The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-05-06

change my firm belief that she had made a
deeper impression than he then wished to
admit. ,,- sr lgaT saEA
After our introduction to the family, our
visits were frequent: being often invited by
George, we spent many evenings IN their So
ciety, and on each occasion I noticed that the
attraction of Fanny's society for Ernest SEEM
ed to grow stronger and more irresistible, un-
til, knowing his noble, ardent, and highly
sensitive nature, l trembled to think of the
consequence, should she, as feared she
would, lead him to the. very verge of happi-
ness, and then desert him, leaving him to fall
into the dark abyss of despair. M .5i
One evening, about SIX months from the
time of our first acquaintance with Mr., Nor
thrup's family, l was sitting alone, reading.
Ernest had gone out alone-a rather unusual
occurrence, as 1 almost invariably accompa-
MED him; but on this occasion he said that
some little personal affair demanded his at
tention. and that he would return early. 1t
was growing late, and was becoming rather
uneasy waiting for him, when heard his fa-
miliar footstep on the ttairs, and he shortly
afterward entered the room with heavy, un-
conscious step, and a countenauce so intensely
expressive of unutterable misery ard despair
that hope / shall never look upon its like
again. ..-. .a
As he entered, and tottered, rather than
walked, to lounge, on which he fell heavily,
l ssarted to my feet exclaiming:
"Good heavens Ernest, what is the mat
ter? Are you i'll, or what in Gods name has
happened?" -.,-s.a "
The only answer-if answer can call it
| received, was low moan of agonyr moan
so low, yet so expressive of the terrible an
guish that seemed to pervade every fibre of
his frame, that I instinctively drew back,
knowing that in his then fearfully agitated
condition it was worse than useless to ques-
ton him any further. -
i Drawing chair close to where he was ly-
in, ] sat watching him closely, listening to
the throbbing of his heart, every pulsation of
which was audible, until, after about an hour
of moaning and quivering, his agitation be-
gan to decrease, when prevailed upon him
to retire, thiuking that nights rest and slum-
Der would serve to restore his usual control of
mind and body. After he had retired, re-
mained by his side, ready to do anything in
my power to alleviate his sufferings; present.
ly the quivering of his frame and the twitch-
ing of his countenance subsidized, aud sleep
came slowly to his relief. When morning
came, and the city began to breathe again, and
the streets were sounding with the steady
tread of the laborer. and the mechanic, and
the sounds were echoed from basement to
garnet, and from garret to roof, and thin,
semi transparent haze hung over the house,,
and the smoke began to curl from the sur
rounding chimneys and the sun peeped
steathily through the windows and into the
dark alleys, and the hum of busy life once
more resounded through the awakened thor
oughfares of the great city, discovered that
Ernest was again tossing restlessly on his bed.
His agitation had returned, and he was still
moaning and moving uneasily, occasionally
giving vent to incoherent mutterings, the on
ly word of which | could fully understand
being " Fanny" This was sufficient. could
now understand the cause of his sudden i'll
ness, and his singular conduct, on the preced-
ing night. Placing my hand upon his brow,
1 felt the pulses throbbing and the skin h9t,
oh, SO hot. Fever had set in, and he was al
most delirious. I Immediately sent for Apply
sician, an old friend, and when he came and
placed his hand on Ernest's brow, and felt his
rapid pulse, and gravely shook his venerable
head, and ordered the room darkened, and
said that must keep everything as quiet as
possible, felt that my opinion was confirm
ed-that my dearest, truest, noblest friend
was i'll, dangerously i'll. Oh how my heart
throbbed, and my brain reeled, and i almost
cursed, the day when we first knew Fanny
| Northrup.
Days came and went weeks came and
passed away, and Ernest was still i'll. Oh,
what mental as well as physical torture he
must have suffered ! and all for Fanny. And
| yet, in all his rawlings, in all his unconscious
mutterings, in all his fevered imaginings, her
name was ever on his lips; when all else was
| forgotten, he still remembered her.
One sevening, about two months from the
| time he became Ill, l was sitting as usual by
his bedside. 1t was a calm, quiet evening il
| September; the sun had gone down after bath
ing the houses and tree tops ina blaze OF
bright golden effulgence, and the moon was
beaming seronely on the house tops and thro
4 the almost deserted streets; the stars were
softly twinkling from their spangled canopy
and all nature was at rest-eyen the sufferer
by my side was resting. A soothing slumbel
had taken possession of his wearied and vast
ed frame, and / had hoped that he still
might recover. had been sitting by him al
the afternoon while he slept tranquilly--tht
first tranquil, undisturbed slumber he haC
known for weeks. Presently l heard rust
ling on the bed, and turning around found
Ernest awake; he was quiet and refreshed
his terribly agitated brain had resumed it
healthful functions, and l saw that all imme
diate danger was past.
h His first words on awakening were:
F." Frank, are you there? Yes, by my side
as usual, my old friend Frank, l feel yer.
weary and feebld. I must have been sick, 0
asleep, long timer"
Knowing that in his then debilitated con
dition he should be kept as quiet and fire.
4 from excitement as possible, and that if | en-
tered into conversation with him, his thought
Il would very naturally revert to the cause q
, his illness, and feeling that full realization
! of that cause by him might possibly brin
about relapse / merely advised him
! compose himself and refrain from converse
ton until he had gained little more strengt
: saying that probably on the next evening h
would be stronger, and that if SO, we woul
then talk about the past. He seemed satisfe
q with this, and shortly afterwards he again fe
: asleep, and his measured, regular breathing
| gave me the welcome assurance that he wo'
a soon recover his bodily strength and ments
, vigor. On the evening of the following day
: when the twilight was creeping slowly ovs
the city, and the cool, refreshing air of nigh
s had supplanted the close, sultry day, / entel
s ed, the room where Ernest was lying, au
|, found him comfortable and tranquil. To M
S inquiries he replied that he felt much bette
II and then requested me to take seat ne;
II him, that We might converse about the pa
IS and present, and probably speculate on whi
5, the future might bring forth.
e When l had drawn a chair to his bedsid
y and sat down to while away few hours wit
! him, he began by saying: e'
u Frank, | must have been i'll long tim
l | must have been very i'll When l la
y looked out at those windows the trees we
r green and the air was full of health and hon