The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-11-10
~ ErfssSE a.v s.vs S-s.uAs-sLISE.

zee u the lsie relsellious Staies-in =
city io Which nAiaro lad contributed
most latisliy An nnsusl amount Of ~
health and iAck Of loyal society were
the causes u my forming a warm and
intimate acquaintance with the family
of The presiding physician u the Gov
ernment hospital IN that city. As the
loeallon o. the hospital and the grounds
About were airy and pleasant il vas not
rare for me to spend one or two days
out Of each week in the Doctors iAmi-
~
The systematic. admirably arranged
and conducted dutics attendant upon
the hospital was owing chiefly 70 the
eaicion. management of the hospital
matron, but whose appearance and man
uers we're anything but attractive to
casual or even studious observers. She
was tall aud gauut in figure, sith faded
blae eyes, aud her grey hair falling
about her face when she stood still, but
flying in various directions when she
moved lsuch was tie velocity Of her
pedestrianism, gave her a peculiarly
Wild and haggard appearance. She
usually wore sn old-fashioned straw bat,
tipped back on her head, in order to be
ready for any emergency that might
call her without Usually hat worn
by a woman on the hoayenward side Of
fifty gives an impression Of one trying
10 hide the SHOWS Of winter under the
promise Of spring-time that blossmed
! years ago. But when the matron came
busting into the Doctors room, with
hair a-Aying and voice pitched to the
highest hardest, and most piercing key,
| giving accounts OF the unfaithfulness of
sub-ofhcials and employees about the
various wards, 10 one had the DISPOSE
4 ton to insinuate that she had any de-
sire to ape youthfulness or deceive one
in regard TO her amiability. She seem
ed an embodiment Of endurance, and
every wish and aim of her existence
crystalized into the one hard word
business Early and late she toiled, as
IL driven by some remorseless task mas
ter, so it was really tirosome to think OF
her.
Being in the Doctors room one day
when she camo in explosive with wrath
and indignation, l remarked, after she
went out
What strange, hard, unfeminine
creature your matron is Iwonder she
does not make You fairly nervous with
her address and peculiarities."
"oh, indeed !" he laughed; that would
Ill beft me. / Icouldnt manage the hos
pital at all without her. She is fire, VA
ter, earth, and air to the whole concern.
Her bark is worse than her bite; and
with all her repellant ways she has the
tender heart Of a woman, | have seen
her cry over many poor fellow; but
mind you, she never lets tears blind her
from seeing when something than tears
will better avail him. Moreover, thro'
her influence she obtains many valua-
BILE donations to the hospital After a
moment be added, "You know she be-
longs to one Of the first families of Bal.
tlmore-the famous book publishers p
"No, ] answered II knew her name
was Conness, but | never thought oi
associating her with those OF Baltimore
But that being so, how do you reconcile
her ways and manners with the refining
aud cultiyatIng influences that must
have been her inheritance by birth and
surrounded her early days at least p
All, as to that, she has a history. -
II you can get her to tell you that you
will have the key TO the whole. learn.
ed it by the msrest chance; but you be.
ing woman, ought by some subtle
vomanly tact or sympathy to be ena
bled to get it honestly But you may
be SIRE that that woman has a heart
and rare one, emphasizing his words
AS il doubted the existence Of any save
the actual pound Of flesh doing organ
ic duty under her bodice.
That my curiosity was fully aroused
il would not be wise TO doubt Tn,
more thought about il the more ca
ger grew TO know. and also the NOR,
delicate aboui asking her any dicrec
questions. But found out al last, anC
It happened in this wise:
Passing by her room one evening
found the door wide open, and looking
in saw Miss Conness sitting By the win
dow in such an atmosphere Of silence
and rcposc that yentured to ask II she
were i'll.
No, she said, slowly, "only think
ing. VIII you come in and sit down ?
Her voice was so changed from ii
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