Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-09-03

sci yesterday, and is very dangerous but, with ear
she may yet live, the physician says. There wa
no fire in her bed room when | went there and th
snow beating through the broken panes had coec
cd in pile at the foot Of the bed Oh it was
miserable sight and he placed his hand before hi
eyes. AT length he looked up and resumed
Promise me you will go there tomorrow, early tc
morrow-for | said l would send one to see afte
her wants, and you know it would be more delicat
for,you to aid her than for me- Here is my purs
nay. must be the giver in this case-only promis
me to go early, for the poor thing might perish fo
the want OF necessary medicine and care. sen
for wood to warm the chamber, and got poo
neighbor to sit up with her tonight; but to-mOr
row she must have better help. Alas what mise
ry exists in our city, and almost at cur doors, Yet
! how little We do to alleviate itp'
Sophia listened with tears to this recital and
made the required promise. The lovers continued
for while to talk of the sufferer, and then grad
uany passed to pleasanter themes. In the indul-
gencc of these we leave them.
The next morning the storm ragged fercer than
ever. The wind howled along the street, the case
ment shook, and the snow spun and hisSed in the
tempest Sophia had not forgotten her promise,
but looking at her watch after breakfast and find
ing the hour early, she concluded to wait while
for the subsistence of the storm. Sitting down in
her boudoir she took up new novel and was soon
immersed in its pages. Hour after hour passed
away, and though she often thought of her prom
ise and looked to the window to see if the gale aba
ted, yet the tempest ragged so violently the book
was so fascinating and she thought the probability
of any harm ensuing from her delay so small, that,
with her usual easy procrastinatOn, she concluded
to wait little while longer and so continued read
ing.
At last two O'Clock came aud the storm abated
The novel, too, was finished. Sophia ordered the
carriage ard with some missivings set forth. She
had no difficulty in finding the miserable hoyel to
which her lover had directed her.
As she ascended the step she thought she heard
voices and sudden fear came over her, for there
was sorrow aud Indignation in the speakers, and
among them she fancicd she recognized her lover.
Filled with remorse, she tOttered up to the door.
and pushing it open, saw a scene that she never for
got.
On the humble pallet lay pale and beautiful
face, whose icy look of repose too plainly eYinced
that the cOuntenance was thai of corpse. Bv
the bed stood an aged physician, sorrow and indig-
nation alternating in his face he gazed on the
dead Near him was woman meanly attired,
with her apron up to her eyes, and weeping freely
The other member of the group was Sophia lover:
standing with folded arms and stern brow, silent
ly regarding the corpse.
And You say" said the physician, turning
slightly to Conrad just at the instant when Sophia
reached the door, "that she promised TO come early
and procure the medicines and appliances ordered
last night. This poor woman tells me she has not
been here-GOd help us, had she come the sufferers
life might have been saved"
Yes your honor sobbed the female, al watch
cd for her, hour after hour, but dare not leave
the bedside, and oh. if l could and had the money
or even knew what you ordered, I'd have gone on
my knees and begged it, the poor girl suffered So
But no one came until my little boy returned from
school. when | sent him out to find this gentleman
who, by good luck, at home. But when you
arrived, she was dead"
At this instant Conrad looked up and caught |
sight Of Sophia, who stood, transfxed with horror
at the consequences Of her misconduct. His ex- |
camation attracted every eye in the same direction
As if moved by some uncomfortable impulse he /
started forward, and seized Sophia's arm dragged |
her sternly to the bedside
Woman, look at your work" he said. you !
have murdered her by being too late"
Sophia, shudderng at the pale and seemingly |
reproachfuI face of the corpse, turned away, but
not daring to look into her angry lovers face, |
sought consolation in those of his companions |
But each regarded her with the same averted /
look, The scene was too much for her. She faint |
el.
When she recovered she was lying in her own |
chamber, with her parents sadly watching over her.
Their looks seemed to imply tIut they had heard |
al, as indeed they had.
For several days Sophia hoped her lover would
releut from his determination, expressed in note
TO her parents never to visit her again. But she
hoped in vain. lie adhered to the language of that
terrible letter. He could not he said, unite his
'ltc to one who had triled with human life by her
criminal procrastnatiou. Her fault he now knew
10 be iucurable, though he had long hoped other
wise
And fearful as this lesson was Conrad was right
Habits, when once they have become a second ma
ure can rarely, if ever be eradicated; and Sophia
continued to her dying day to procrastnatc until
t was too late. ....