Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1856-06-05

far deeper anxiety than his words would indi-
!, onte. INIT down his arm 4niefly, and sat m
solemn silence on a rude stool, which the woman
brought me to his bedside
LYON think me better, doctor, don't you p
s.;d the wasted old man With q ghnStiy and
eager look. You must think 30, am % easy
now st@ss
az Mr.. S,onecrop,' I.said, in tone to pre-
mare him as well as Iscould for the.trutb, You
are now an old man, and no circumstance
should take you by surprise, especially where it
concerns your most important affairs. You are
easy ; thank God for it but don't calculate
upon that as delaying the crisis at which We
must allarrive Icannot fatter you with hopes
Of recovery
The thin, prominent features of the dying
man. which looked wan and bloodIess before,
at these words grew liyid His eyes glared on
me with a fearful expression, their white glean-
isR with a strange largeness and glaziness. He
clutched me by the sleeve with his big, bony
hand. which vet seemed to retain an iron grasp
"tBut you don't think shall die soon? Not
for some days, weeks, months No, no, cam
not die. I have so much to do
"Let me speak plainly to you,' added,
time to do it in. Your hours, nay, your min
utes are numbered
." AT these words, he lay for few moments,
a. il stunned Then, dragging hard at my
sleeve, he exclaimed, in fearful, gasping voice,
between screech and whisper
No, no, doctor, you must not say that !!
You won't say that Save mel Save me !!
and take half my land
"' Not all the land on earth said, could
save You for second beyond the two short
hours that the progress Of ycur disease has
marked out for you.'
"'But you must save me, doctor. You can
do it.; you did it before. Think what ! have
to do what affairs ] have unsettled and that
widow Tredgcld, who prayed that might new
er see her mortgaged fields again. What won't
she say? A judgment she'll call it. No, no,
doctor, save me Z! Say but the word, and I'll
forgive the widow all. And those Hexham's
chiIdren-them, too--them, too! Oh, Lord
oh, Lord who would have to do with widows
and orphans A man has TO chance. There
ia no driving o bargain with them with any
comfort-only trouble, trouble, trouble But
let them do just as they like. Doctor, say the
word, and TIL build church here. They'll
want one. Say it at once, doctor / can't
die, for have so much-so very much to do ?
Have you made your will p
"'No-yes, once did. / left my nephew
the land, and'my two nicces the houses and the
money But il would not do. When looked
on my lands they seemed no longer mine. These
/ said, are TOMS and when looked at the
houses and securities, these, said, are Mary's
and James. No, no they were no longer mine
could not feel them mine, and tore up the
WILL
"' You must make another
90 Yes, yes, doctor-you'll give me time fol-
thatf Oh, have much--so very much to do |!
II gave the woman instructions to fetch in
pen and paper, quickly but such things are
not soon procured in such spot. When she
was gone, I added: And your Maker, whc
has crowned you with so much of His wealth
how stand your preparations with Him?
Time enough for that, doctor Let us
make the will first That's the first thing
that must be done first ;
Heendeavored toturn himself, as If to be
ready. to dictate but sndden spasms seized
him !; he gasped for breath clutched convul
sively my sleeve; groaned, his head fell back
and with deep sigh, saying halfaudibly, !
have so much-to dor the days of the great
owner Of many lands were over. The shrewd
foreseer Of events, the sagacious Spectator, the
keen safe bargaincr died, with his chief wori
unaccomnished-the grand bargain of exist
ence unsecured <f
sIt has required The sharpe ride of to-day
over rock, and stone, and fallen trunk, up stcel
jagged activities, and over many mile o
dark mountain forest, amid the moaning wind:
and the swapping boughs, to dissipate the black
impression Of that death-bed. But now for q
sleep
The three friends threw themselves on theil
hard touches and, at break Of day, were ira
yelling through region Of magnificent noun
tains. with bright sun beauiing above then
amid flying clouds, towards the hospitable homt
Of the accomplished and popular 1Esculapius,
Further from Kansas,