The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-07-06

4 ing that evening. The sight OF tht
book also brought to her1mind th,
realization of the fact that she woul6
have to spend the evening alone, foi
already soft flakes of snow were float
ing past the window, and the weather
promised to be much too inelement fol
any hope of visitors. She was not in
the aleast.a foolish or nervous woman,
however, and she faced the prospect
very quietly. When poor John was
| Iplodding along in the cold and wet,
she certainly had no right to complain
libecanse she was thrown on her powers
lofsentertainment for a single evening
So, while daylight lasted, she certainly
thought most of her husband, but,
when the shades Of night had absolute.
lyi fallen, she began to think little oi
herself. -, =. ~ -
sn1he doctors house was situated just
OH the outskirts of the small village of
W :. !, and, although every one said
it was a lovely situation, and COM
manded q charming view, yet it was
certainly quite isolated, since the near-
est neighbor was distant nearly, if not
quite, a quarter of a mile. -sfs f,..s...
The doctor was a young man, with
a small family, his future all before
him to make, and his means moderate,
so it necessarily followed that his
household WAS small, as welfsas his
family Indeed, in that luxurious
region of country, people thought
it ryistrange that the doctors young
wife, who, three years before,zhaid
been the prettiest belle ofnneighbor,
ing county Inshouldt be liable; to keep
house with only three servants. ,rBut
she had gogdIpracticaf sense, though
she had been belle, this dainty,
brown-eyed little creature, and she
laughed and went her way, and mama
ged so cleverly that "John,p at least,
never drcamedi but that three servants
were quit enough for tho rnenage of
king. Yet these servants, in case of
emergency could not be relied On for
much aid OF roProtection. :; H. q ~
The.cook was liysterical person of
the raving distracted kiHd,swho retired
to her own house at,pight, barred and
locked herself in, as if she was going
TO stand seige, and had even been
known TO refuse. to, open the door
when her ,lnistress's. voice demanded
The half footman, half
hostler of the establishment, slept
quite out of call in Il room over the.
stable; and Il mulatto girl, who was
nurse and parlor. maid in one, occupied
q small dressing closet, adjoining her
misti ess's chamber. This girl was
very bright, very pretty, very fond of
the baby, and consequently great
favorite with Mrs. Somers, who, when
she came in after a while, to close the
shutters and prepare, the room for tea,
began TO take her into her confidence.
~Your master has gone away for
the night, Rose" she said ''and we
will be all alone. You must be sure ]
and look to the fastenings well. You
also better tell Joe to sleep in the din
ning-room. fdon't feel at all afraid, but
john always likes. him to do So"
."Joes. gone to see his wife, ma'am
she's sick, and master. told him he
might" said Rose, with the shutter in
hcr hand. .He left after dinner, and
said rs how he didn't expect to get
back, tonight" a.as
/, = 't.Ipdeedi-'1 said Mrs. Somlbeers, a lii
.le surprised. tJohp did not mention
hat 70 me; Who brought out his
horse this afternoon % - -.
Oscar. Giles ,,pla4 ,mpa4,a He was
s''Tor-se yop, I suppose" added her
MISTRESS, with n laugh. ''WeH, it
;an't be helped, l suppose. But real
y everybody seems to be getting sick
MI at once in a most unaccountable man
ler. Put up the bar at the front door,
Rose. 1t is very bad weather, is 1t
not ?' ~ 'iii 8.s ai
i"Dreadful, ma'am," Rose answered.
Showing aud sleeting, both together,
md freezing, besides. It's an awful
light Tor master to be out" -IiI
''Poor Johnl that it is" said Mrs.
Somers, with a sigh. But then it was
ome consolation to think that John
vas used to such exposure, AID prob
!bly did not mind it much, and that
Yrs. Bradshaw's.:puuch was proveribi-
lily good. So she stirred the fire, sat
lown in the absent j ohn's easy chair, !
md plunged into the'absof bing history |
d Captain .Dodds fourteen thousandIt 4
pounds, where she remained untilathe /
ca tray and the baby were brought in
6gether. Willie she took her solitary
upper, Rose sat down ON the hearth
ug, with the delicate little ten months
Id girl in her lap, and asked her mis-
ress If she had heard that Will. Peters
rad broken out of jail a...
, Mrs. Somers had not heard This in
ellIgence, and she was very much in
crested and excited Immediately. So
Rose forthwith went into detailed
ceount of how it was supposed to have
happened, and how much alarmed ev-
rybody was, since. sYou sec, ma'am,
obody knows where ho'H turn up, or
Vho he'll be numbering nextw ..ls
"Good heavensl OF course not,
aid Mrs. Soiners. 9t'A creature like
nat a large-why,a it is terrible!
lose, you should not 1haveeistold me.
he mere thought of such a thing
lakes me foolish and frightened both
once" 'i.lr ifpii' Z aat faW Ii
ttSupp6se he was to get in here to-
light, ma'am, and'.master away {"
''HushW cried Mrs. Somers, with
snudder. ''Really, if had known
lis, i believe i should have been alb
urd enough to send for uncle George
, spend the night with me !; but it is
,o'late now, for there is nobody to
0 to town ;!after him. Give me
le baby, Rose clear away the table. 1
declare this is terrible4-about Peters,
mean" Jyss t.
Rose shook hor head lugubriously,
/. sl,n. cleared. n,rav " the faIla - II uasl ,