Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-03-02
Tot me- hurry over these few terri

through which nursed him. He died
in the last of April. Before he went
away from us little Rosemary had
learned to say papa" She said it
to him lust before he died, and |. can
never forget the way his face kindled
with a life-like brightness which made
me almost hope to hold him back a
little longer from death. He reached
out his arms, those thin, weak arms,
and laid the child in them.
God bless you,' he said, "my dar-
hing, nv little darling! God bless
You, and keep you from all evil"
Then he began to cough, and | took
her away, and tied her into her tiny
rockingham, where she had learned
to sit patiently hour after hour, never
troubling anv one. Wien the cough
ING spell was over he closed his eyes,
and heard him say in low voice:
THE angels do always behold the
face of their Father" and | knew he
was thinking ofhis little one, and what
her lot would be when he was gone.
Just at the last he turned his eyes
to me, and said in weak, faint tones:
"You have been my true wife, Mary.
You have walked with me down to
the very brink fthe river. You must
90 back alone"
With those words he made a sign
for me to kiss him, and bending down
| pressed my lips to his, that even
then quivered beneath my touch, and
family returned my pressure. When
lifted up my head he was dead.
had been alone a month before |
had courage to look about me. or think
at all what ] was going to do. The
firm had been very kind. They con
tinued Roberts pay through his sick
ness; and for two months afterward,
making up the half year. OF course
that was all | could have expected
them, and MORE must take care OF
myself and my little girl, Robert had
left little money, but that | did not
mean to touch. felt that it ought to
remain as a provision against any
time Of peculiar need. or for Rose
mary if | should die. So went round
among my old customers and procured
the promise of as much work as could
do to take home, for it was Of course
. out of the question to leave my child
and 90 out al day, as | used to do
When | saw how kind they all were
to me, and felt very sorry for me,
, began to realize how many good hearts
, there are in the world.
f For two years | got along nicely
To be sure it left all awful void i'll my
life to take Robert out of it, but | re
| mcmbercd that | had promised to be
long to him forever: so felt that
} was only waiting. Ny little one was
{ a great comfort. She looked at me
!, with her fathers eyes, and there wa,
curious likeness in her words anC
| ways to his, which sometimes glad
' dened and sometimes saddened IN,
| heart.
= Her constitution was very frail
? >;he had been a fat, dimpIed bah,
t enough; but after she could run alone
she grew slender, and her skin was ii.
+ most transparent. But she never wa
+ really i'll, until the summer TIVE
G years after her father died. Then silt
t became so delicate that she required
J. a great deal of my time. though
= at first that it was because she wa
+ cutting d long delayed double tooth
: but soon | began to fear there wa
!, gravcr cause for alarm. ! sent for
f doctor, a kind, fatherly man-DI
J.. Grant his name was-and he told m
IS her spine was affected, and the diSeas
/, was OF such nature that she wOul,
r require the closest care and attentio
a to save her life. And even then-Bu
d he did not finish the sentence. Look
o inc into my face ! think he could no
n have the nerve to do so.
d | used to hold her in my arms NOR
h than half the time by night aud b
" day. OfcOurse could not sew pucI
and the money | had left dwilGle
II away. ! began to wonder how
y, could keep want from the door. On
II day DIR. Grant came and seemed t
Is have something in particular to sd.
S. He had been very kind to my littl
= Rosemary, and she and | had grow
st fond of him in a certain way, and wel
in always glad to see him. 8nt | coul
lie never tell you the shock it was whe
lie he asked me to marry him. | ha
IL known nothing of his history hitbert
id but. he told me now that he was
s. widower, and a lonely, childless ma
and that he had learned to love N
m and mine better than anything else
so the world. He wanted to marry n
ID at once, and take us home with hin
We where Rosemary could have ever
ar care and luxury, and where my Il
TX should be eased of all such burdens ;
"a he could bear in my stead.
+. While he talked | was terribl
ut tempted. The home he offered seer
TO ed to promise such rest, such relic
t; from care, and the torturing anxiet
a how to do my duty to my child an
W get my daily bread at the same time
in | thought of my little one most of al
l. / knew that she was in need
as so much that | conld not give her.
n Perhaps it would save her life. Fla
ne a right to refuse? And yet | d
at not love DR.. Grant. | dared n,
of answer him on any momentary il
at pulse. So / told him if he would {
I'd away and give me time to think,
Sc would see him on the morrow. E
I'd held my hand a moment with gra,
e- tenderness.
n "Remember, Mrs. Eden" he sal
"that whatever you may decide, / sha
a not be any the less your friend
- ! Won CON find IF in vopr boo,4 e. -