The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-02-25
THE WIFE OF JOHN
CARVER.
BY JANE G. AUSTIN.
(CONCLUDED.)
III

The April day rose soft and sweet,
but rapidly increasing in heat as the
hours marched on, arrived near noon
at the sultry fervor of July. Such an
other day as that famous 18th of April,
hundred and fifty years later, when
the British retreating from Concord
and Lexington, beneath the fire Of
every stone wall, dropped exhausted
in their march, overcome as much by
the intense heat as by their enemies
or their own panic.
''rruly if this is the spring, what
shall we expect of the summer wealth
er ?'' painted the chOleric Captain, as
he vigorously broke the matted sod
with his heavy hoe. Beside him
toiIed Winslow and Carver, side by
side, John HOwland close to the Gov
ernor's right hand. Both, all three,
indeed, had been gently matured all
were of the class whose habits inure
to luxury rather than to toll but no
three men among the twenty or thirty
labOring beneath that scOrching sun,
kept even pace with these that day
1t is not the elarged-bOned, ,heavy-limb-
ed drought-horse who bursts his heart
in voluntary emulation or endeavOr,
but the fiery thoroughbred, whose
superb muscle and sensitive nerve are
but the electric wires between his no
BILE spirit and his wonderful deeds
and among men, the heroes and mar
tyrs are not they who simply do their
duty, but those who see in duty only
the broad foundation of aspiration
and endeavoT.
The sun had reached its meridian,
and already some of the toilers
Strengthened their bowed backs, and
glanced at their cumbrous watches,
when John Rowland, about to request
hls master to follow their example,
saw his face turn deadly white, then
flush of dark red, while his eyes
glared wildly, and one trembling hand
waved uncertainty towards his head,
then grasped wildly at the air. The
arms of the young man were already
about him, and Master Winslow, see
ing his comrades case threw off the
sick dizziness besetting him also, and
came to Howland's help.
sit is the return of the Sickness"
said one.
''Nay, it is a flow of blood upon the
brain," cried another.
''It is q sun-stroke. The great heat
hath been too much for his weakened
condition." said John, tremulously.-
'tBut let us get him home to-nay,
who shall warn the poor wife of the
terrible calamity that hath befallen
her and us? You, Master Winslow +?
Where Is the Elder ?"
"He went home with bitter pain
in his head an hour or more agone,"
said one of the men; while Winslow,
kneeling beside the insensible body of
his comrade and chiefest friend,
groaned aloud.
az cannot, John; no, / cannot
This new cross is bitterer than all the
rest; and I lie crushed beneath it. Oh,
my friend, my friend, my more than
brother The hand of the Lord is very
sore upon us this dayw
''Then it is 1 who must bear the
tidings !" exclaimed Rowland, in a
voice of anguish. ''Tarry for yet a
few moments, friends, then bear him
home, and I will hasten forward to
The next words were smothered in
the great sob that all unconsciously
rose in the young mans throat, and
then he sped away, running as fast
toward the scene he dreaded scarcely
less than death as ever hastened
guest to joyous festival.
The frugal dinner was already upon
the board as Howland entered the
house, and Elizabeth Tillie was put
ting the last touches TO the little dec
orations with which she had learned
to embellish these simple feasts. She
turned as she heard the familiar step,
but stopped short in the familiar greet
ing that frs rose to her lips, and
stood staring into The CHASTITY face of
the messenger, the rich color slowly
fading out of her own.
"What is it? Oh, John, what has
happened ?" gasped she.
"Where is the mistress? ? / must
see her this moment"
''She went to lie down quite worn
out but now. What is it? Hath
aught befallen-"
But at this moment the door from
the inner room suddenly opened, and
Katherine Carver stood before them,
a smile upon her lips.
Truly, dear Bess, / am a lOiteTer-"
began she. But John Howland step
ping forward, took her passive hand
in his, and leading her to the great
armchair, seated here therein, saving,
sadly:
"Dear mistress, am the bearer of
i'll tidings; but 1 beseech you not to
be utterly dismayed, for the Lord vet
reigneth, and He will guide His own. y
"My husbandl Is he"
mo, dear lady, he yet lives; but he
is very, very ill-stricken down but
now; even at my side"
"And you promised to guard, to
save him. Oh, false friend and care
less servant, who did not see that this
was coming upon him-did not warn
him, save him ~
fNay, dame what man can foresee
the hand of the Almighty, or guard
against his decreesp began Elizabeth
half indignantly But Rowland 81
fenced her with a look, and turned
again to the bereaved and almost des-
perate woman, who was rising from
the chair casting an INDIGNANT and