The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-10-22
A WIFE's REMORSE.

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wife with petulence-"I am SO tired of see-
ing a pale face from morning till night, of
hearing groans, of mixing doses. 1t seems
to me there is little need of constant Civ
ing up-why don't l give up2"
Mary-Mary" cried a quavering
voice.
Coming, coming" replied the woman.
"Oh, dear, how / have to run. He's so i'm
patient, and l must always be there. Men
Dug hit 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 a
hard hearted or an unfeeling woman. Her
character leaned somewhat to the side of
selfshness, and being in robust health, she
had no knowledge of the heart-weaning
that continual pull-backs cause to men of
the strongest wills.
sob, DEAR" sighed the man, half child
ishly, sit seems as if my head never did
ache as it does now"
II have heard you say that an hundred
times" said Mrs. Nash, not in the softest
manner.
''But I'm sure it's worse-if you will on
ly pull the curtain down-the least light
strikes through my eyes even while they
are shut"
"Up again." thought the wife, rising
somewhat impatiently, scattering her work
with some noise as she did so, and needless
of the groan that followed, she let the blind
fall heavily.
"Pm great deal of trouble" said the
sick man, seeing the cloud on his wife's
brow.
ooh, noW-her face cleared up-"you're
notional, of course; all men are Men
don't know what sickness is, and they're so
frightened at the least pain"
''But this is terrible" cried the invalid,
pressing his closed eyelids together more
tightly.
Oh, how he longed to have some sooth-
ing hand upon his temples but he would
not ask his wife, because he saw that she
had snatched up her sewing and was again
absorbed in its completion.
Hours passed, and the pulse leaped
madly, the eyes grew strained and crossed
with veins, the temples futtered with the
trobbing flesh, and strange words came
thickly on tn stiffness of the chamber.
Mrs. Nash had been down stairs prepar-
ing supper; she had just laughingly said,
in reply to neighbours question concern
ing her husband
ooh going to die, as you men all are,
if you happen to cut your finger"
Little she thought how true the prophe-
cy she SO unthinkingly uttered. In an
other moment her eldest son came into the
room.
"Isn't it funny2" he cried, "pa don't
know me. He called me Mr. Morris, and
asked if I had that will 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
and keep asking if I had that will made
out"
Her cheek paling little, Mrs. Nash
hurried up to the chamber above Her
husband was talking wildly to himself and
his appearance was changed frightfully.
Now, seriously alarmed, she sent for the
physician, who was all wonder that he had
heen called at so late an hour
"The man must have shown symptoms
of more than ordinary distress, this morn
ingy" he said, " did he make complaints of
nothing but an ordinary headachep
The wife was forced to confess that the
symptoms had been unusually severe, but |
he was so liable to these attacks that she |
didn't think much about it. Her heart, |
however, condemned her. She was con-
scious that the means and complaints of
her poor, sick husband had irritated her to
an unusual degree, and that she had borne
far from patiently with him. Now she was
ready to make all amends. With tears
and loving thoughts she lowered over that
sick bed, accusing hersef-as every wild
cry for her rang out, and still there was no
consciousness, and he felt not the kind
hand, saw not the streaming eyes, of being
the cause of all MS wretchedness through
her selfish neglect.
Tears, hot and copious, wild prayers to
heaven, sweet and fervent words of love
availed nothing. The death hour came,
and with it consciousness. Arrows could
not have pierced that sad heart as did the
last words of the dying man
Dearest, you have been good wife to
me-"
The meek face looked calmly white
amidst the easements of the grave, but it