Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-09-02

plCdst, telllilg lIS urgent SUOry TO Ii pOWliuoA
ed, ruined brain; it was misread and mis-
taken; it suggested to her the uneasiness OF
breast full of milk, and then the child; ant
so again once more they were together, an(
she had her ain wee Mysie in her bosom
This was the close. She sank rapidly
The delirium left her; but as she Whispered
she was clean silly; it was the lightning be
fore the final darkness. After having fol
some time lain still, her eyes shut, she said
James He came close to her, and lifting
up her calm, clear, beautiful eyes. she gave
him long look, turned to me kindly but
shortly, looked for Rab, but could not see
him, then turned to her husband again, as
If she would never leave off looking, shut
her eyes and composed herself She lay for
some time breathing quick, and passed a
way 50 gently that when we thought she was
gone, James in his old fashioned way held
the mirror to her face. After long pause
one small spot of dimness was breathed out;
1t vanished away and never returned, lcav-
ing the blank clear darkness of the mirror
without stain What is life it is even a
vapor. which appeareth for a little time and
then vanisheth away
Rab all this time had been full awake and
motionless: he came forward beside us: Ali
lies hand which James had held, was hang
ing down. it was soaked with tears: Rab
licked it all over carefully, looked at her and
returned to his place under the table.
James and | sat, don't know how long,
but tor some tlme-saylng nothing; he start
ed up abruptly, and with some noise went
to the table, and putting his right fore and
middle finger each into a shoe. pulled them
out and put them on, breaking one of the
leather latches, and muttering in anger, i
never did the like o that afore :
believe he never did, nor after, neither
'Rab y he said roughly. and pointing with
his thumb to the bottom Of the bed. Rab
leapt up and settled himself, his head and
eve to the dead face. 'Maister John, yen
wait for me-, said the carrier. and disappear
ed in the darkness, laundering down stairs
in bis heavy shoes. | ran to front window
there be- was already around the house, and
ont at the gate feeting ike a shadow.
was afraid about him, and yet not afraid
50 | sat down beside Rab and being wearied
fell asleep. | awoke from a sudden noise
1ursidc 1t was November and there had
been heavy fall of snow Rab was in sfafH
yuo he heard the noise too, and plainly
knew it. bat never moved. | looked out, and
the sun was NOT up, was jess and the cart
4 cloud of steam rising from the old mare.
| did not see James; he was already at the
io0r, and came up the stairs. and met me.
1t was less than three hours since he left, and
be must have posted out who knows how
to Howgate, full nine miles OF, yoked
Jess. and driven her astouished into town.
He had an armful Of blan kets, and was
streaming with perspiration. tie nodded to
me- spread out on the floor two pairs OF clean
blankets. having ut the corners, A. e.,
l794. in Ia ge letters in red worsted. These
were the initials of Alison Greene, and Jam
= NAV have looked in at her from without
unseen but not unthought of-when ne
was wat wat, and cary. and had walked
many mile over the hills, and seen her
sitting, while 'as the lave were sleepin'; and
by the freight putting her name on the
blankets Of her ain Jamie bed. lie Hlot'0"ed
Rab down, and taking his wife IN his arms
aid her in the blankets, and wrapped her
'arefully and firmly up, leaving the face un- /
covered; and then, lifting her, he nodded /
gain sharply to me, and with resolved |
,ut utterly miserable face, strode along the |
as>age and down stairs, followed by Kab. |
also followed with light; but he didn't |
leed il. | went out, holding stupidity the /
ight in my hand IN the frosty air we were
0on at the gate. l could have helped him,
,ut saw he was not to be meddled with
nd he was strong and did not need it.
He laid her down as tenderly, as safely,
: he had lifted her out ten days before as
as when he had her first in his
rms when she was only y. G.'-sOrted her,
eaving that beautiful sealed face open to the
leavens: and then taking Jess by the head
le moved away. He did not notice me,
leither did Rab, who presided alono behind
he cart
stood till they passed through the long
hadOw OF ,e college, and turned up Nlchol-
on street | heard the solitary cart sound
through the streets. and die away and come
gain; ana returned, thinking Of that COM
ANY going up Liberton brae, then along
}oslin muir, the morning light touching
he Peutlands and making them like out look
NJ ghosts, then down the hill through Au-
woods, past haunted Woodhouse-
ee; and as daybreak came sweeping up the
leak Lammermuirs, and fell on his own
oor, the company would stop, and James
would take the key, and lift Allie up again,
aving her in her own bed, and having put
less up would return with Rab and shut the
loor.
James buried his wife with his nelghbors'
Mourning, Rab inspecting the solemnlty from
distance 1t was snow, and that black,
agged hole would look strange in the midst
# the swelling spotleSs cushion of white.
James looked after every thing; then rather
uddenly fell i'll and took to bed; was insen-
ible when the doctor came, and soon died.
sort ol low fever was prevailing IN the vii
age, and his want of sleep, his exhaustion,
md his misery, made him apt to take it.
The grave was not difficult to reopen. A
resh fall of snow had again made all things
white and smooth; Rab once more looked on
md skunk home to the stable.
And what of Rab? | asked for him next
week at the new carrier who got the goodwill
If James business, and was now master of
less and her cart " How's Rab?'' He put
ne off, and said abruptly - What's yOur
business WI the dowg?" was not to be
% put off Where's Rab?" He, getting
confused and red, intermeddling with his
nair, said Dead, sir; Rab's dead
: Dead what did he die OFF, Weel,
ir," said he, getting redder, g he did ma
lie: he was killed | had to brain hlm wi
rack pin ; there was nae doin' wi him. He
dl III tilt bcN loS vi iLC hhu N"Nhu
;ome DOT. tempit.him WI kali and meat,
,uthe wad tax naething, and keepit me frae
eedin the beast, and he was aye gurrin and
yrubgruppin' me by the legs, | was laith
o make ava wi the auld dowg-his like wa
Id atween this and ThornhIll but deed sir,
could do naething else"
| believed him. Fit end for Rab-quick
md complete. His teeth and his friends
gone; why should he keep the peace and be
:ivil?
FFrY-sEvEN BUSHELS OF WHEAT TO THE
AcRE-The Ontario Observer is informed |
that farmer in Reach had field of about |
Is acres of wheat. which did not, whilst
appear to be unusually heavy but
after threshing, he was surprised and de-
lighted to find 1T yield 81 bushels to the acre
Neither is this a solitary instance, says the
ObserUer, for we understand the average WELD |