Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-09-08
ay aside his garments for protracted

The crisis was past. Mrs. Crawford
} was out of danger, and the house free
from watchers, and the lights could be
extinguished once more. The invalid
be drawn out into the dining.room and
sit bolstered up in the easy chair, and
rock little, very gently, and sit at the
table with cap or and shawl around her
and manage to swallow few mouthfuls
of toast, or rice, as if to eat it was a duty,
and thus spring found her--no better, no
worse.
The good doctor was in despair,
and taking Mr.. Crawford into his bug
gy one day to ride over town for some
needed medicine, he questioned hi m
closely about his wife previous to her
sickness.
Was she slender, OF had she ever had
any serious illness before?'
Hearty as could be, doctor, and have
not paid dollar for medicine, before
this winter, in fourteen years l hard
ly thought she could be sick. am afraid
she worked too hard last summer was
the reply ending with a heavy sigh.
Building the house. Didn't she have
good help?'
She did her work alone answered Mr..
Crawford, with a feeling half pride and
halt shame-pride that he had such a
smart wife, and shame that he had allow
ed her TO work so.
And that is what's killed her = said
the indignant doctor, as he turned and
looked bis companion full in the face,
and brought his hand down on his knee
with heavy thump. Didn't you know
better ? Then seeing the tears spring
into Mr.. Crawford's eyes, and thinking
what kind husband he had been thro'
her long trying sickness, he added in
softer tone, well, well, it's the way with
the world. Never stop to think till your
wives + half dead and buried and
you are no worse than the rest but see
that you take care of her after this then
as if talking to himself, he added, she has
seemed SO jaded, run down, no vitality to
build upon. Such case as hers ought
to have been cured months ago, but be-
gin to despair of any thing but trip to
the saltwater. I'll try this new tonic,
and if that fails she must start
The new tonic did fail and so one
pleasant June morning Mrs. Crawford
was brought out by her husband and son
in a large easy chair and lifted on to a
bed in a carriage, and large trunk and
satchel STRAPPED behind and so they
at slow pace t o the nearest
cars that would convey them to the sea,
side.
There were no regrets in Mr.. Craw-
lords thoughts as mile from home they
met Mrs. Reed and her husband, the Ia
iy's cheek round and flushed with health, {
and her eyes sparkling with the enjoy
nent Of life, for his poor wife had grown I
learer and dearer every day of her suf- !
'ering life, and he would not have ex- !
changed her for hundred like his early I
choice, but he mentally called himself a !
DOL for not following their example, for t
what was a debt Of even a thousand dol
ars, and having strength and health to e
,ay it off in, to the suffering, and anxiety y
md the dark future that spread out be- f
ore them, scarcely lighted by a ray of :,
rope and all the heavy expenses were =
heirs after all.
AT first Mrs. Crawford could only tot C
er along a few steps, upheld by her hus~ d
lands strong arm, but day after day the 7
walk was extended little farther, till it :
the jutting rock that over
ooked the ocean. Then hour after hour a
ras passed watching some white sail far II
ut at sea, or seeing the waves dash over g
be broad sands, rising higher and high
T as the tide came sweeping in, till in II
er excitement she forgot her aching b
ide, and lunch hour, drinking in the sea to
reeze and the fresh air, and thus one II
ay a new, or rather an old pain, the =,
ain of hunger surprised her. She clap u
ed her hands in almost childish glee, to W
link that the loathing of food was gone to
nee more. How good the cup of tea a,
nd crisped Fl h tasted, mixed with >,
ealy sweet potato as she dined, while II
er husband looked on, watching every I
outhful she ate as eagerly as if his had CO
cen a fast of week. That was the III
rst real step towards health, and in two
onths more she was almost herselfagain Id
rue, little more delicate, more suscep- to
Bile to changes of weather, but her cheek W,
I'd become round, her eye bright, and w,
Ie could climb the rocks without an ach- q
g side. "'
1t was glad meeting at home-wife, s''
lsband, son and doctor, who was pass ta
9 by and called in to congratulate them ur
ID after chatting an hour, the kind man
he took bis hat to leave, put his hand
Mr.. Crawford's shoulder and said, So Il"
rly, You will take care of her after 1t