Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-08-30

ntl every body learns
1t were bctter In the future
To mind bis own coucerus
From seribuer's Monthly for September.
WHOSE WIFE WAS SIZE?
As INTENSELY INTERESTING STONY.
was on my knees before my chrysanthe-
mum-bed, looking at each little, round, tight
disk of a bud, and trying to believe that 1t
would be snowy flower in two weeks Gnl
two weeks my cousin Annie Ware was to be
married if my white chrysanthemums would /
only understand and make haste | was
childish enough to speak words to them to
that effect but the childishness came Of love.
of my exceeding, my unutterable love for
Annie Ware il flowers have souls the chrys-
anthemums understood me-
A sharp, quick roll of wheels startled me
| lifted my head The wheels stopped at our
gate hurried step came down the broad
garden.path, and almost before | had had
time to spring to my feet DR.. Fearing had
taken both my hands in bis, had said -" An
ME Ware has the feyer,''-had turned, had
gone, had shut the garden gate, and the same
sharp quick roll Of wheels told that he was
on his way to the next sufferer.
do not know how long stood still in the
garden A miserable sullenness seemed to
benumb my faculties | repeated
Annie Ware has the fever" Then
said,-
Annie Ware cannot die; she is too young,
too strong, and we love her So
Then | said again
Annie Ware has the fever" and all the
time | seemed not to be thinking about her
at all, but about the chrysanthcmums, whose
tops still idly studied
For weeks malignant fever had been
slowly creeping about in the lower part of our
village, in all the streets which had been un-
der water in the spring freshet.
These streets were occupied chiefly by la
boring people, either mill-operatives, or shop
keepers Of the poorer class 1t was part OF
the cruel calamity" OF their poverty
that they could not afford to have homesteads
on the high plateau, which lifted itself quite
suddenly from the river meadow, and made
our village by-word Of beauty all through
New England.
Upon this plateau were laid out streets Of
great regularity, shaded by grand elms, many
Of which had been planted by hands that had
handled the ropes Of the MaHfolcer Under
the shade Of these elms stood large old-fash-
Toned houses, in that sort Of sleepy dignity
peculiar to old New England ewho lived
in these houses were also sleepy aud dignihed.
We knew that " under the hill, as 1t was
called, lived many hundreds Of men and wo-
men, who were stifed in summer for want OF
U tn kraazae xvbtah h.i ivhs
cold in winter because the wall of our plat
eau shut down upon them the icy airs from
the frozen river and cut of the afternoon
sun. We were sorry for them and we
| sent them cold meat and hannels sometimes
but their life was as remote from our life
as if they never crossed cur paths; it j,
not necessary to 90 into large cities to dnd
sharp lines drawn between the well-io-do aud
the poyerty-stricken. There are, in many
small villages, districts" separated from
each other by as distinct a moral distance as
divides Fifth Avenue from the Five Points.
And so it had come pass that while for
weeks this malignant typhus fever had been
creeping about on the river shore, we, in our
clearer, purer air, had not felt even dread
There had not been single case Of it to the
west Of the high-water mark made by the
terrible freshet of the previous spring. We
sent brandy and wine and beei.tea into the
poor, comfortless, grief-stricken houses and
we said at tea-time that it was strange people
would persist in living down under the bank
what could they expect? and besides, they
were " careless about drainage and yentila.
ton"
But now on the highest and loyeliest spot
in the richest and most beautiful house, III,
sweetest and fairest girl of all our village lay
i'll of the deadly disease.
Annie Ware has the fever | wondered
if some fend were lurking by my side, wh'
kept saying the words over and over in my
dull ear. With that indescribable mixture o
dulled and preternaturally sharpened sens,
which often marks the first moments of sucl
distress, | walked slowly to my own room
and in a short time had made all the necessary
preparations for leaving home l felt like I
thief as | stole slowly down the stairs, will
my traveling-bag in my hand At the doc
| met my father.
"Hey-dey, my darling, where now! z! Oi
TO Annie's as usual Y
He had not heard the tidings Should
tell him7 might never see him again
only too well knew the terrible danger int
which was going But he might forbid me
"Yes, of to Annies," said in a gay tone
and kissing him sprang down the steps.
did not see my father again for eighteeI
days.
On the steps of my uncle's house | met ole
Jane, a colored woman who had nursed Anui'
Ware when she was baby, and who liyet
now in little colt &c near by, from who's
doorsteps she could see Annie's window anC
in whose garden she raised flowers Of all sorts
solely for the pleasure of carrying them t'
Annie every day.
James face was positively gray with sorrow
and fear. She looked at me with a strang,
sort of unsympathizing hardness in her eyes
She had never loved me. | knew what sh,
thought. She was saying to herself "Why
not this one instead of the other2 p
80 auntie !" / said 4" | would die for An,
ME you know | would"
At this she melted 40 honey don yC
say that The Lord" but she could say nc
more. She threw her apron up over her head
and strobe away M .s1
The doors of the house stood open.
walked through room after room, and found
no human being. AT last, at the foot Of tho
stairs in the back part Of tho house, | cane
upon oil the servants huddled together 10 a
covering weeping group. Flat on the floor,
with his face to the wall, lay black Caesar, the
coachman. put my hand on his shoulder
He jerked away impatiently.
Yer Jest lemme lone, will yer u he said,
| in choking voice then lifting up his head,