Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-11-09

the crowd, soothing and quietins
her. Yes, yes, dear, he is not dead
Go tell poor Belle. But do not wall
up that hot hill. 'Youwill kill your
self ai.tDua'i sF'stNt.i
His wife made no reply, but still
weeping, few like a1bird up the
steep hill, to carry the good news Of
Fred's. being alive to Belle, as some
little atonement for her many teas
ing acts, which now came back on
her remorseful conscience with re-
doubled force. (1sgqL l5s1
Poor Belle! As Frank Maull
drove her home, she seemed to grow
colder. -
we parted in angerr was all she
could think. She said not a word,
uttered no moan, shed no tear, but
sat upright, gazing straight before
her, out of eyes that looked like
glittering blue ice.
TO my dying day. said Frank
Maull afterwards, Il shall remember
Cousin Bellies face. Il gave only
one look back at her-that was en-
ough. She was worse than dead
woman
Bessie Maull found. Belle stand
ling deathly still in her bedroom.
Her startled maid was putting away
the hat and scarf in the war drobe,
looking sideways, with keen, ques-
tioning eye at her mistress, whose
strange paleness and cold eyes
alarmed her. She whispered to Bes-
sic, as she passed her, at ui1sr.5.
what is the matter, Mrs. Maull?
Mrs. Field has not spoken since she
came in.' gaH. ..-ll-tI 4-li1iI
'Oh, it is not so bad as we thought,
Belle sobbed Bessie. 'They are
bringing him home. Uncle Hale
thinks he can save him. Come,
Katie, let us help Mrs. Field to get
the bed ready. Mr.. Field is badly
hurt and will be here soon.'
Belle did not even then give up;
with dry eyes she summoned the
servants, gave orders, arranged the
bed, had hot and cold water pre-
pared, ice and bandages ready, and
Bessie was a tender, fearful little
help to her. Presently, they heard
the slow rumble of wheels, then the
heavy cropping steps Of men carry,
ing dead weight through the hall
and up the staircase, and whispers
of take care mind the turn,' that's
right and Fred. Field was laid up
on his bed, half dead body! The
room was cleared; even Bessie, who
wished to do everything, was taken
out, but the pale, quiet wife, whose
hands were icy, it is true, but so
very steady that she could give eff
ficient help to Uncle Hale in his
painful work, was the only one re-
tained by him, for DR.. Hale loved
Belle dearly, and understood her
better than any one in her husbands
family. .-..-.,lt
Days of great danger followed,
when life just flickered on the lips;
but Fred. Field was a strong man,
and nature came swiftly to his res
cue. A fortnight after the horrible
accident which had brought him so
near death, he opened his eyes on
Belle, who stood beside him with a
face that seemed gazing out of a
cavern. E1--tsF
Il have had a tough tussle for
life, have 1 not, BELIEF he said, in a
weak whisper, as he drew her hag-
gard face down to his with trem-
bling grasp. Belle could not speak;
she tried to smile, kissed him and
smoothed his pillow; Fred. turned
his head over to the cool place, and
thought, almost said aloud, 1i'al.,
Thank heaven! Belle is not
tragic woman. If she were to make
a scene over me now, l believe it
would kill me; but her GOODNESS and
silence will build a fellow up
He looked at his wife gratefully,
and was lulled back into a sweet, re-
storing sleep, by the cool touch OF
her steady hands on his aching
brow and face, as she renewed the
wet cloths and administered silently
to his comfort. Nor did Belle Field
break down when the danger was
over, as the Doctor and Fred. feared.
Such women rarely do. They go
on, bearing crisis after crisis, until
some day at mid-life, when every
thing is calm about them, each one
sitting down to enjoy the harvest of
youth, while overlooking the coming
young ones planting their life-lields
then a heart trouble springs up, a |
come and go of the
strong, steady mother and wife, who
had borne like sturdy oak so many
blows that even those who had loved
ler most tenderly thought her i'm
mortal and invulnerable-suddenly |
fails, sinks down before them and
s gone, leaving void no human
being can fill to her family.
We shall not follow Belle Field to
hat period Of her life. Maybe it
never came. We fancy not, for
Fred. was very careful of her in all |
heir long future. This perilous ac-
,ident had discovered to both the
hidden springs of each others
character. A true respect and even
for Bellies reserved,
'elf-contained nature sprang up in
Fred's. head and heart, while a thrill
ing appreciation of Fred's. fiery
'pirit pulsed through her. There
never was any explanation; once,
md once only, did Fred. allude to
he past. 1t was one evening when
hey were out driving-the second
anniversary of the sweet June day
If their bridal. r .-.'. md
Just two years, Belle said Fred.
Is he reined up Judge at the summit
If a little hill, to look at a glorious
unset. Just two years, wife, and
whatever we might have felt this
lime last year, l do not think either
If us would undo it now
Judge started forward a pace or
,wo, fly had stung him, and Belle,
chastity pale, gasped out
'Oh, Fred. never speak of that
lgain?
Fred. looked away, and drove on
n silence far awhile. The first
words he spoke were very practical.
How well the fields arc looking.
Ne shnll have q fine harvest,