couch, and only few days
before. my father had told me that l should never
be able to rise from it any more. 1t had been a
heavy blow to Us ALL
We sat together in the drawng-room all the
long evening, my father, my mother and l. My
sister Kate had gone the day before to some Of
our friends in the country. One gets SO soon used
TO misfortune and disappointment when just lit
tie time has passed; but, at the first, they are OIL
ten so hard to bear, and think that never, NJ any
time did I feel such sorrow ut the thought that l
must be an invalid my whole life as | did that
nipht. l was only girl-not fifteen yet and at
that age, we are so full Of bright dreams about the
future looking forward with such clear joyous
hopefulness to the world that Is just beginning to
omen before us stretching out our hands so eager
" to the golden light that think we see in the
far distance. 1t was so hard to have the bright
view shut forever. to have all the hopes that to
me had made the thought OF life so beautiful torn
from me forever in one moment
l had borne the knowledge of it all quite calm
" at first it was only now that | thought real
w felt and knew all that was losing. But, thank
God my life has not been what in my taithless-
ness thought, that night it would he; thank God,
that the whole bitterness of those few hours tho
has never come to me, as it did then, again.
Early in the evening my father had been read
inc to us aloud but since he ceased no word had
been spoken in the room. He had been writing
for two hours my mother, sitting by the fire,
was reading. The whole house was silent and
from without, the only sounds that came to us
were the bowling through the trees, and the cold
rain dashino on the windows--both cherries
sounds enough to hear. 1t was indeed, night for
melancholy thoughts and to one i'll and weak as
was them perhaps it was to be forgiven that, think
ing of the future and the past, looking back upon
the happy days that were past, and forward TO
where sunless clouds hung so heavily. L should
scarcely be able to press back the tears that tried
to blind me.
For when we are very young we shrink so from
feeling prison bound; we pray so earnestly, that
if sorrow must come to us it may rather burst in
sudden storm upon us, and, passing away leave
the blue sky clear again, rather than our whole
life should be wrapped up in cold gray shroud,
through which no deep sorrow can ever picrcein-
to our hearts-no deep joy ever come to gladden.
us.
And in that gray shroud thought that my life
was to lie hidden and withercd; and now. while
as yet it was only closing over melville with
passionate resistance | would still have struggled
A little thing will sometimes serve to divert
thoughts even when they very much engross us
and so it was on that night, that was startled out
of my revery by two loud, sharp knocks upon the
door-a sound by no means uncommon. And,
perhaps, if nothing more had followed, | might
have fallen again into my former thoughts but,
as | lay for few moments listening, the door OPP
ened, and then there followed such strange, hur-
ried exclamatons--half Of SURPRISE half of alarm,
mingled with such apparently irresistihlH h""sts
of laughter that my first dull interest began rap
idlv TO change into far more active feeling
;'N[y love, what's that" asked my father, with
out looking up.
II can't imagine" my mother answered, in q
puzzled tone, laying down her book.
Just at this moment we heard quick step run
ming up the stairs, and all our eyes with one ac
cord, turned to the door, which in two or three
minutes was burst open, and to our extreme a
mazement, in rushed our servant, Ann, with lit
tie half naked child in her arms. Yes, that little
creature standing on the step was the only thing
to be seen when she had opened the door,
upon my word this is going TOO far" my father
exclaimed, angry when we had heard AIMS sto
~ at isn't two months since the same trick
was PLAYED in town. Ann, call Tom to get a Ian
tern immediateys.and follow me. We must make
q search; thougM indeed lis hopeless to think o
catching any one such night as this. Whoever
has done it is out Of reach by this time. My dear,
he turned round, as be hurrying from the
room, 'don't do anything with the child until
come back I'm afraid she's i'll" and he closed the
door.
l shall never forget what a poor little object il
was. Ii had scarcely an atom of clothing on it
Just torn old frock, that would hardly hang to-
gether, and its poor little white shoulders and arms
were all bare and wet with heavy rain. Hel
pretty fair hair was wet too, but her face was wha
attracted and astonished me most, for, in spite o
the bitter GOODNESS of the night, it glowing
like fire. with a spot of the brightest scarlet OIL
each cheek and her large blue eyes so unnatural
ly bright that it was quite painful to look at them
Yet such a sweet face as il was
MY mother made her kneel beside me on my
couch, and we talked TO her, and kissed her. anC
taking off the old wet frock, wrapped my mother
shawl around her; but all the time, though sh,
was certainly more than two years old, she re
NAMED as perfectly unmoved as though she hat
been little statue, only those great bright eye
were fixed upon my face, until l began to get alb
solutely frightened at her.
In about twenty minutes my father returned
from his useless search.
ave can do nothing more tonight" he said, il
a tone of considerable vexation as he Joined II
again. "Poor child, she is very feverish, indeed
why, exposure on such a night is enough to xii
her. My love- you must put her to bed there
no help for it, and I'll see what / can do for her
But really it's little to much too expect that al
the sick children of the neghborhood are not only
to be cured for nothing, but to be housed too, by
the physician And my father left the room Il