The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-07-26


was placid as in sleep, and when she left
me to attend TO mothers wants, Horace
came to her place beside me-
As he bent his tall figure to kiss me,
noted how the sorrow had changed him.
From Il boy he had become u man, full
OF earnest aspirations and resolutions, our
protector and the head of the family -
lie seemed to have lived ten years in the
three weeks that had been lying in help
less stupor or delirious arony. lie it was
who told me of Maggic's hcrosm in the
crushing ordeal through which they had
all passed. Ter noble self-dcvotion was n
theme of which he could not weary, and
his eyes soflened to an infinite tenderness ::
his voice was modulatcd to its lowest
sweetness as he spoke of her unscfsh
comforting and ministrations She 1t was
who told the news to mother, with no.
thing but the palld face and white lips to
show her own pain. She it was who
took my poor crippled body for her own
charge, suffering no hands but the sur
| gcon's or her own to touch me or minis
]
an hour for necessary sleep, she had kept
watch, fir,t at my bed, then ut mothers.
ncalccting nothing that could keep life in
! the frames of her patients. Every ban
dagc and splnt, every poullicc, plaster
and medicine, every mouthiu OF food and
drink, every lotion and remedy passed
through her hands before wereceived them.
And with all this she had stolen from
Us TO Horace, TO the little ones, even to
the servants TO speak words of encourage
mcnt. She had kept the house orderly
and comfortable, ami crushing down her
hearts agony with an iron will, she had
kept her brain clear and free for every
detail and direction.
As the days gidcd away and we began
to look our future fairly in the face, the
prospect before us was dark one. Ny
father had left nothing. We were free
from dcbr, aud the gilt TO mother had
given us all mourning garments, but there
was no future prospect of means TO sus-
tain life. Horace was young and mex
pcrcnced, and must begin low on the
ladder Of commercial life, hoping to win
his way ut last to wealth, but in the mean
time must accept the small salary OF one
learning business. He secured situa-
tIon IN Il commission house, with an old
friend Of our fathers TOR his employer
Maggie insisted on taking her share in the
bread winning. She hud received first
rate musical education, and our old
friends were only too glad to secure her
tuition for their children, so she told IIor-
ace he might put his pride in his pocket,
as she could and would help him to support
US We took small house in the city,
and mother dismissed the servants, ami as
her share Of the burden assumed the
louscwork. Horace AMI Maggie COM
batted tins in vain. She would do some-
thing, and the income was far too small
for II servant. So feeble and pale she
lifted her cross. One more item
Gradually, lovingly and tendelly, the
bitter cup WAS lifted to my lips,
and ] learned that l mus. consent
to be n helpless burden upon the hands
already 50 heavily Laden. TIE wounds t.
mp hands, arms, head IN face were al
healing fast, but there was an incurable
/ injury to the spine ;hat paralyzcd my
lower limbs utterly and hcpcic,,Iy. |
could not move from my waist down,
while an expressing weight seemed chain
ed to my lower limbs. low | rcbeled
against my fate, how wildly prayed to
die, how bitterly | complained and wept
need not be recorded here. But the voice
that soothed me, the lips that taught me
submission, the finger that pointed out
the crown in the shadow Of the cross, the
prayers that led me TO bow at last mcckly
beneath the rod, the love that taught me
that my death would be no relief but an
other heavy sorrow, the sympathy that
wcpt with me and shared my grief, all
on these let me dwell for n mohnent.-
! For it was Maggie who was the angel of
my sick soul, us she had been the nurse
of my sick body. Maggie who lifted the
veil from my hope and faith, and led me
again to the light thatncverdoes fadeaway.
1t was hand TO hand struggle with
| poverty that now tasked these young no.
ble hearts and hands Horace had but
barely sufficient to clothc himself and pay
the rent, and Maggie met the current cx-
pcnses. Mother saved, Cam you realize
what her ordeal was, the peltcd ccutre
Of love all her life, who had never known
an hour of toll or moment OF care that
could be kept from her!
Our daily life was monotonors. Mag
/ gle rose carly and did all the mp stairs
work, including dressing me, while moth
er prepared breakfast. Then Horace
lifted me from the bed TO wheeled chair
which mother had bought for me, and
which | could guide'with my hands,
Maggie brought me my breakfast, and
then she and Horace went off for the
days labor. Mother was busy with
housework nearly all day, sometimes
bringing her sewing TO my side fov an
hour or two. The twins were in my
room all day, and as | served | taught
them their letters, to read, write and cipher.
1t was one day, early in November,
when my memory brings back clear,
vivid picture. | was sitting in my chair
alone. The children were playing in the
little garden, Maggie was in the parlor
with Walter, Horace out, and mother
down in the kitchen. | had been strug-