The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-07-18

"You are very kind-very kind and
thoughtful, Sally" says I, "but I am
too wretched IN my mind to want sleep,
or rest, or to do anything but wait
where I am, and try and hope Tor the
best.' " So. >t.'s
"Then I'll wait, too," says Sally. II
must do something it there's nothing
to do but waiting, Ill wait"
And she sat down opposite meat tho
foot Of the bed, and drew the blankets
close round her with a shiver.
"Atter working so hard as you do,
I'm sure you must want all the little
rest you can get" says 1.
"Excepting only you," says Sally,
putting her heavy arm very clumsily,
but very gently at the same time, round
Mary's feet, and looking hard at the
pale, still face on the pillow. "Except.
ing you, she's the only soul in this
house az never swore at me, or give me
hard word that I can remember.-
When you made puddings on Sundays,
and give her half, she always give me
bit. The rest OF 'em calls me Dusty
Sal. Excepting only you, again, she
always called me Sally, as if sho knowed
me in friendly way. I amt no good
here, but I amt no harm neither; and
I shall take my turn at the sitting up
that's what I shall do!'
She nestled her head down close at
Mary's fee, as she spoke these words,
and said no more. I once or twice
thought She had fallen asleep, but when
ever I looked at her, her heavy eyes
we're always wide open. She never
changed her position an inch till the
church clocks struck six; then she
gave one little squeeze to Mary's feet
with her arm, and shuf1ed out of the
room without a word. A minute or
two after, I heard her down below,
lighting the kitchen fire just as usual.
A little later, the doctor stepped
over before his breakfast time, to see if
there had been any change in the night.
He oalY shook his head when be look.
ed at her, as if there was no hope
Having nobody else to consult that I
could put trust in, I showed him the
end of the cravat, and told him of tho
dreadful suspicion that had arisen in
my mind, when I found it in her
hand.
"You must keep if carefully, and
produce it at the inquest" he said.
II don't know though, that it is likely
to lead to anything. The bit of stuff
may have been lying on the pavement
near her, and her hand may have un-
consciously clutched it when sho fell.
Was she subject to faiutiog fits?''
"Not more so, sir, than other young
girls who are hard. worked and anxious,
aud weakly from poor living" I ap-
swcred.
II can't say that she may not have
got that blow from fall," tho, doctor
went on, looking at her temple again.
~ can't say that it presents any posi-
tive appearance of having been iuhict-
ed by another person. 1t will be i'm
portant, however, to ascertain What state
of health she was in last night. Have
you any idea where she was yesterday
evening
l told him where she was employed
at work, and said imagined SIZE must
have been kept there later than usual.
ri shall pass the place this morn.
ing," said the doctor, Gin going my
rounds among my patients, and I'll
just step in and make some inquiries" j"
thanked him, and we parted
Just as he was closing the door, he
looked in again.
aWas she your sister," he asked.
ono, sir, only my dear friend"
He said nothing more; but / heard
him sigh, as he shut the door softly.
Perhaps he once had sister of hia
own, and lost her? Perhaps she wa'
like Mary in the face?
The doctor was hours gone away
I began to feel unspeakably forlorn and
helpless. So much so, as even to wish
sclfshly that Robert might really have
sailed from America, and might get
to London in time t. assist and console
me. No living creature came into
the room but Sally. The first time sh'
brogght me some tea ; the second ant
third time she only looked iu to see il
there was any change, and glanced bel
eye towards the. bed. I had never
known her so silent before it
seemed almost as if this dreadful
accident had struck her dumb