New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-17

For a week after that Roland Carroll
went ON working. and thinking, and com
nosino. with the feverish energy Of a mar
Who feels that anxiety for the future il
weighing more heavily on his mind than he
;; woni1 care to confess. Hitherto, at the
end of every year, there had been some
thing saved; but this last season had beer
yery dull; and now that it was ended
Roland knew that no exertiOns on his part
| during the early autumn months, when
pupils were out of town, and publishers de-
clned to bring out new music, could make
the money he earned sufficient for their ex
penses. Roland's temperament was not
sanguine, and he had to work too hard
had had too many knocks in winning the
place .he held in his profession to have re-
manned so, had he been naturally inclined
to such feeling. He married early--toO
early, friends said but he never repented
the step. He loved his wife and child very
dearly, and his jealous fear, lest sorrow
should cross their paths, was never absent
from his mind. Hester saw all this, and
tried hard to Danish the depression that
was settling upon him but her efforts met
with small success.
Il can't help it. darling he said, one
morning as he seated himself at the break
| fast table; sit does annoy NE to have so
much idle time on my hands. feel as if it
must be my fault"
sit would not mend matters to have a
doctors bill to paw, Roland, dear; and
know you will end by making yourself i'll.
Nessie, where's papa's paper
Roland took the paper from the child, and
! sat reading it while he drank his Coffee
Hester was busy il attending to Nessie's
| numerous wants; but after few moments
she spoke to Roland, and, receiving no an
| swer looked up at him, as she repeated her
| question. the words dying away on her lips
! I'D lao, fp inA1 -
! face.
"Roland," she cried, starting to his side,
what is it, dear! Are you i'll :"
F, There was no answer to the terrified in
| quiry; her husband simply pointed to a
| paragraph in the paper; then, putting his
arms on the table, he rested his head on
| them, while Hester read the account Of the
| failure of the bank in which was placed
! their little fortune of a couple OF thousand
| dollars, every dollar OF which represented
! more or less hard work and self-denial.
With a sinking heart Hester laid down
| the paper. 1t needed no explanation to
| show her the full significance of the blow
that had fallen upon them; but. like a true
| woman, her first thought was for her hus-
bands grief, and, scarcely knowing what to
saw she stood smoothing his hair with that
soft caressing touch that sometimes tells a
more eloquent tale than words, and that is
grave.
For a minute, that seemed Ike an hour,
the silence remained unbroken; then Nessie,
who had put down her mug OF milk and sat
looking on in quiet establishment, said, tim
idly. Papa and Hester. noticing that
Roland started at the sound, lifted the
child down and babe her go to the servant.
Then, kneeling beside her husband. she put
her arms around him, and drew his head on
her shoulder.
Roland. dear Roland" she whispered
"GOn't let us give way under the first diff
GUILTY that comes in our path Think how
much worse it might have been. We might
have lost Nessie, or you might have been
i'll. The money would have seemed Of little
Importance III comparison with that. We
are very Young, dear love-too young to sit
down and repine. We must make fresh
beginning, and though can not help you in
your work. can help you at home You
don't know how economical can be- only.
you mast try and be cheerful. No sorrow
can crush us while We are together. No
trouble can Overwhein Us while we trust in
Heaven and in each other. Perhaps after
al. il is for the best: for we have been SO
very happy since we were married that we
We're growing torgetfui thar there was any
trouble in the world.
Well, we are not likely TO forget it now"
L.
that We have not Fifty dollars in the world
l meant to get some money from the bank
to-day. Now where II is to come from
Heaven only knows. There's none owing
10 me, and there are no signs Of any
business doing. What am 20 do. It will
drive me mad to see you or the Etrle one
want any of the comforts you have been
accustomed to have"
Roland Carroll hid his face IN hi. hands,
VI hq sod
Don't, Roland. nv love, nv husband"
cried Hester "Oh, if you knew how this
pains me- There must he some way cut of
This difficulty; it cant be intended that We
are to weld to it without a struggle. Let
lis leave here as soon as possible. Ness!e is
very little trouble now, and / can easily
manage without servant. We have had so
much sunshine, dear love. that we have no
right 10 complain Of this passing cloud
Had | been a common workman" he
thol: glt, Il could 90 from shop to shop until
| found work; there's no -iich ready mar
ket Tor brains or talent"
Roland Carroll spoke bitterly, but he
spoke as his own experience had taught
aim. lie had worked his way N bis pro-
tession, every step he took being won by
his own exertions, and he had thoroughly
learned the harsh truth that poverty every,
where. if not confessedlv reckoned a crime. |
is tacitv treated as such. Had he been
stronger at the time, he might have been
less despondent but his physical weakness
made the trouble seem greater, and he
thought and thought until the music before
him appeared covered with dancing notes. |
The last thing he recoliected was q vain at
tempt to strike an impossible chord: and |
Nessie, coming in shortly after with some
childish request. ran back half frightened. |
half ami sed, to tell her mother that papa
was asleep on the floor
The terrified wife rushed up stairs to find !
her worst fears verified. Roland was u1-
conscious; and the doctor. who was sum
moned. pronounced the unconsciuusDcss
the first stage OF brain fever.
Hester did not give way under this new |
trouble: there was too much to plan, too
much 10 be done for her to spare time for
any idle indulgence in grief. II it pleased !
God to restore Roland to health, she would |
need all her energies in nursing him; if not I
and she shuddered as the thought crossed |
her mind-'I shall have lifetime for tears
then.
CHAPTER +.
''Eeater"' The voice that uttered the !
word was so low that Hester, writing quick |
j, at little table placed SO that the light |
OF the shaded lamp might not fall upon the |
Ded thought her fancy must have deceived |
her. and she paused TO listen before NOV |
ing; but again. and this time more distinct |
y. the whisper thrilled through the room,
Hester, my darling :"
flush. DEAR she said, as she bent over |
the bed; and then. forgetting everything in
her great JOY that the boon for which she |
had pleaded so earnestly was likely to be |
granted, she buried her face in the pillow.
murmuring, "Oh, Roland. Roland my dear.
my love. you will stay with me now. Oh,
thank God for his great mercyr'
why, little wife. are you crying,, he
asked 'Have been very i'll ?"