Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-11-24
A Wife's Remorse.

"Sick-sick again." said the needless
wife, with petulance-" I'm so tired OF see
ing pale face from morning till night, Of
hearing groans of mixed doses. 1t seems
to me there is little need of this constant
giving up-why don't give up?"
Mary-Mary" cried quivcring voice.
"Coming, coming replied the woman.
30 dear, how have to run He's so im-
patient, AID | must always be there; men
ought never to be sick, they make so much
trouble"
There was but little tenderness in the
voice that answered the faint queries of the
sick man, and yet Mrs. Nash was not hard
hearted or an unfeeling woman. Her char
acter leaned somewhat to the side of selfish
ness, and being in robust health, she had no
knowledge OF the heart-weaning that contin-
ual pull-backs cause to men OF the strongest
wills.
20 dear sighed the man, half childishly,
" it seems as il my head never did ache as it
does now
"Ive heard you say that hundred times,
said Mrs Nash not in the sottest manner.
But I'm sure it's worse-if you'll only
pull the curtain down--the least light strikes
through my Eyes even when they are shut.
up again" thought the wife rising some
what impatiently scattering her work with
some noise as she did so, and, needless of the
groan that followed, she let the blind fall
heavily.
''I'm a great deal of trouble" said the
man. seeing the cloud on his wite's brow.
30 no her face cleared up" you're
notional, of course; all men are--men don't
know what sickness is, and they are so
frightened at the least pain
g" But this is terrible !" cried the invalid,
pressing his closed eyes together.
0 how he longed TO have some soothing
hand upon his temples but he would not ask
ed up her sewing and was again absorbed in
its completion.
Hours passed, and the pulse eaped madly,
the eyes grew strained and crossed with
veins, the temples futtered with the throb
bling flesh, and strange words came thickly on
the Stiffness of the chamber.
Mrs. Nash had been down stairs preparing
supper she had just laughingly said, in re-
ply to a neighbours question concerning her
husband
40! going to die, as all you men are if
you happen to cut yoAr finger"
Little she thought how true the prophecy
she SO unthinkingly uttered. In another mo-
ment her dest son came into the room.
lis MT it funny?" he cried, "pa don't
know me. He called me Mr.. NORRIS, and
asked if had that will all made out"
What do you mean, child ?" His moth
er paused in the midst Of her work.
He don't know me, because [ kept call
ing pa, and he would look at me so strange,
and keep asking if l had that will all made
out"
Her check paling little, Mrs. Nash hur-
ried up to the chamber above. Her hus-
was talking wildly to himself, and his ap-
pearance had changed frightfully. Now, Sc
riousy alarmed she sent for the physician,
who was all wonder that he had been called
at so late an hour.
"The man must have shown symptoms of
more than ordinary distress this morning."
he said :" did he make complaints of moth
Ing but an ordinary headache e
The wife was forced to Mess that the
symptoms had been unusually severe, but he
was so liable to these attacks that she did
not think much Of it. Her heart, however
condo uned her. She was conscious that the
means and complaints of her poor, sick hus
band had irritated her to an unusual degree
and that she had borne far from patiently
with him. Now she was ready to make al
amends. With tears and loving thoughts
she fingered over that sick-bed, accusing her
self-as every wild cry for her rang out, anc
still there was no consciousness, still he Tel
not the kind hand, saw not the streaming
eyes-of being the cause of all this wretched
ness, through her selfish neglect.
Tears, hot and copous, wild prayers tt
heaven, sweet and fervent words of love avail
ed nothing. The death hour came, and witt
it consciousness. Arrows could not hav
pierced that sad heart as did the last word
OF that dying man;
Dearest, you have been good wife t.
me-"
The meek face looked calmly white amids
the easements Of the grave, but it was scare
ly whittier than the face that bent over it. D
what would that wretched heart have give
to recall those cold careless words that wer
ringing in her own ears at every STEP.
This was the thought that gave anguish III
parallel, as her trembling steps led her t
his open grave-as she looked her last upo
that dear manly face that had ever had
smile for her. O! to live with this cor
seriousness to bear a burden so heavy
these were to be her punishment
eff had been tender to him that day
she often sobbed out as she accused herse
--'ifI had only kissed the hot brow an
bathed it more carefally-if l had only pit
down that feeling that I would not hnue
his fancied indisposition-I would Civ
worlds" But the sorrow, dreadful as it ws
has not been without its salutary influence.
Now the widowed woman is the welcome vi
itor by the bedside of the sick. Her gent
voice soothes as the voice of mother-ht
hands touch is like the pressure of veve