Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-03-09
" Are you well p asked he.
{. | am faint. very faint"

From that day Tudor marked change in
the conduct Of his wife severer discharge of
duties, and more fixed attention to religious
concerns. The Spring arrived, and Tudor
and his wife returned to Havana and tock
passage for the United States.
Whether Tudor had imbibed disease in
Havana, or whether other causes operated
it was rot known; but be had scarcely reached
his house in Philadelphia before he found him
self so unwcll that he was compelled to call in
medical advice. The disease gained strength
and Amelia, laying aside all other duties, or
merging them in those of the wife, devoted
herself night and day to the care of her hus-
band No application was made to him, no
medicine administered without her direct aid
She lowered over his bed like guardian
angel and seemed to lose all thoughts Of self
in her devotion to the sick. 1t was noticed
by some, as remarkable, that the care and at
tention, nay the language Of Amelia to her
husband had less of the tender, w-like life
solicitu,le, than of the thorouh devotion, the
all sacrificing attention Of the careful nurse
1t is difficult to describe in words the differ
cnce between these two kinds Of attention,
and yet the difference is obvious to soaae Re
ligious devotion, solemn sense of duty to our
kind, deep and abiding sympathy for the
suffering, and familiarity with the office, will
make the sick bed labors of one most efficient,
most useful. IF to these be added n deep,
undis.urbed, particular affection, then there
is longer resting of Tie eye upon the patient
after the attention bestowed, the ha nd lin
gers yet more upon the temple it bathes, aud
closer breathing is observed as some new
symptom is Developed. 1t is not the duty
performed, but that which is to be discharged
something Of slight jealousy of all that we
we would share in, lest they should monopo-
lie the labors.
Amelia did her duty faihfully--and when
the CLEAN of reason returned to her husband
he Thanked her for all her wife-lke cares. her
patience with him under all trials, and espc-
cially for the unccasing attention with which
she had solaced him in sctncss, and smothed
his bed of death. - All these he added, as
he turned his bright eye upon his wife. full
of grateful affection, " all these, Amelia, all
these are fruits of your undivided love; may
Heaven bless you for such kindness of heart
to one who could only try to deserve it How
happy have / been even on this bed, from
which felt could not rise; how proud, ip-
Decd to be thus attended, to be lie single
object of the love of one so pure"
The lip of Tudor trembled convulsivcly-
the spirit fled while it was breathing out its
love and gratitude.
Amelia was unable to attend the funeral
of her husband and it was not until some
months after his death, that she rode to Laurel
Hill.
Leaving the carriage, she was conducted to
the grave of Tudor, and, hanging over the
hillock, she thought of all the virtues which
had adorned his chara c,er, and most Of those
that commended his memory to her constant
gratitude
Strange it may seem to some-and perhaps
unfaitlful to the duties of one lately widowed
but, as she thus muscl over the grave of
Tudor. she thought Of Wilder, of his love for
her. Of her feelings for him, of all that had
passed, all that beth had suffered, and then
the new freedom of her own position passed
her mind. She might in time be his. 49,.
Let us not smile at such thoughts. under
such circumstances if the thoughts of every
man or woman were blazoned forth, those of
Amelia would seem natural and pure They
were pure they were visisans, not tenants,
of the mind they came, but she entertained
them not and when she thought of her free
dom, she chastencd the mind, and, kneeling
upon the new laid sod. she vowed solelnnly,
du;ifully, stcrnly, to live and die the widow
of him below She would make sacrifice of
more than the Indian widow makes. The
great suttee which should distinguish her
mourning should be her heart To cherish
constant love for the dead, and to preserve
herself from other love, is a sacrifice which
any woman might make but to sacrifice
love of the living to the memory of the de-
ceased to live day by day through cheer
less life, chained to the memory of the de-
parted, and consumed by love Of the living
that should be the Offering expiatory of the
wrong which she had committed "a wrong
ilhfelt by the object, but still inflicted.
Amelia rose from the grave Of her husband,
strong in her w-formed resolution. She
turned to depart, and her eye rested upon the
care-worn features Of Wilder. lie was lean
ing against large tree, and seemed absorbed
in the scene before him. No sooner did he
discover that he was seen by Amelia, than
he turned suddenly and left the place. Amelia
was conveyed to the carriage, and thence to
her chamber. Several months after that
scene, servant entered the chamber of
Amelia, and said that gentleman. wrapped
closely in cloak, had requested that note
should be given to her-and he weuld wait
an answer.