Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-09-20

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When I recovered my consciousness
instead of the glow and spIendor of 6
festival, there was the utter quiet, the
subdued tone of the sickroom. But
where was I? These were not my cur.
tains-these delicate muslin fabrics
with their fringes and gnssamer lace
Over my window in the cottage flower.
ing bean vines and purple morning.
glories clambered and blossomed togeth-
er; but these were heavily draped with
curtains of rosy hue, and where the silk
en- folds parted the light came in through
panes Oft curious antique pattern. There
was faint odor of some subtle perfume
diffused throughout the apartment, and
lifting my head, saw a richly-cut vim
aigrette on a small stand at my side.
The tales of the old romanees rose to nv
mind. Would the whole enchanted
scene vanish at my touch? I thought
to test its reality, and reaching out my
hand for the vinaigrette, the slight noise
Imade reused some one who had hfth-
erto been concealed by the hangings of
the bed where I lay. It was no good
fairy who now approached, but only
.kihd-hearted Mrs. Thorn, the house
keeper at the Hall.
tWhere am I, Mrs. Thorn ?" I asked,
with dificulty-for strange feeling of
bness came over me.
| do not know thatshe answered then,
for the darkness grew thicker around
mel tainted. Afterward, when was
better, she told me that I had been sad
ly hurt that day in the park, and by the
squire's own orders had been conveyed
to an apartment in the Hall. She sat
at my side sewing when she told me
this, and when she had finished she rose
and went away; but kept in my mind
the question wanted to ask, and when
she came back I asked:
"Where is Bessie, Mrs. Thorn?"
Law, child. DON'T go to asking any
more questions. It's the DOCTORS orders
that you musn't-positive. Wont you
take little more Of this whey now p
it's so nice.
"NOt now" 1 answered, putting away
the glass. "You must tell me where
Bessie is. Why doesn't my mother
come ?"
Until now only the faint suspicion
that Bessie might be hurt worse than I
was had haunted me, but now, in the
newly acquired excitement Of my faeul-
ties, Il sudden terrible fear flashed over
my mind, aud I grasped Mrs. Tborn's
arm, and almost shrieked, as Bessie
dead?" Mrs. Thorn grew pale, and
muttered something 1 could not under
stand, for there was a great roaring as
of the sea in my ears. At that moment
a firm soft hand was laid upon mine,
the convulsive clutch ofmy fingers loos-
ened at the touch, and the young heir of
Lockwood laid me gently back upon my
pillow, and said, kindly
1--WE will tell you about Bessie when
you are stronger, but now you must be
quiet, for your mothers sake.
Next to Bessie, 1 loved my mother
better than anything in the world; and
now, as the conviction of Bessie's death
grew upon me, thought of her sorrow,
and the tears gathered and rolled down
my face. lie stood by me, looking at
me tenderly and sometimes saying a
word. The flood of tears cool |
ed the fever of my brain, and when by
and-by, 1 looked up to him and said, /
"When did Bessie die?" I suppose he
thought could bear the shock, for he
told me then that my sweet pet sister
was taken from my arms dead. A quick
painless death he said it must have been. |
And he dwelt on this fact as if to con-
sole me.
Something fearful, something l had
not known was i'm my nature, swelled |
up within me at that moment; and if
he who was the indirect cause Of her
leath, had been less kind and winning,
think I should have hated him hence
'Orth. But this fitful gleam of passion
lied away, and AS listened to his ten
der consoling words my grief was sooth-
ed, and what was indeed so great a sOr-
'Ow was sOftened by degrees, so that its
burden could ut least he borne, 1t would
have been dreary cOnvalescence, even