Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-15
BOOK -OF.TRAVEL SKETCHES.
xUMBER ".
doom A. THE BRAB."
A TRUE STORY OF ENGLISH LIFE.
BY A1TCH.
PART THIRD.

PART Third.
For several days Robbie improvement
was slow and uncertain. The injuries be
had sustained in the fall were of such @
general character as to seriously affecl
his nervous system. AS consequence
a slow fever set in, which at fret proved
rather obstinate, and was the occasion Of
grave alarm in the mind of Lady Anna
who watched over her darling night and
day with sleepess anxiety. F
From having had charge and treatmen,
Of the lad at the first, I still continued tc
visit him daily, in semi-professional ca
pacity, and at the earnest solicitation o.
the anxious mother, retained him under
my care. However. on the third day
when the fever was at its hight, I,,eskec
and obtained permission to cali in frou
the neighboring village old Doctor Re
land, to establish confidence, in .anS
event, that the best had been done'thai
could be to promote the Young manf
tApeedy recovery. .s~3
v Ehe Doctor came, and after D careful
Fexamjnatioh of the patient, expressed
]sceR6dAnee in his speedy conyalescence,
apd his concurrence in the policy oi
Treatment was pursuing. After this he
came no more; nor was it necessary, for
on the succeeding day we we're rejolced
BY the discovery of unmistakable signs oi
Improvement, which every day thereafter
became more apparent
From this time forth, then, Robbie 8
recovery was Ensured, uEder the con.
I1tinued tender care of hix loving and
watchful mother. There was. indeed, but
one drawback, and that was to be found
in the troubled state Of bis mind. He
constantly dwelt on theysnrrow little
Mary Purcell must have Experienced on
account of the injuries which .he had sus.
tanned in the assertion of his f5slity to
her; and it was his earnest desire that
she might be permitted to come once,
only once, at his request, to see him, that
be might assure her Of his prospect Of
rapid amendment. n aa
Only once did he express this desire in
words, and then he sav, that it so pa ined
his mother to witness wat she considered
his waywsrd folly, that he did not again
repeat the wish in her hearing.
Thus several weeks passed away, and
the patient had so far recovered his usual
health and strength as to be able to ride
out for an hour, every pleasant morning,
in light, easy cab, and to walk about
short distances in the grounds imme-
diately surrounding the mansion.
At frst, for time, il had been Lady
Anna's custom to accompany her son on
these early drives, but as his strength
rapidly returned, he was frequently
allowed to 20 out attended only by old
John Byron and the cab driver. There
were numerous guests at Tandauk Place,
at that time, as usual in the summer sea-
son, and the mistress ofthe manor found
herself quite closely occupied in attend
ing to their comfort aQd Entertainment.
Now, my lady was epphatically and
10 every sense p sud ambitious woman
of society and while no special care or
sorrow brooded over her own little house
hold, to absorb her thoughts, she found
little time TO give attention to other mat
ters than those which pertained to the
welfare Of her aristocratic friends, who
had pleased to honor her by their pres
ence under her roof. Perhaps if it had
been otherwise-if she had been less
selfish, more domestic, and thoughtful Of
the happiness Of others, those near and
very dear to her, she might have warded
off those greater sorrows that hung over
her head like an impending curse.
One evening, about sunset, old John
Byron came to me, on the beach, where
was engaged in preparing o Jack.laa.
tern, for q spearing cruise at night, on
the waters ''of,sthe channel. Ruff was
away with the boat, resetting his lines,
which he always left in the water over
night.
The old man explained, in cautious,
hesitating manner, that he had taken the
liberty Of appealing to me on behalf OF
Robbie, who bad been, in his opinion, so
cruelty restricted by bis mother in the
matter of his intercourse with little Mary.l
He could do nothing for the lad himseN
for be had given Lady Anna soleUh4
promise, amidst tears ofpenitence, that
If she would be mercifpt and forgive him
The one offense he had committed, he
would never again do anything in oppo-
sitioa to her known Wish. And out OF
regard to his long and faithful service in
the family she had forgiven the oa8.psp
and allowed him to retain his pl lthe
household. ~t&
"I wad ma do my Teddy 4thQE, he
said, shaking bis head dolef : nor
20 egain the words of mytI'<I<lse, for
she have been very kind to rie, ny TEDDY
have. Bot there be twa sidesto annyfhlng
that may be turned aboot, aod usethlhg
the more so than this"
Ind you think Lady Anna Is cruel
and unjust TO her son in thismetter
rAwssh I wad think she didna' in
tssd it TO be so, for she loves lhe lad
dearly. my Teddy do; bat its 90 the less
wrong FOR q that. And ye see ] rad do
what could fer Master Robbie, as ~ datg
| ought, but ] Gamma do annythiag Doc