The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-01-30

|
"Ihcro are stories toll Of victim,
closed up i" walls, with just q narro,
space to stand in, lett with a pitcher 6
water and morsel of bread, and whc
that was gono they must stand ther
quietly, and wait for death. No, the
could not wait quietly; think of, tn
fearful despair-thc agony. .Shr,c|
after shrek must have stiaed With,
those stones.' And Adriana shuddcr
ed.
"Don't speak Of such things oow
miss, said Annie. II doubt if 70,
arc as we'll as you think ior."
Il wonder how long they were i,
dying. l suppose all their past l;f
came up before them, and they knew
then what their judgment would Be
darc*ay the dying have a present.
ment of their future-a sort of fore
knowledge"
The girl grew more and more bewil
dered, and Was greatly relieved to hea,
Mrs. Cunningham's step outside.
Mrs Cunningham gently opened tb'
door, aud seeing Adriana was awak,
came it. -.--
"lou look little feverish lie down
again. and she smoothed the pillow :
and laid Adriana's head on them. ~
will take care Of Miss Linden, Anne" p"
"Oh, no, l need not trouble auy
one," said Adriana.
"lndecd you need," answered Mrs.
Cunningham; "but you must not
speak OF trouble. We owe too much
to you to think anything that will
bring back your strength a trouble"
II am quite strong"
$50 you think, but you do not know
how one deccives oneself in these cases
You are just rested after your long
sleep, but in the morning you will feel
differently. After so long loss of rest
it takes some time to recruit"
"Oh, Mrs. Cunningham! please do
not stay with me. I cannot bear to see
YOU troubling yourself about me-"
"Hush I will not hear that word,
| can only remember how ycu watched
by Charley. What would poor Charles
have done if he had come home to find
his beautiful boy dead ?" Adriana
turned away her face. Mrs. Cunning-
ham went on; Margaret, too, she
would have come to thank you, but l
would not let her come tonight.
A1riana gave convulsive sob.
Mrs. Cunningham stopped down and
kissed the pale forehead. She was a
stately old lady, and generally unae-
monstrativc, but there we're tender
places in her heart, and Adriana's un-
firing devotion to her grandchild had
stirred up depths of gratitude, added
to sort of fascination that had been
gradually drawing her towards Adri-
ana. Orchard quite undertakes
Miss Linden,' she cogitated, and 4
sort Of anita agonism rose in her mind, a
wish to show him that he was inistaken
in his estimate. So she sat down: by
the bedside to watch.
Adriana's face was turned awav:
Mrs. Cunningham thought sh, was
asleep.
Presently, in slow measured voice,
as Of one speaking with an cffrt, Adri-
ana spoke.
"Do not be offended, Mrs. Cunning
ham ; but / think I should be better
alone"
Gas you wish it, them" said Mrs.
Cunningham kindly; "good night aud
pleasant Dreams"
"Plcasan, dreams !" muttered Adri.
ana, as the door closed. She sprnpp
up, boltcl it, and ainging herself on
the bed again, burst into a wild 6t Of
sti1ed laughter-stiaed, for she dared
utter no sound, else shrek upon shrick
would have burst forth to have given
her relief; as it was, she controlled any
outcry, but her frame shook with con-
vulsive sobs which she could not quiet.
Again and again the paroxysm burst
forth, till she sank back exhausted, and
sobbed herself to sleep.
Night drew her dark curtains closer
around the weary frame, and Morpheus
gently stole to the slecper's side, and
whispered INTO her ear pleasant words of
the calm days Of olden times ere sorrow
had cass its shadow over her. The
troubled soul fed from the present,
and sought rest in the quiet past. A
little child sat holding t. mothers
hand under the deep spreading shade
Of a Spanish chestnut. Beautiful Aow-
cr' were growing on every side, and
the child looscd its mother's hand to
gather them. All! there was an uu-
looked for sting in the flower, and the
little one, with piteous cry, held out
its han'. "Oh, mother, mother ~
| And the mother lifted up the child on
her knee and kissed away the pain,
and the child nestled closer aud closer
comiorted and protected. :z<I ar.s..} 3s'
Str,ngo that such childish. remeu,.
branccs should come back !. what train
of waking thought had suggested them
Why should the thoughts fy Back IL,
most to forgotten ihfsncy,, when th,
bitter realities Of the present were, cat,
ing their way into '''Rer beastil.f n WIZ
can tell the mystic economy Of dream
lite, tho caprlcious wanderiuess Of the
soul, tho immatctisla whilst the uncoa,
4 nat II Al,