The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-18
idge. All, sir, if you'd be converted, and be


next morning, he was,i possible, still less so.
Sister Mary Peters recital had so far tinged bis
dreams that they had been filled with scenes Of
benetcence; but everywhere, in well-known
garrett, hospital, Jail, and cellar, the sembance
of Constance had been leaning on his arm, or
busted at his side, aiding him to comfort the
sorrowing, tend the sick, and win back the err
ing and, just as the unfeeling Shanghai cock
crowed under the chest chamber" window, and
walked him up, he and she, having done a good
days work together, were going chattily and
merrily up the steps: OF "a small, newly painted
house, with /" DIR. Herman Arden on the door,
at the corner of two busy thoroughfares, to a
snug little parlor, where cozy late Dime,
for tpo. of her ordering, must, they knew, be
awaiting them.r .,.sa0,sa.,5. btta Eais.,-|,tr
In spite Of this mishap, he expected to see
her again, as usual, as soon as his morning
toilette had been with Sister Mary's assistance
completed; but she did not come near him till
noon, not till he had become seriously alarmed
lest Sister Mary. some jesuitical ally, had
sgrreptitiously s,piFited, hsrs away and when
Sister Mary, finding It impossible to pacify
him otherwise, vent after her and brought her
| in, she sat shily by the window, bending over
some knitting, said nothing even to Sister Mary,
| except when she was spoken TO, and, in the
! course of an hour, made her escape again. He
could hear her, through the thin, loose floor
above him, family singing, in her chamber, low
chants and Misereres F. -'fH
| This conduct of hersdid not greatly astonish
him. He reminded himself that GONZALES
cent could not expect to be treated with all the
indulgence accorded to probably dying man
and he knew the exceedingly sensitive delicacy
of Constances character well enough to fear,
that now that the danger was over, she suffer
| ed from the recollection of the emotion which
she had been surprised into showing at the un-
| expected sight Of him and his danger.
| But her conduct, and the latter explanation
| of 1t, made him only the more eager for an OPP
portunity to relieve her mind at the same time
with his own, by full declaration of such ardor
| of unchanged attachment, on his part, as should
| throw hers completely into the shade. They
might now be separated almost any dav; and
the dread of her leaving him, and leaving him
IN ignorance of her plans, and in utter uncer-
tainty as to when and where he could meet her
again, was becoming from hour to hour more
intolerable Added to this was the idea of the
influences which might in the mean while be
brought to bear upon her imaginative and excl
table mind, and OF the possibility that, under a
superstitious and mistaken sense of duty. she
might already have determined against so much
as listening to a suit which her poor defrauded
heart seconded and, to all this, his helpless in
ability To take the case into his own hands.
Even if he had been well and strong enough to
RISE dress, and go to her-which he was far
enough from being-he was on parole most
clearly implied, if not expressed with Sister
Mary; and after all that she had already done
for HIM, he felt that it would be doubly disgrace
full TO get her into a scrape.
Though strict guardian, she had not been
IN any respect harsh one. She had kept him
very still till his fever went down; but, during
the last day or two, she had allowed great
deal OF pleasant general conversation. 1t was
conducted in parliamentary manner-she be-
ing Mrs. Speaker, putting the questions, and
having the answers ostensibly addressed to her
yet so managed as probably in great degree
fiepah tbs tho wishes .... Of all parties concerned.
listened When he could not see her eyes, he
could see her color come and go. Sister Mary
had considerably and dexterously drawn from
him just what the silent novice was most likely
to wish to hear-some account of his late occu-
pations and way of lite and the present situa-
ton of his family-fnding an excuse perhaps
| for the qualification of her own curiosity in
gratifying that of her protegee. He also had
learned from her something of their movements
and how they came, just at the right moment
for him, to be in Kansas. They had been sent
| there on MISSION to see if there was need of,
and good opportunity for, the foundation of a
| charity school there, and had been boarding for
a few days with Mrs. Dobbs They had heard
| Of the skirmsh in which Robbins had been kill
ed, gone to the nearest village to see whether
their services were required by any of the
wounded, lost their way, and been belated in
| returning, and came upon Herman when there
was just twilight enough left for them to see
him by. They had previously been very near
being sent to New Orleans 10 nurse the yellow
fever. Herman's hair almost stood on end, as
Sister Mary mentioned it but Constance raised
her eyes, and they shone. She had lkedit ev
identity. So young, 50 out of love with life
Would she like it now? He longed to ask her
Sister Mary spoke of it very calmly. She was
growing old, she said. She must soon leave the
world, at any rate. She would rather, if she had
her choice, be active, and go about, and wait on
others to the last, than live on to time when
she must be idle, sit still in her chair and have
others wait on her. She should be glad to think
that, when she could no longer serve the Lord
by her life, she should serve him by her death
But she felt as if she might still have eight OF
ten years work in her, and so she was not sorry
on the whole, that it had been put off for the
| present.
"Where were they to go next?" Herman had
| asked with unwary abruptness. Sister Mary
| had been loquacious as to the past. AS to the
| future, she was virtually dumb. 1t was impos
sible to say. Where they were sent Wherever
| the Lord had need of them"
| On the evening of this {" day of misfOrtunes
Herman, being further goaded and at the same
time in manner set free from restraint by
Constance's absence, made an impassioned APP
peal to the compassionate Duenna. Sister Mary
sorry as she was for him. declared that she had
done already all that she could for them,
and more than she could answer for to her
conscience, or, at any rate, she feared, to her
confessor. They should not have stayed at all
if she had known that Herman was going to
get well. He begged her pardon for having
done so, but adroitly, though sincerely, suggest
ed, that his getting well was probably in great
part owing to her having stayed. This was
manifestly her own opinion, though yelled with
elaborate humility. But she made his conva-
lescence an argument with him for his being
too thankful, now that his life had been restored
to him, to care about anything henceforth but
spending it well. This being view of the state
Of affairs which he could not fully embrace, he
ungratefully adiured her to tell him, at least,
how long 1t would be before Sister Agnes
Alexis's " year of service expired.
Well-less than year, my son."
But, how many months 7"
"Why-not a great many, my son; but, if
you wish to live to see the time, you must avoid
excitement. You had bad night last night, in
consequence of too much conversation yester-
day; and--if you'll excuse my noticing i'll
think that may be the cause of your being lit
tie fractions to-day. Shall / close the shutters
for you to take little rest now?"
No, thank you. Will it be many weeks y
Sister Mary was seized with a fit of deafness,
which was the more remarkable, that her hear
ing was usually peculiarly quick: &.
Tea very weak? will go and get you some
stronger