The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-06-24
No 1894.

'he olhef hand, c0Md retlem ber q great
many things tohs credit Iladn'the helped
me more about my French lessons than all
my teachers put togetheri Didn't he take a
terrible fogging, in school once, rather than
! tell who PUT dead snake in the masters
/ hat s--and that, 100, after he had entreated
me not to do it, and demonstrated with me
upon my wiidnesss Didn't he bring me the
, rIpest strawberries and freshest lilies to be
found, when was sick Hadn't he more
than once cOaxed me out of fit of pouts,
laughed me into a good nature il | was fret
ful9-or, when my tigerish temper was up,
borne with me patiently, till grew heartily
ashamed Of my termagant propensities: 10
be sure he lad.
uncurled myself from the window. seat,
and drew rocking chair up before the rosy
CRATE. The steps overhead had ceased. The
whole house was still. Father and mother
aud little Susie had gone out to spend the
evening. was alone, and likely to be. un.
Ill ten or eleven o'clock, for | knew Frank
too well to imagine he would come back to
me before had had abundant time to recover
from my paroxysm of rage. Dear Frank =
said il over softly to myself, with little
choking in the throat, and then looked up,
fearful lest the very ceiling should betray to
him the usual softness of my heart.
| thought he must be awfully lonesome, up
there in his chamber alone. wondered if il
wouldn't be pleasanter for him down in the
parlor with me, before the shining fires l
didn't think | should be any happier-of
course not.
Shouldn't 60 and ask him to come down.
could be very cool about it-just as though
1t was mere matter Of politeness. wouldn't
apologize. though; put my foot down on
that. was sure | hoped had too much
spirit to do such thing, il | hadn't done just
as ought.
Well, | went. Creeping carefully upstairs.
| tapped at his door. No answer. Surely,
he couldn't have gone down without my hear
ing him, and it was much too early for him to
think Of retiring.
] tapped again, and then softly opened the
door and peeped in. There he sat-his head
upon the tabe--one hand thrown carelessly
across his books and papers, and holding
Couldn't have kissed him when saw it)
my daguerreotype-the very one had given
him six months before, because, as told him,
i wasn't iit Tor any anybody else. began
to think ,coald apologize.
"Frank !" called, in whisper.
He didn't move.
ltiptoed up behind him and peered over
into his face. His eyes were shut, aud I
'h""shr +" ,w9s Looking rather pale.
Crank !" spoke little loutIer-but IN
vain. What il he were dead knew the
physician told him, the last time he was i'll.
that there was a difficulty with his heart.
What il my uukindness had seriously grieved
him, and brought on fatal crisis of his dis
ease. had heard Of such things. The house
was so unnaturally hushed and still and lone
some.like, that il seemed almost natural for
death TO come in some unexpected and start,
ling shape to take up its abode within the
walls. My very heart stood still with agony
At the terrible suspicion.
! went along and touched his haad. Il was
cold as marble!
! With one wild scream | threw my arms
around his neck, aud poured torrent Of
caressing eplthets and passionate entreaties
IN his ear. did not stop to think, or breathe,
or reason with nv absurd and sudden fear.
only thought tist Frank was dead aud had
killed him.
But what. Could a corpse moyei Was il
possible for the dead Frank to clasp me closer
than the living Frank had ever dared to :
Surely, the eyes thst met mine were no:
glazed or dim, but open, blue, bright and
sauey as ever; and the lips that raised such
shower Of kisses upon nv upturned face,
were not ciammy, but moist and warm.
Why, Neil, now came you here !--and
in my arms, too :"
won't tell sou what said. won't tell
that he was only asleep, and my impetuous
: hugging aud screaming walked him up-not
: from death, but comfortable nap. won't
1, tell hos she'd tears--real genuine tears ol
modification and shame and wounded vanity
: And won't tell how Frank comiorted me
! neither. would You!
Who'll come to the wedding?