The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-06-03

/ II the demon could be exercised that held him
he would still be worthy of better fate thar
to be the tool and spy of an intriguing clique.
He was sitting one evening" in his study, anc
unconscously his thoughts turned to John Cum
ming, his early promise, his sad falling away
and the many circumstances which, unlike as
they were, still bound them together in the un
severed bonds of their boyish attachment. He
sat dreaming of what might have been, had
Emily Harper chosen differently; but that way
Howard did not dare to look. Whatever re-
grets he might feel, he was conscious that she
was the angel that might bring the healing to
that troubled soul which John Cummings sin
was fast defacng and destroying.
He heard slight tap at the door, and his
''Come 7in'' was answered by little Mary Cum
ming. MY darng? began Howard, but the
child's still pale face, looked so sorrowful that
he rose and went towards her She gasped
out her errand. "Mother was faint and could
not speak, and father was" here she stop
ped suddenly and blushed, sif she knew what
was his besetting sin, 'tand Carrie told her to
come for Mr.. Livingston"
Almost before Livingston had heard her last
words, he had grasped her little hand, and ia
ken short cut through garden, that separa-
ted the house of the Cummings from his of
flee.
A few words from Carrie told him that her
father had been gone all night and all that day,
at convivial meeting Of politicians about 80
miles off, where he was engaged to deliver an
address; that he came home in state such as
she had never known him before; and that for
the first time, he had spoken such terrible
words to her mother, that she had gone from
one fainting fit to another, and afraid or ashamed
to call in a physician, she had told little Mary
to 60 for him.
Carrie, sweet, sensitive girl of fifteen, told
him this, blushing at her fathers conduct most
painfully, and yet frightened at her mothers
state. She had always been taught to look
upon Mr.. Livingston as a friend, and in this
emergency, could think of no one whom she
considered so suitable.
A few hurried directions for the recovery of
her mother, and an inquiry for her father, and
then he went with more than his usual SEVERITY
into the presence of John Cumming. A mo-
ments study of his face, however, showed that
he needed more pity than indignation. He
had flown, powerless, from his wife's room,
when she had tainted, and believing that he had
killed her, was covering in the half conscious
feeling of guilt, and the cowardice of drunk
enness, from which he was only partially re-
stored when Howard found him.
Howard saw that he was contending with
real bodily illness, and he humanely stayed by
him until he saw him comfortably in bed, and
then went for physician, who pronounced him
to be in high brain fever, brought on by We
ry strong and active stmulants.
The wife, restored from her fainting fit, and
reused by the danger of her husband, insisted
upon going to him, while the children, who
only an hour before had been inundated by
his harsh words, were now hushed and quiet
before the rawlings of disease.
Carrie, dear girl, was everywhere giving
hope and support to all; now bathing her faith
er's burning forehead, now speaking to the
children, and again trying to console her rmoth-
err 1t was rare to see one so young SO full of
unse1ish Devotion
For week Howard Livingston spent every
moment which he could spare from his office,
with the family Of John Cumming For week,
he racked his brain to know how he could ben
eft the poor, erring man who lay there, utter
ly PROSTATE in mind and body, and how lie
covered, by telling him of the untiring self
sacrifice which his family had bestowed upon
him.
Night after night he watched beside him,
with Carrie or her mother, and each night the
danger of a speedy death or permanent in
sanity, grew more imminent He had never
recognised his wife for an instant; but raved
constantly of her death. The last look which
he had of her pale face seemed to have linger-
ed throughout his whole sickness like the sight
of spectre before his eyes, and his wailings,
because@he had killed her, were most pteous
to hear
Occasionally, too, he would seem to be plead
ing at the bar-pleading for a murderer, and
he, the murderer of wife. His language
here was coherent, powerful, and at times, sub
lime. He drew picture of the prisoners pre-
vous life and conduct, his devotion to his wife,
his ardent love of his children, and made
most pathetic appeal in his behalf, on the score
How trying all this was to Emily Cumming,
can scarcely be told in words. Nor was it
hardly less trying to Howard, who sat by and
noted almost every word, with a faint shadow
of hope at his heart, that when the delirium
of fever should have passed, John Cumming
would be restored to his former SELF free from
tHt ueuoH lHdI ilt.u 81 ioLlS CAslaFeu Ilo HoOie
powers -
And if not-why, better to die on this bed
of sickness, than again to harrow up the hearts
of those who loved him, by such frightfnl ex-
hlbitions of passion as had already distressed
them.
A sweet sleep succeeded his last exhausting
burst Of eloquent madness. 1t was deep and
tranquil, and lasted so long, that Emily more
than once believed that the spirit had fled. A
look from Howard restrained her silence, and
the three patient watchers sat for hours, look
ing on the pale face which seemed so like that
of the dead!
The hours of the morning went slowly by;
noon came on, and no change. Only the faint
est breath dimmed the mirror which they held
to his lips. Twilight found him the same
The physician looked in upon him in the even
ing, and shook bis head in silence.
It was near midnight when the dull eyes
opened, but there was sense and consciousness
beneath their lids, and lie woke from that long
slumber, weaker than an infant outwardly, but
with an inner strength, new born into his soul. |
.'Emily-Carrie-H was all that he
could utter, and that in the faintest sound that
could issue from mortal lips; but there was an
Expression of peaceful serenity and hope on
r.. IL, I ~