The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-03-23

canvas roof. Then came the suddel
mountain tempests, when the rain deluget
everything, and it was hard to find spot
to stand in where the water did not driI
through. She grew wild, looking forever
at bare mountain sides simmering in the
sun by day, and at night over their top.
up to the piercing stars. A constant
anxious fever burned in her blood, that
the cold night air could not quench
though she often left her couch to let il
blow over her, in her loose night robes
Then she fell really ill.
Sitting by her bedside, Jack said; eff
| could sell my mine.' And she answer.
ed, "Let the mine go, Jack, and let us &C
home. Nothing is gained by stopping in
this dreadful place"
Then Mr.. Hastings had replied to her,
Il have no money, Alice, to 60 home
with-not cent. | borrowed ten dollars
of Earle, to-day, to buy some fruit fol
you"
That was the last straw that broke the
camers back. By night Mrs. Hastings
was delirious, and DR.. Earle was called.
"She has a nervous fever" he said
''and needs the most careful nursing"
Which she cannot have in this
place." Mr.. Hastings replied, profanely
''Why don't you try to get something
to do?@ asked Earle of the sad-visaged
| husband, day or two after.
"What is there to do? Everything is
flat there is neither business nor money
in this cursed country. I've stayed here
trying to sell my mine, until Pm dead
broke-nothing to live on here, and moth
ing to get out with What Pm to do
with my wife there | don't know. Let
her die, perhaps, and throw ner bones up
that ravine to bleach in the sun. God
what a position to be in -
"But you certainly must propose to do
something, and that speedily. Couldn't
you see that it was half that brought this
illness on your wife-the inevitable which
she saw closing down on you?"
''If | cannot sell my mine soon, I'll
blow out my brains, as that poor German
did last week. Alice heard the report of
the shot which killed him, and | think it
hastened on her Sickness"
"And so you propose to treat her to
another such scene, and put an end to
her??' said Earle, savagely.
''Better so than to let her starve," Jack
returned, growing pale with the burden
of possibilities which oppressed him.
GLOW the devil | am to save her from
that last, don't know There is neither
business, money nor credit in this Internal
town. I've been everywhere in this dis
trict, asking for situation at something,
and cannot get anything better than dig
ging ground on the new road"
Gwen that might be better than starry
ing" said DR.. Earle.
Jack was q faithful nurse; Dr. Earle
an attentive physician; young people with
elastic constitutions die hard so Alice
began to mend, and in a fortnight was
conyalescent. Jack got q situation in a
quartz mill where the Doctor was part
owner.
Left alone in the cabin, Alice began
staring again at the dreary mountains
The bright scarlet and yellow flowers
which grew out oftheir parched soil some
times tempted her to brief walk; but
the hghtness of the air tatigued her, and
she did not care to Chamber after them.
One day, being lonely, she thought to
please Jack by dressing in something pref
ty, and going to the mill to see him. So
laying aside the wrapper which she had
worn almost constantly lately, she robed
herself in u delicate linen lawn, donned
a coquettish little hat and parasol, and set
out for the mill, mile away. Something
in the thought of the pleasant surprise it
would be to Jack gave her strength and
animation; and though she arrived some
what out of breath, She looked as dainty
and fresh rs q rose, and Jack was i'm
mensely proud and battered lie intro
duced her to the head of the firm, showed
her over the mill, pointed out to her the
mule-train backing wood for the engine
fires, got the amalgamator to give her
specimens, and in every way showed his
delight.
After an hour or SO she thought about
going home; but the walk home looked
in prospect very much longer than the
walk to the mill. In truth, it was harder
by reason Of being uphill. But oppor
tunely, as it seemed, Just rs Jack was see
ing her off the door-stone of the Office, DR.
Earle drove up, and. comprehending the
situation, offered to take Mrs. Hastings to
her own door in his carriage if she would
graciously allow him five minutes to see
the head man in.
When they were seated in the carriage
Il rare luxury in Deep Canon, and hao
driven half Il mile in embarrassed silence
for Mrs. Hastings somewhat felt asham-
ed Of her husbands dependence upon thi
man, the Doctor spoke, and what ht
said was this:
"Your life is very uncongenial to you
you wish to escape from it, don't you ?"
"Yes, | wish to escape; that is the word
which suits my feeling very stran g
feeling it is"
s'Describe,' it said the Doctor, almos
eagerly.
Ever since | left the railroad, in tn,
midst of a wilderness and was borne tor Sc
many hours away into the heart of still
more desert wilderness, my consciousness
of things has been very much confused
| can only with difficulty realize that there
is any such place as New York and Sar
Francisco is . fable. The world seem;
as a great bare mountain plane; and
am hanging on its edge by my finger-tips
ready to drop away into space9 Cam you
account for such impressions?'
"Easily, if I choose. May l tell yor
something?'
"What is it?"
'''vc half mind to run away will
you"
Now, as DR.. Earle was rather young
and - very handsome man, had been very
| kind, and was now looking at her with
eyes actually moistened with tears, sud
den sense Of being on the edge of pit
fall ovcrcame Mrs Hastings; and she
turned pale and red alternately. Yet
with the instinct Of II pure woman, tt
avoid recognizing an ugly thought, she
answered with laugh as gay as she coulc
make it:
IF you were witch, and offered me hal
Of your broomstick to New York, dom
know but | should take it,-that is, i
there was room on it anywhere for Jack. >
''There wouldn't be- said the doctor
and said no more.
The old fever seemed to have returned
that afternoon. The hills glared so tina
Mrs. Hastings closed the cabin door tc
shut out the burning vision. The ground
squirrels, thinking from the silence thai
no one was within, ran up the mahogany
tree at the side, and scampered over the
canvas roof in glee. One, more intent or
gain than the rest, invaded jacks outside
kitchen, knocking down the dishes will
clang, and scattering the dirt from the