Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-07-10

eye dceper,-.and its bright expression, when
you reused her was longer in shooting back
into the clouded sphere than ever before She
sat for hours by the window, her lovely head
resting ON its easement looking out, alwavs out
and away, beyond the hills, into the dcep spaces
OF blue air, past cloud and yapor, to the stars.
Sudden noises startled her to an extreme de-
gree quick step flushed her cheek with FIRE
and fluttered her breath. How | longed for
spring hoped all from the delicate ninistra-
tons OF nature though the physician we called
gave no hope of her final recovery. Mr.. War
ing himself seemed struck with her aspect, and
many little signs Of friendly interest came from
HIM: As often as he could, he returned to his
old haunts ! and while the pleasure of his pres
ence and the excitement of his undsguised
anxiety wrought on her, 10 became almost her
own self for the moment, gay. cheerful bloom
ing,-alas with the bloom of feverishness and
vain hope.
SO spring drew near. The mill was nearly
finished. One day in March warm south
wind "quieted the earth after a long rain. the
river began to stir, its mail of ice to crack and
heave under the SUMS rays. persuaded Jo to
take a little drive and once in the carriage tho
air terminated her she rested against me and
talked more than had known her for weeks.
"W hat lovely day !" said she show balmv
the air is there is such an expression of rest
without despair, such calm expectation! al
ways think of heaven on such days Sally =
they are like the long sob with which a child
finishes weeping. Only think of never more
knowing tears that is life indeed ~
keen pang pierced me at the vibration of
her voice as she spoke. thought to soothe her
little, and said, "IIeaven can be no more than
love, 10, and we have a great deal of that on
earth"
"Do we?" answered she, in tone of grief
just tipped with irony,-and then she went on
IL believe you love me, Sally. | would trust
you with-my heart, if need were. | think YOU
love me better than any one on earth does.d
81 love you enough DEAR" said l more
words would have choked me in the utterance
Soon we turned homeward
"Iell John to drive down by the river" soid
Josephlne,-"l want to see the new mill"
but you cannot it from the road. Jo;
the hemlocks stand between"
"Never mind Sally Ishall Just walk through
them; don't deny me! / want to see It all
again and perhaps the arbutus is in bloom"
Not yet, Jo."
81 can get some buds, then; 1 want to have
some just once"
We left the carriage and on nv arm 10
stroHed through the little thicket of hemlock
trees, green and fragrant She seemed unusu-
ally strong. l began to hope After much
searching. we found the hudded flowers; she
loved most of all wild blossoms no scent
breathed from the closed petals they were not
yet kissed by the odor-giving south wind into
lite and expression but 10 looked at them with
sao far-reaching eyes. | think she silently said
goodbye to them.
Presently we came out on the steep bank of
the river, directly opposite the mill. A heavy
timber was thrown across from the shere to the
island, on which the workmen from the west
side had passed and repassed It was firm
enough for Its purpose, but now, wet with the
mornings rain, and high above the grinding ice,
1t seemed a hazardous bridge. As we stood
looking over at the new mill, listening TO the
slight STIR within it, apparently the setting to
rights by some lingering workman Of such odds
and ends as remain after finishing the great
whole OF such building, suddenly the cool
wind, which had shifted to the north, brought
on Its wait most portentous roar. We stood
still to listen. Nearer and nearer it syelled.
crashing and kissing as it approached. Jose
phlne grasped my arm with convulsve energy.
and at that instant we perceived Mr.. Warnings
plald cap pass an open easement. She turned
upon me like a wild creature driven to bay.
looked up stream the ice had gathered in one
high barrier mixed with hood-wood and timber,
and, bearing above all the uprooted trunk of
nuSe sycamore, was coming down upon the dam
ike batteringram. 10 gasped. The riveris
broken up and Arthur is on the island said she.
IN fear1ully suppressed tone, and swifter than
l could think or guess her meaning, she had
reached the timber, she was on it,-and with
hight, untrembling steps half across, when both
she and simultaneously caught sight of Mr..
Waring running for dear life to the other and
stronger bridge. 10 turned to come back but
the excitement was past that had sustained her;
she trembled, she tottered. | ran to meet and
aid her. Just then the roots of the great syca-
more thundered against the DAM the already
heavily pressed structure gave way; with the
freed roar OF hurricane, the barrier, the dam,
the oot-bridge swept down towards us. She
had all but reached the end of the timber,-I
stood there to grasp her hand d,-when the old
tree, whried down by the torrent, struck the
other end OF the beam and threw Josephine for
ward to the bank, dashing her throbbing, pant
ing breast, with all the force Of her fall against
the hard ground. l lifted her in my arms she
was white with pain. Presently she opened her
eyes and looked up, a flush of rapture glowed
all over her face, and then the awful mist of
DEATH gray and rigid veiled it. Her head drop
ped on my shoulder; sharp cry and rush of
scarlet blood passed her lips together; the head
Lay more heavily,-she was dead. But Arthur
Warlng never knew how or for what she died
Five years have passed since that day. Still
live at Nook cottage; but not alone OF us
three Josephine is in heaven Lefty is still
troubled upon earth her husband tests her pa
tience and her temper every hour, but both tenn
PSi "lu P"tlcuCe are III SoOu training ana II
ever Henry Maiden is reclaimed as begin to
see reasons to hope he will be, he will owe it to
the continual example and gentle goodness ofhis
wife, who has grown from petulant, thought
less girl, into lovely, unselfsh religious wo-
man, devoted mother and wife, "refned by
fire." For me, the last,-whenever now say,
as l used to say "Three of u.s." | mean new
three-Paul, baby, and me for Jo was not
prophet. -Four years ago, while my heart-ache
for her was fresh and torturing new pastor
came to the little village church ofValley Mills.
MIR. Lyman was very good l have seen other
men with as fine natural traits, but have new
er seen a man or woman SO entirely good. He
came to me to console me; for he, too, had just
lost sister, and in listening to his story fora
moment forgot my own, as he meant | should.
But did not love him,-no, not till discover
cd, months afterward, that he suffered incessant-
ly from ill health, and was all alone in the world.
was too much woman to resist such plea.
| pitied him l tried to take care of him; and