The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-09-15

! snort, she humOred MN 10 the TOP OF
his bent. And at first Harvey Elsley
regarded the whole thing as a sort of
an earthly paradise.
But it began TO grow monotouous
after while. Aunt Eunice was too
ready in her acquiescence, too eager
in the application of her remedies.
1 Harvey began to miss the tonic effect
of Matilda Jameson's wholesome con-
tradictions.
" / don't feel quite so well this
morning, Aunt Eunice," he said, one
day.
1 "I knowed if, said Aunt Eunice,
with a sympathetic groan. "Your
poor eyes look as if they was boiled,
and there's dreadful greenish color
in your complexion. Dear-dear-if
you was to diei1
"But don't feel as bad as all that, !"
said Mr.. Elsley, a little startled.
know" sighed Mrs. Elsley--
!" Your heart beats kind o. uneven,
don't it? And the palms of your
hands feel sweaty? Yes, yes, I
knowed it. That's just the way Hez-
ekiah Morse was took, and he didn't
live twenty-four hours"
+. Pshaw !" said Harvey, but his
voice was little tremulous neyerthe-
less. I'm well enough"
You think you be, and SO did
Hezekiah Morsel Ah, dear, life is
dreadful onsartin, and we can't none
on us calculated"
ell guess I'll go and take little
walk" observed the invalid.
:" i wouldn'tl" said Aunt Eunice
sepulcherally. /" Hezekiah Morse
But Harvey, only too glad to escape
from the name of the doomed Heze-
kiah, caught his hat off the table and
bolted out of the room, leaving his
Aunt's sentence half spoken.
"Here's Rachel Heath coming in
the gate" said Aunt Eunice, her spec
tacles appearing like twin moons az
the window. Rachel, you'd better
walk little ways with my nephew.
If he should drop down dead afore
he gets back, it would be some conso-
lation for you to be there to bring me
the melancholy news"
e Rachel, a blooming lass of eigh-l
teen peach-cheeked summers, looked
rather timidly at her charge, although
she accepted her mission without re-
monstrance.
q Are you so very ill?" she asked
wistfully.
"N-n-yes," answered our hero,
divided between his disgust of Aunt
Eunice's hospital treatment, and his
desire of still retaining the eclat of
some hopeless ailment. !. Pm not SO
well as could wish, Miss Rachel. A
damp morning. .n-- x @sas
Why" cried Rachel, "it's lovely"
We're going to have rain"
Not DROP" said Rachel cheerily.
She was bright-eyed, brown tressed
girl, with red lips and voice like
lark. And somehow Harvey Elsley
felt the invigoratiDg influence of her
mere presence, as she tripped along
at his side.
"Iwisll Matilda was like her." said
he to himself.
.Don't you think, asked Mr.. Elsley
lugubriously, " it would be pleasant
in the cemetery ?"
What an ideal" cried Rachel,
opening wide her blue eyes. "No,
no, Mr.. Elsley know much pref
tier walk, down by pretty old ruined
mill"
And Rachel took him there, refusing
to listen to another word about the
cemetery.
M-i-h-hw said Aunt Eunice; J;
you're feverish. I'll make some milk
toast directly"
Bother the milk toast Y said her
ungrateful patient, shifting the sa.
worry odor of roast duck and green
peas which arose from the kitchen.
"I won't be fed on spoon meat any
longer. I'm better-a deal better.
Rachel says am"
RacheHs only child" said Aunt
Eunice, with curious sound, which
might be either groan or laugh.
g Children know things by instinct" !"
asserted Mr.. Harvey Elsley: And he
ate dinner which Feuld have astnn-
ished Matilda Jameson, and actually
smoked a cigar after it, like any other
man.
It was not until he had lighted his
candle to go to bed, that he suddenly
stopped short and stared wildly
around, as if bethinking himself.
Is it pain ?" asked Aunt Eunice.
Under your left shoulder blade, or
in your side ?"
No, no." cried Harvey. Butt
forgot it."
"Forgot what?7 demanded Aunt
Eunice.
"My chill. It's the alternate day
the one always have my chill on"
aDear, dearl" said Aunt Eunice,
"But there isn't time to have itnow,
tonight"
"I'm afraid not" said Mr.. Elsley;
and he went to bed, as it were, with
out his supper of sorrows.
Aunt Eunice laughed until her
plump form shook like mould of
jelly, after the door was safely shut.
He'll do well enough noa0," quoth
she to herself. 81 must have Rachel
here again tomorrow"
A month afterward Mrs. Jameson
came to Playsdell.
&c didn't hear anything from you,
! Aunt Eunice," said she Hand / felt