The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-03-14

"There is no danger!' asked Isabel, anx-
iousIy. q sso.3 #- a.a
Her father did not answer for the mo-
ment; then he said, gruvely, "She was new
er very strong, and l find her much weaken
ed by her cough"
BY this time breakfast was ready, and Is
abel prepared to take up her mothers tray.
She looked at her father lovingly, when she
passed him, and turned back at the door and
smiled. Then she softly ascended the stairs.
A fearful fit of coughing seemed to have
been suddenly arrested as she entered her
mothers room. She placed the tray gently
on the dressing-table. .... -.... F..
There was faint moan-a moan which
caused Isabel an agony of terror. On tear
ing back the curtains, she beheld her moth
er lying like corpse--the bedclothes satu-
rated with blood. At, first she thought oc
murder, and looked wildly around the room
expecting to see some one again clutch at
that sacred life; but Mrs. Gray said family,
81 have only broken blood vessel, my love;
send for your father" A new nature SEEM
ed to be reused in Isabel. Agitated and
frightened as she was, womanly self-pos-
session seemed to give her double power,
both of act and vision, and to bury forever
all the child in heart. She forgot herself.
She tn ought only Of her mother, and what
would be good for her. AS with all strong
natures, sympathy took at once the form of
help rather than Of pity. She rang the bell
and called the maid. ....-...
$50 down and tell my father he is want
ed here" she said quickly, "Mamma is very
ill. Make haste aid tell my father; but do
not frighten him." ...l.
She went back to her mothers room, qui-
etly and steadily, without sign of terror or
bewilderment. She washed the blood from
her face, gently; and without raising her
head, she drew off the crimsoned cap. Not
to shock her father by the suddenness Of all
the ghastly evidences of danger, perhaps Of
death, she threw clean linen over the bed,
and placed wet towels on her mothers
breast. Then, as her father entered, she
drew back the curtains, and opened the WIN
dow, saying softly
"Do not speak loud, dear papa. She has
broken blood vessel"
Herbert Gray, from whom his daughter
had in herited all her self-command, saw at
a glance that everything was already done
which could be done without professio
advice; an1 giving his wi(e's pale cheek a
gentle kiss, he left the room, saying simply,
:" God bless you !" and in less time than
many younger and more active man could
have done it, he was at Doctor Melville's
door.
All this self-possesson seemed to Mrs.
Gray only intense heartlessness, and she
lay there broodng over the indifference of
her husband and child with such bitterness
that at last she burst into fit of hysteric
tears, ahd threw herself into such agitation
that she brought back the bleeding from the
, ruptured vessel to more alarming extent
, than before. She would have been more
comforted, ten thousand times, if they had
, both fallen to weeping and wailing; and had
rendered themselves useless by indulgence
| in grief. Love with her meant pity and ca
| resses. ..... ........... .......
"Oh child!" gasped Mrs. Gray, chow lit
tie you love me!'' " .'. "#.'' .
Isabel said nothing for q moment. She
, kissed her mothers hand, and with difficulty
repressed her tears; for it was terrible ac-
t cusation, and almost destroyed her calmness.
But fearing that any exhibition of emotions
| would excite and harm her mother, she
, pressed back the tears into her inmost heart
and only said, "Dearest mother, you know
love you more than my life."
Q But Mrs, Gray was resolved to see in all
$ this calmness only apathy. She loosened
: her daughters hand pettishly, and sobbed
e afresh. If Isabel had wept sea of tears
: and had run the risk of killing her with agi'
|, tation, she would have been better pleased
t than now. Isabel thought her mind was
g rather affected, and looked anxiously for hel
Y father. ..-
f "Don't stay with me, Isabel, go-go-yol
il want to co." sobbed Mrs. Gray, at long, long
: intervals. "Got to your lover-he is the frs
d consideration now"
i "Dear mamma, why do you say such ter
Il rible things!" said the girl soothingly.-
l. "What has come over you!" ... 81 aa
J. eff you loved me-" sighed Mrs. Gray, "yo'
l. would act differently" ..~ 81
i At this moment Herbert Gray and Docto
+. Melville entered. Having examined the pa
e tient the Doctor at once said
b "You have done everything, Miss Isabel
}, like the most experienced nurse. You de
|, serve great praise. Had you been less ca
e pable or less self-possessed, your mothe
is might have lost her life." aa' ''74'z 2a,
ID He said this to comfort the patient; bu
If she turned away sadly, and murmured--
n "My child does not love me: she has don
t. her duty; but duty is not lover sa. r
nj Mrs. Gray recovered from this phase Q
l. her illness only to fall into another mor'
is dangerous. In few weeks she was pronoun
d ced in deep decline, which might last 70
years, or be ended, in comparatively few
r days--one Of these lingering and capriciou
is forms of consumption that keeps every on