Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-08-30
Vol. 66.-33S5. No. 45.

Georges picture hung in Annie's room,
opposite the foot Of her bed. Opposite the
foot Of the bed in her mothers room hung
a large engraving Of the Sistine Madonna.
| fancied that in Annie's quieter moments
her eyes rested with troubled look upon
this picture, and one day, when she was in
a deep sleep, ! exchanged the pictures. |
felt as il even lifeess canvas which had
Georges face painted upon II might work her
good.
At last there came night,-they said
il was the fourteenth, but the words conveyed
no meaning to me,--there came night when
DR.. Fearing, who had been sitting by Annies
bed for two hours, watching her every breath.
sprang suddenly to his feet, and beckoned to
my aunt and me to follow him into the next
room. He shut the door, walked very swift
y up to us, looked first into her face, then
into mine then felt her pulse, and then mine,
and then turning to me- said,--
IL will have to be YOU We looked at
him in sudden terror. The tears we're rolling
down his wrnkled checks.
What is il, William 2n gasped Aunt
Ann.
" 1t will have to be you, he went on, look.
ing me in the face, and taking no notice Of her
question " your pulse can be trusted There
has been change. When Annie wakes out
Of this sleep she will know you. II may be
in two hours, or it may not be for six. But IL
in that first moment she is alarmed, or agiia-
ted in any way she will die"
90 William, let me stay. | WH he
calm" moaned my poor aunt.
4 Il. Al .. H.
she had called him " William" And then,
for the first and last time, heard DR.. Fear.
ing call my Aunt Ann darling" and | re-
membered in that instant that it had been said
once in my hearing, that It was because Of
his love for Mrs. Henry Ware that William
Fearing have lived and would die lonely
man.
" Darling he said, and put one hand on
her shoulder, you would kill your child
forbid you to cross the theshod of that room
till come back. You will thank me to-mor-
row Can you not trust me, Ann ?" and he
looked down from his full height, this lonely,
brave old man, into the face Of the woman
he had loved, with look ike the look Of one
who dies to save another. 1t was but for one
second, and then he was again the physician,
and turning to me, went on, " have another
patient TO whom | mast instantly Co. and
whom | may not be able to leave for hours.
You can do all that | would dol believe,
then he felt my pulse again, and nodding
his head with sort of grim professional sat
isfaction, which no amount of sentiment could
wholly divert from its delight in tho steady
nerves aud undsturbed currents of a healthy
body, resumed, =" You have but one thing
to do when she awakes, look perfectly COM
posed If she speaks, answer her in per-
fectly natural voice give her two drops oi
this medicine, and tell her TO 60 to sleeI
again. If you do this, she will fall asleep a
once. If you show the least agitation sh'
| may die,-probably will and Dr. Fear
{ ing was gone.
, My aunt sat silently weeping, kisset
; her without speaking, and went back to my
chair ty Annies bed. dropped the two
drops of the medicine into spoon, and prop
: ped the spoon carefully on little silve
: waiter so that l could reach 1t instantly L
: was Just three O'Clock IN the morning. Hou
after hour passed. could not hear Annie
: breath. My own dlnned In my ears like thu
} whlrr oil mills a terror such as can neye
; describe took possession OF me- What II
l were to Kill Annie How could looi
composed ! speak naturally = VIVA
would she say IL l could but know an
y have my answer ready
! hrmly beiieve that the dawn OF light say
ca my senses ana Annie's NE When tn
nrsI req Deam snot through tue pl'nds AT IN
farther END OF the room, tears came into m
eyes l ielt as II angels were watching out
siue' uny'sunneam crept through the sid
y STATS ana iell on the carpet. IL was no NOR
: 'nan a hair breadth but IL was companion
}. snip 10 me Slowly seaaliyit came toward
Il me- forgot all else watching 1t. 10 thi
r DAY cannot see siow'moyIng sunbeam on
D crimson noor without shudder. The cloc
y struck SIX seven eight. nlne' The bell
0 rang lot sehooisi the distant mum OF IN
: town began. shll there was no stir, no symE
tom OF life IN the colorless face on the pi
t low The sunbeam had crept nearly to m
o ieet lnyoluntariiy lifted my right ioC
n and stretched 1t out to meet the golden me
i senger' Had dared to move l should hay
III alaI L..