The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-08-01
MY PRIVATE SCHOOL.
lCONCLUDED.

So L sang "AIlan Percy, and IA it
Robin Gray" and two or three other OH
ballads of which | had in store, and m,
patient soon fell into healthy sleep Thu
next day he found his appetite, and from
that time came back to health with wonder
fol rapidly. He was dscile as q lamb t,
my grandmother, but with me be becam
the most exacting and oublesome conval
escent that ever tried womsn's patience. FL
openly preferred my grandmother's dsint
dished, and if left him for half an hour hi
bell would ring, and went back TO find hi
pillows on the floor, or his head 30 hot ths
nothing but strokiug it with cologne an
singing all the while would cool it. t
keep him still read aloud for hours, think
ing far more of him than of my book
We grew very we'll acquainted in thes'
long summer days, till went to Meridsn OF
shopping expedition. / found a thicl
letter ct the post Office for Mr.. Deane, which
had been lying there nearly three weeks. II
WAS directed in lady's hand, and thought
the sight of it brought shadow to his race
He looked so glad to see me after my TWO
hours absence that | went up stairs IN quite
a fIu,ter of ssirits Could i. be possible
that was to taste at last the Joy of which
had heard and read with unsstsfed long
ing? But would not stop to think about
Here's letter for you that Job brought
in while you were gone,' said my grand
mother.
/ took it and glanced ct Mr.. Dean. He
sat by the open window reading one sheet
OF his letter with knit brows, while the other
lay beside him. Suddenly light breeze
whirled it out into the flower-plot and ran
ont to get it. 1t had not occurred to me to
be curious about the letter, and nothing was
farther from my thoughts than to read even
the date of it; but the writing was large and
plain. and as | stopped to pick it up. the
first four words were burned into my mind
like letters of fire.
'Mv own dear husband Surely i, should
have been nothing to me that Mr. Deaue' $
wife had written to him; but, woe is me the
fact of his having q wife at all WAS like e
death blow to me-like the instant before
drowning when one sees at glance the
whole map of one life.
| gave him the letter without looking at
him, and went up to my room.
Doubtless this was the dear MARY" to
whom had written the frat letter from his
dietstion, and had foolshly taken it for
granted that she was his sister. He had
Hs'cl punch Va dcl DuL mhIElcupSUpIc 6Tb
always mysterious, and her price might be
far above rubies, nevertheless. He had
done nothing to make her Jealous. Once he
had taken my hand and touched it with his
lips; and al the rest of the foundations OF
my castle in the air lay in looks more or less
expressed.
But the love, 1t appears, was all on nv
side, He was idle and grateful, that was all
q l.
Mr.. Deane was so far recovered that nv
grandmother could easily attend to all his
wants, and he could return to his own place.
IL would be something to remember, if moth
ing more. Then | read my own letter. and
in it my way of escape.
Aunt Rachel wrote to say that "she was
At deaths door with neuralgia. and would I
come and help her with the children" She
saw that door so often in her own account of
her sufferlugs that familiarity with it had
rather hardened nv hear. toward Aunt
Rachel, but now | WAS ready to Law all the
stress on her letter which it would bear
What will Mr. Deane say to your going
sway?' said my grandmother, when | had
impressed on her mind my duty to Aunt
Rachel.
IL don't care what he SAYS
Lori said my grandmother, with a look
which implied two hours speech, a. least
That letter was from his wife, said,
looking anywhere but at her
She never answered q word, but lust kiss
ed me on both eyes, and stroked nv hair
Tor minute or two. Then we parted for
the night, and ] went away in the morning
before Mr.. Deane was up
Aunt Rachel was out of sight of ''death.
door long before I reached her. as | had
confidently supposed she would be, but she
welcomed me heartily, and the kisses of the
children soothed somewhat the sore 500, in
my heart.
For the next three days the activity ofthe
"busy bee," long ago impaIed on q poeticsl
pin, was not TO be compared with nine. Ii
there were any gifts of healing in mere work
| was determined to have them ous of il: but
the image of Mr.. Deane wss ever in nv
minds eye, and, as people say who have no:
the Normal" | got no better fast
Last of all | went Woodworking with the
children, and picked as for my life
There's strange man coming across the
field, said one of them.
! looked up for a minute, and took Mr.
Desne's offered hand.
IF you teach school as you pick berries
your fortune will soon ba made he said,
with the glad look in his eyes which seemed
to Danish that dreadful wife of his to the
uttermoss parts OF the earth.
How did you find me?''
"By my wits, chiefly. Your grand N other
was rs mysterious over your departure as if
you had gone into a convent; but when
told her had good news for you, she reien
ted and gave me the clue to your hiding
place"
Aunt Rachel directed you here ?''
"Preciseiy.r
"What is your good news?"
81 have heard of q school that you can
have for the asking
81 am exceedingly obliged 10 you"
at is a private school, and very small
but il has the reputation of being difficult
to manage, and from al that ! know of you
have concluded that you will be the right
person. VIII you undertake it?"
Yes, if you are sure of my fitness"
II haven't doubt of it said the school
Is smhil-it has, in fact, but one scholar,
aged thirty two, and MS name is John Jacob |
Deane."
Ii SAID anything or committed myself in
any way for some minutes after this astoun |
ding speech, ! have forgotten it.
And that letter. found myself saving |
ait er q while.
WAS from my sister to her husband who |
had deserted her. II was to look after him
and bring him to reason that ] Was riding
post.haste to Meriden that wild night. She (
Enclosed it in a letter to me. | forgot to
he said, after q pause, which
not without eloquencs of its own, shat my
school begins about the first of September"
mot If am to teach it, said |. 81 shall
spend that month and others after it in
turning all my fortune into the pretty things !
that have always longed for"
"hen Miss Rebecca Verjuice, my former |
l 30 mate at the Normal" heard the story |
=. my enlightenment she wrote me letter of
Ions 'a'uia'ion, IN which she intinated dark
nm mine would be one of the many
matches founded or gratitude.
John Jacob" said l, solemnlv wben
saw HIM again, of Won are aho,, a.