Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-12-22

Circumstances had forced me TO stop.
a few days aiier DR.. Gorings wedding,
(Which you may be sure none of his family at
tended though it took place in Middlebury,
Miss Howard being married from her auni'si
the little lad, John, was attacked with sore
throat and illness. II turned out to be scarlet
fever, which was making lis appearance in the
town bnl he had il very fayoraby. and would
moi let DR.. Ashe wtiie TO applisc my brother.
in-law. lest be should return in haste and bring
her. Alas the next attacked was Mary
The symptoms, in hat case were more violent.
and the fever mounted to her head rapidly.
could not leave her and 50. the evening Of
Matthew'S return, there | was.
When the hy that brought them from the
railway station slapped al the door, happened
To be crnssinq The ball. with jug of lemonade
in my hand for Mary. The man knocked and
rang. Susan came flying along the passage 10
admit them, and flew away, up slairs. ]
could not have met her, then, with words Of
welcome.
susan, Susan, said, calling softly after
the maid, tell your master Of Miss Mary's ILL.,
ness-iha am ,llheIe and ask him TO come
to her room.
heard the girl open the door : heard some
luggage placed in the hall and heard Miss
HnWards vuice, speaking to Susan. ! shu,
myself into Mary's room, and sitting dawn on
chair, buys, iuto an agun, Of sobs, like
child.
listened TO his fee, on the stairs, and
siond up and dried my fare, aud tried 10. look
as il were not crying. Matthew came in
lie held out une hand 10 me in silence, as he
turned to the bed where Mary lay.
He siond looking at her, and stood looking
at him. Was it really my brorher-in-law, Mat
thew Goringl Never did see such a change
in any one. He was thinner, paler, appeared
worn aud haggard. and had dry, nervous
cough, which seemed TO come from his throat.
rlnt fortnight should have SO altered any
man
'Maiihew,' said, going round the bed to
where he stnod, What is III You are ill.,
i have not been well ever since lefi home.
he answered, shortly. Never mind. Its moth
ing. see Mary is very ill.,
Dangerously So for the last few hours DR..
Ashe has been anxious for you, on her account,
since midday
Send Susan for him, Hester. | must know
exactly how she has BEEN
There was no necessity to send for at that mo-
ment DIR. Ashe eaiesed Afer his departure,
Susan came in, and said Mrs Goring was wait
ing tea. Mrs Goring, not my mistress -
| Poor, faithful Susan, said
Bring me a cup upstairs, Susan said my
bro.her- in-law. i shall no, leave my child
| Hester do you 90 down.
i have taken tea hours ago, | replied, 'and
| il not-Maithew, ] broke of, 4 though, TO
\ have been gone, as yon know, before this night,
but could mol leave Mary
Thank you, Hester, for remaining with her,
he intercepted warmly. Thank you for your
kindness
/ But you must not ask me 10 meet your wife
as friend and visitor. cannot take my meals
at table with her-her guest. Do not be vex-
ed al what you will deem my prejudice, Mat
thew, can net. For the remainder of my
stay, Susan will bring me what little | want 10
this room, and will eat it here.'
As you WILL, ne answered, but in so decid-
ed and mournful a tone that il quite electrified
me. Some great sorrow had evidently fallen
On Dr. Goring.
lie insisted on my going to bed that night,
as had BEEN watching the previous one lie
himself would sill up with Mary. 1t was late
and was leaving the room To comply, when
Mrs Goring came wisifully up the stairs, with
: LAMP ia her hand She was looking, young
er, thought, than she had used--her mind,
suppose, was at rest. now-and she was nicely
dressed in a blae silk gown, aud wore a thick
gold chain, of starry looking links, rnnnd her
neck, and watch At her side. His presents,
of course. She hesitaied when she saw me.
and made as il she would come to Mary s
rom.
'Don't come in here, called out, in my an
iipathy. You'll catch the fever
| DIR. Gorng heard, and, following me to the
door. seconded what said. There is no cause
fnr running into unnecessary danger, Charlotte.
You will do well to keep out of this chamber;
and the tone of his voice sounded, 10 my ear
remarkably cold.
4 am not timid,' she replied, but will do
as you wish, aud with that she turned inio
their room, heard her bell ring for Susan TO
undress her. When she was the RoyeTness,
she could undress herself fast enough.
| could not sleep that night. | was very
restless. And, once, stale out OF my room
and down the stairs, for slept on The story
above theirs, to Look how all was going on with
Mary
The door was thrown open for the sake Of
air, and bent forward and looked in, remeln-
ber the scene, now, as ii appeared in the feeble
rays Of the shaded night-amp. Mary was ly-
ing as before, unconscious, and tossing with fe-
yer, and her father had bowed his head down
upon the pillow beside her, near 10 where he
sat and was ENTHUSIASTICALLY, heavy sobs, his
manly frame shaken with The intensity of his
grief. heard his low means Of anguish, and
| saw him clasp his hands in deep, deep sor-
row. And as stood, taking in another glance
at him, before creeping bsck to my own room,
an idea dawned over me iha, his extreme emo
tiou was not caused SO much by the danger Of
his child as by some tender chord Of remem-
brance Of her mother, his once dear wife,
Surely, Matthew Goring was miraculously
changed
Ny nece, Mary. recovered but weeks pass
/ ed before she could leave her rom. and | re-