The St. Cloud journal., 1872-04-11

it | were to follow my own inclinations
l should sit down and have a good
cry"
"Do not follow them, then," 1 say,
brusque!y; cor, at least send the guests
away first, and cry as much as you
please afterward."
BY the aid Of Louise, and with many
appeals on her part to the French God,
skies and Virgin, I, heavily and with
difficulty, lift Lenore on to the bed
Hours have passed, the doctor has
como, Sylvia has resumed her black
gown and giant rosary, the last car.
riage has relied away With Snowy wheels
before Lenore lifts the quivering white
lids, and looks round upon US languid.
ly, one after another. There are only
three Of us-the elderly doctor, to
whom, from our earliest infancy, we
have been in the J.: bit of exhibiting
our tongues and pulses; l, who am no.
body; and, thirdly poor young man
in smart blue coat, with kind, mis-
cradle, beautiful face, who has spent
the last three hours and half in CLASH.
irg and kissing a limp white hand,
which, had its owner been possessed of
consciousness, would hardly have lain
with such passive weakness in his fond
grasp. AS her eyes open, he springs
up joytully to his fee, and bends over
her. l do the same. With a faint
gesture of distasto she turns away from
him to me, and speaks in weak whis-
per:
M-1-I am at home, am | not 2"
"At home Yes, to be sure"
I'LL am not married ?'
"No; not yet"
II am SO glad"
Soon atterWard she relapses into un.
consciousness. All that day, and most
of the following night, she lies like a
p]ucked snow drop in January's sleety
lap, reviv4ng from one swoon only to
fall into another. Toward midnight
she grows better, and sinks into a natu-
raj and healthy sleep.
II wish you would change your
clothes," l say to Charlie, in a whisper,
as we stand staring at her with shaded
light; "they look such a mockery"
COUGHING the fine, blue broadcloth) -
"lour poor boquet, too."
"Not very good omen, is it?' he
says, with melancholy smile, lifting
with his finger the dropped and yellow
cd lead of bis gardenia. "Bah! who
cares for omcns? Oaly old women"
"Only CID wonen,' repeat I mechan-
ically.
"She was not we'll last night" he
continues, eagerly, "was she? I told
you she was not it accounts for her
talAing-so oddly, does not ii? It shows
(peeri"g anxiously into my face) ''that
she did not mean auy of the things
she said, Goes not it ?"
say "Of COURSE" in a constrained
voice, and try to torn away.
''Sta7," he says, laying his broad
hand on my shoulder, "do not 60;
want to talk to you. I say she was not
quite herself when she woke up first,
was she did not know what she was
saying-meaut nothing ?"
l krow that I am lying, but I an.
swer ; "Oh, dear, no! of course not! y
"Was it my fancy?" continues he
with painful red spreading even te
his forehead one gets old notiops-apd
these damned candles" (strlking one
viciously with his fore fipger) "cast
such deceptive shadows-but it seemed
to me, Jemima, that she turned away
from meas if-as if-she had rather
not look at me. Did she not like my
being here, do you think? ? She is So
so-maidenly she thought ought te
have stayed outside ~
"Nonsense," say I, shortly. 1T il
evident that you have never tainted
you do not underst tand how slow peo
ple's wits are in coming; Lack. 1 d.
not suppose that she knew you fror
me, or me from the DOCTOR"
lie does not answer, I can hardl,
expect my logic to be very convincing
seeing that it has not convinced my
s:,lf.
"Riley is not in the least surprised
at this" I say, holding slightly to
ward our patient. "When I told hin
about her not eating and not sleep
ing-it is my belief that she has no
closed an eye for the last fortnight
he said that the only wonder vas, tina
it had not happened before"
"Jenima," says the young fellow
turning me unceremoniously round ST
as to face him, while his eyes, in thei
searching truth, 90 through min
like swords "tell mel wish to know
was it that has taken away he
sleep and her appetite? It lis II"
1t is not, as I am we'll aware, but
maintain stupid silence.
"Do not answer me-" he says, will
sudden change of mood, pushing M
away from him. "I do not want t.
answer; it was an idiotic question
this fuss and hustle have been too mucl
for her, have not they? and the har'
weather has tried her. She will b,
all right again when once We get quietl