Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-02-03

A chance traveller had brought the
deadly disease to our home, and in less
than two weeks, two Of my daughters
had passed away from my sight, forever
while the youngest,-my merry, light
hearted little Ruth, and my eldest son
were tossing upon their beds in the wild
delirium of fever. One of my daug
who had escaped the infection, aud my>
self were their only nurses, for neither
love nor money coald induce one of the
neighbors to come to the house, much
| less 10 enter the sick. rooms, and we were
forced to do the best that we could.
But one morning heard low knock
at the outer door which startled me, it
was such an unusual sound at that time,
( but | opened it; and there on the thres-
Lold, her clothes soled and worn as il
with travel, and her face so pale and thin
that l hardly knew her, was Miriam
was too much startled to speak, but
she laid her little thin hand (sothin that
il seemed to me as if could almost see
through it,) on my arm, and said, in a
half whisper:
"Am too late7 Is be dead Y
The tears came to my eyes, but /
said, as cheerfully as l could;
mo, Miriam, he's alive yet, and while
there's life there's hope"
Upon that she came in, pat her bonnet
and shawl in the old place, where she
always kept them, and went about her
duties just as if she had only come in
from a walk, but / noticed that she had
grown very slender and now and then
she would cough, and press her hand to
her side.
From that day I don't think that she
slept at all, for she watched by Joseph
continually, and when be was in his wild
est moments, the touch ofhe hand on his
forehead, or the sound of her voice would
calm him in a moment. But the fever
was reaching its crisis, and few hours
more would determine the question of
life or death. | was entirely worn out
aud bad lain down to get few moments
sleep, when | was startled by low ex-
clamation from Miriam, and starting up,
| saw at a glance, that the great change
was approaching. Miriam kneIt by the
bedside, and the.dying man open his
eyes they fell upon her. A smile ofl love
and Joy broke over bis pale face, the
white lips moved, and he said softly:
"Your promise, Miriam-mine, even
in death. Will you come ?"
"Yes, Joseph" and the words fell from
her lips with a solemn distinctness, Il am
coming"
Again that smile of love and trust
frightened the wan face, and clasping
the stifening fingers in her own, Miriam
laid her cheek against his, and | heard
her whisper:
Il will 60 with you my beloved"
Ispoke to her but she made no answer,
and lifting her 10 my arms, | saw the
life-blood slowly oozing from her parted
lips. I tried TO bring her back to life,
but in vain,-the spirit had returned to
God who gave it.
The doctor said that her death was
caused by hemorrhage of the lung s,
brought on by sudden excitement, but il
was with feelings akin to those of muir
derer, that | saw them laid side by side
in the churchysrd, where simple stone
marks their resting place, with their
names simply carved upon it, and these
lines:
"They were lovely and pleasant in
their lives, and in their deaths they were
not divided"
The speakers voice grew tTemuIous
as be uttered the last words, and he pass
ed his hand across his wrinkled brow, as
if be would obliterate the sad memories
that were thronging upon him. My hear'
was too full for words, and We sat silent
and thoughtful until the soft, twilight
shadows,-advance pickets of the night,
had stationed themselves in the silent
room; covering behind the chairs and
tables, and peeping out at US from be-
tween the heavy folds Of the window
drapery; then, with sigh, the old man
arose, and walked feebly to the window,
looked forth upon the gathering forces
Of the night. A tear rolled down his
withered cheek, and l heard him mur-
mur, in the low, triumphant tone of one
who had found a panaOea for all earth's
m:
"And there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall