Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-02-09

rap on the door. $500. WY. f....s .....
b Come in said Mr.. Sands, and the cousin
mentioned as living in the city suburb, entered
Zeb was at his house, and very sick. The
physicians had pronounced his disease small
pox, Of the most virulsnt nature. Hoao3 baei
ID With the suspense, some softness had gath
cred about the hearts of father and, sister but
when this intelligence came, more than the
old hardness returned.
riiH he had staid at home and minded his
business, said the father, she would have
been well'; as it IS, he must get the best he
can. 1t would be an awful thing to bring him
into the neighborhood h iH irH aI
Dear me, can't 60 TO see him. said
Ruth, rolling up her sleeve, to examine the
scar of vaccination, 1T was too bad in Zeb to
act SO. hope when he gets well he'll be-
have himself wy r. .rl-..-.,r.a. ,es........
He is very good, all at once,' said the
father. rs he broke out in the facet
50 the cousin rode back again, little profit
ed by his journey. m nnntF s.f la saaJ
Two or three days went by without any
further tidings of Zeb, and then neighbor
chanced to hear in town that he was very bad
still it was not definitely known that his case
was desperate -.'f
80 Very badp said Mr.. Sands, when he
heard this news-'everybody is very bad who
has the smallpox; like enough he'll be
marked for life.' But though he was uneasy,
he neither sent a messenger nor went himself
to visit his unhappy son. For three days
nothing further was heard. Ruth SAID she
thought he must be better, else they would
hear and the father said he guessed so, too,
or they would certainly get some news from
him.
The day was one of those deliciously genial
ones which sometimes gladden.. the autumn
and the father and daughter, well and strong,
could not realize that Zeb was dying. In the
afternoon, Ruth went to pass an hour or two,
and drink tea with friend. There were
many new things to be seen, and many in
terestng matters to be talked about, so her
thoughts were quite drawn away from her
brother; or if now and then they returned to
him, it was less fearfully than they had done
before. 1t was nightfall when she set out for
home, and though the distance was not long,
star after star came out, as, slowly walking,
she recounted all that she had seen and heard,
that afternoon how such one had made her
a new dress, and whether it were probable
that another were to be married, as reported,
and so on, .musing, she reached the hill that
overlooked the homestead All was dark
involuntarily she quickened her step, and in
moment recognized her father, walking
backward and forward in the road before her.
His form seemed more than usually bent. and
his hands were crossed behind him-accord-
ing TO his habit in times of trouble-and his
gray hair was uncovered, and blown about
in the wind. lie was waiting for her, she
knew, and why he was waiting, she felt
'Oh, fathern she said, seeing he did not
speak, 'have you heard from Zeb 2 M 4I
wish had gone TO see him, Ruth he
answered, covering his face with his hands.
Is he dead I! she asked, in low tone-for
the awful fear kept her heart STILL
Il don't know, he answered, tremblingIy,
'bnt I'm afraid we shall never see him alive
He has not spoken since las, night at mid
night-then he said he should not get we'll,
and that he should like 10 see me and Ruthy !:
yet he told them not TO send for US, saving we
could do no good, and that our lives must not
be endangered for him.
Oh, poor Zeb i sobbed out the girl, 'Iet MS
60 and see him. Can't we 90 tonight! q
Dear child, he does not know ANYBODY To-
days., answered the father, 'and has not spoken
since sunrise. Poor Zeb il is all our fault
50, talking and weeping together, they en-
tered the old house. How lonesome il was
the wind had never been so mournful before.
Ruth remembered when she and Zeb had lis
tened TO it in the autumns that were gone, but
il was not dirgelike, as now. The drifting of
the yellow leaves in the moonlight seemed to
have a. sorrowful significance and, years
after, Ruth could not see them fall without re-
calling something Of the feeling that came upon
her that night.
1t is long time since they sat together,
father and daughter, listening 10 the winds and
to the reproaches Of their own hearts, as they
remembered their harsh words and hard be-
havior. II is a long time since Ruth took from
the notched fower-pot Zeb had made for her,
the greenest and freshest vines of the myrtle,
and set them over his grave. And once or
twice in every year, the woodchopper may be
seen mending the mound, and pulling the
weeds from among the flowers. He has never
been known TO stand treat since the night
he tempted his friend TO ruin.
Molly Blake is now his wife. and the pair
have had many an apple cutting at which the
chopper has really been in the seventh heaven
about which he jested so gaily in the time Of
his exclusion And Ruth now feels how sell
fish il was TO buy gay ribbons and gold rings
while her brother was in need of hat.
V The Brunswick, Ca, News announces
the arrival there of Mr.. Jewett, of Maine, to
prepare for the putting up of two steamers,
the machinery and woodwork of which are
now on their way from the North, in different