The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-07-13

| very last eoH c0Ata6lnR hla MUD.
"Floy, did I ever see mamma r.
ono, darling, Why l'' . : = - =
J. aDid / ever SEQ ahy kind face, lik,
mauoa's,s looking At nae when I was ba
BY, Fl0y 4" .fi4Y,.ss.1s. ~; .s.a, .,.:,
/ <He asked incredulously, IS If be hai
some vision of face before him.
."Oh yes dear."'i'. , ''''tp.
"Whoso, Floy :" "a
I "Your old nurses. Often"
"And whers is my old nurse 2" said
Paul. els she dead too Floy, are VIC
all dead, except you I"
There was hurry in the room, 70,
an instant-longer, perhaps; but, i;
seemed no more-then all was still
again; aud Florence, with her face
quite colorless, .but smiling, held his
head upon her arm. Her arm tremblcd
very much.
"Show me the old nurse, Floy, il
you please?
"She is not here, darling. She shall
come to morrow"
"Thank you Floy ?"
Paul closed his eyes with these words
anu fell asleep. When he awoke. the
sun was high, and the broad day was
clear aad warm. He lay little, look.
ing at the windows, which were opon,
aud the curtains rustling in the air,
aud waving to and fro; then he said,
"Floy, is it to morrow Is she come p
Some one seemed to 60 in quest Of
her. Perhaps It was Susan. Paul
thought he heard her telling him when
he had closed his eyes again, that she
would soon be back but he did not
open them so see. She kept her word
perhaps she had never been away
but the next thing happened was a
noise Of footsteps on the stairs, and
then Paul woke-woke mind and body
-and sat upright in his bed. He saw
them now about him. There was no
gray mist before thcm, as there had
been sometimes in tho night. He
knew them every one called thom by
their names.
"And who is this 2 Is this my old
nurse 7" said the child, regarding, with
radiant smile, figure coming in.
Yes, yes. No other stranger would
have shed those tears at sight of him,
and called him her dear boy. her pretty
boy, her own poor blighted child. No
other woman would have stopped down
BY his bed, and taken up his wasted
hand, and put it to her lips and breast,
as one who had some right to fondle it.
No other woman would have 80 forgotten
everybody else but him and Floy, aud
been so full Of tenderness and pity.
"Floy this is kind, good face r.
said Paul. ri am glad to see it again.
Don't 60 away, old nurse! Stay here"
His senses were all quickened aud
he heard name he knew.
"Who was that, who said Walter ?"
he asked, and looked around. "Some
ono said Walter. Is he here should
like to sec him very much." i,
Nobody replied directly but his ia
thcr soon said to Susan, "Call him back,
then; let him come up" After short
pause of expectation, during which he
looked with smiling interest and wonder
on his nurse, and saw that she had not
forgotten Floy, Walter was brought into
the room. His open face aud manner,
and his cheerful eyes, had always made
him tavorite with Paul aud when
Paul saw him, he stretched out his
hand, aad said "Good bye r.
Good bye, my ohild" cried Mrs.
piPohin hurrying to his beds head.
For on instant, Paul looked at her
with tho wistful face with which he
had so often gazed upon herin his
corner by the fire. "Ah yes" he said
placidly, "good bye! Walter dear, good
bye !-turning his head to where he
stood, and putting out his hand again.
"Where is papa ?"
He felt his fathers breath upon his
cheek before the words had parted from
his lips.
"Romembcr, Walter, dear papa" he
whispered, looking in his face. ere
member Walter. 1 was found of
Walter !" The feeble hand waved in
the mir, as if it criod "good. bye !" to
Walter once again.
"Now lay me down." he said, "and
Floy, come close to the aud let me see
you p
Sister and brother wound their arms
around each other, and the golden light
came streaming 10 and fell upon them,
locked together.
"lIow fast the river ruus, between
its green banks and tho rushcs, Floy T!
But it's, very near the sea. l hear the
waves! They always said SO Z"
Presently he told her the motion oil
the boat upon the stream was lulling
him to rest. How green tho banks
wore now how bright the flowers
growing on thom, and how tall the
rushes! Now the boat was out at sea,
but gliding smoothly on. And now
there was q shore before him. Who
stood on the bank I?
Hc put his hands together, as he had
been used to do at his prayers. He did
not remove his arms to do it; but they
saw him fold thom SO, behind her neck
"Mamma is like'yon, Floy. know
her by the face /! But tell them that
the print upon the stairs ut school is
not divine enough. The light about
the head is shining as I CO."