The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-02-12

was RAPID, ner breathing anXiOcS and
quick she wasn't herself, as she said.
and was vexed at her restlcssncss. We
tried what we could. James did every
thing, was evcrywhere-ncver in the
way, never out of it Rab subsidized un-
der the table into dark place, and was
motionless, all but his eye, which fol-
lowed every one. Allie got worse; be-
gan to wander in her mind, gently; was
more administrative in her ways to James,
rapid in her questions, and sharp at
times. He was vexed, and said, " She
was never that way afore no never. -
For time she knew her head was wrong,
and was always asking our pardon, the
| dear, gentle old woman; then delirium
set in strong, without pause. Her brain
gave way. and that terrible spectacle,
The intellectual power, through, words and things
Went sounding on its dim AMI pcriloas way
she sang bits of old songs and Psalms,
stopping suddenly, mingling the Psalms
Of David, and the divincr' words of his
Son and Lord, with homcly odds and
ends and scraps of ballads.
Nothing more touching, or in sense
more strangely beautiful, did | ever
witness. Her tremulous, rapid, sficc-
tomato, eager, Scotch yoicc-the swift,
ainIless, bowildercd mind, the bufflcd ut
tcrancc, the bright and Ierilous eye.
something fer James, the names of the
dead, Rab called rapidly and in " fremyt'
voice, and he starting up, surprised, and
sinking of as if he were to blame some
how, or had been dreaming he heard
Many eager questions and bcsccchings
which James and could make nothing
of, and ON which she seemed to set her
all and then sinl; back ununderstood. 1t
was very sad, but better than many
things that are not called sad. James
lowered about, put out and miserable,
but active and exact as ever; read to
her, when there was lull, short bits
from the Psalms, prose and metre, chant
ing the latter i'll his own rude and scri-
Gus way, showing great knowledge of
the lit words, bearing up like a man, and
doatlng over her as his cain Allie. -
Allie, liza woman!' q" Ma ain bonnie
wee dawtie ~
The end was drawing on the golden
bowl was brealing-the silver cord was
fast being loosed-thc nnimuia, Unndu-
In, rag"l0, ho@pes, comeSque, was at ont to
flee. The bod y and the soul, companions
for sixty years, were being sunGcrcd and
taking leave. She was walking, alone,
through the valley Of that shadow into
which one day we must all enter and
yet she was not alone, for we know whose
rod and staff were comforting her.
One night she had fallen quiet, and
as we hoped, asleep; her eyes were shut.
We put down tie gas, and sat watching
her. Suddenly she sat up in bed, and
taking bedgown which wa, lying
on it rolled up, she held it eagerly to
heI. brcast-to tie right side. We
could see her eyes bri ght with sur
prising tenderness and joy, bending over
this bundle of clothes. She held it as
woman holds her sucking child open
ing out her night-gown impatcutly, aud
holding it close, and breeding over it,
and mt r.i!u. lag foolish little words, as
over one whom his mother conlfortcth, and
is sucking, and being satisfied. 1t was
pltltul and strange to see her wasted,
dying look, keen and yet vague-her
immense love. Preserve nc :" groancd
James, giving way. And then she rock
cd back and forward, as if to make it
sleep, huShlng it and wasting on it her
infinite fondness. "Wac's me, doctor !;
declare she's thin&in' its that bairn''
What BARN - "Thc only lairn we
ever had: our wee Mysic, and she's in
the kmgdom forty years and mair. >
1t was plainly true the pain in the
breast telling its urgent story to be-
wlldered, ruined brain; it was misrcad
and mistaken it suggested TO her the
uneasinoss Of u breast full of milk, and
then the child and so again once more
they were together, and she had her ain
wee Mysic in her BOSOM
This was tie close. She sunk rapidly ::
the delirium left her but as she wllis-
perod, she was clean silly; it was the
lightning before the final darkness
After having for 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
IL long look, turned to me kindly but
shortly, looked for Rab but could not
see him, then turned to her husband
again, as it she would never leave off
looking, shut her eyes and composed her
self. She lay for some time breathing
quick, and passed away SO gently that
wnen we thought she was gone, James
in his old-fashloned way, held the mirror
to her face. After a long pause one
small spot of dimncss was brcathed out ;
1t vanished away and never returned,
leaving the blank clear darkness of the
mirror without stain. What is our
life it is even a yapor, which appeareth
for little time, and then yanishcth
away"
Rab all this time had been full awake
and motonless he came forward beside
us; Allies hand which James had held,
was hanging down; it was soaked with
his tears. Rab licked it all over care
fully, looked at her, and returned to his
place under the table.
James and | sat, / don't know how
long, but for some timc-saying nothing:
he started up abruptly, and with some
noise went to the table, and putting
his right fore and middle finger each in