The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-09-18

undated tho purplish hollovs left by
sickness in her face.
Other than this pathetic movement
there was none. Her body was entirely
tranquil. The peace of the room was
absolute.
All this was resolyent. This heart.
less act of deception on the part of her
brother precipitated her full upon her
distress. She beheld them in all their
grim and unhappy sternness.
She was ill, she was poor, she was
solitary.
She awoke to the fact that she was
alone; that there was no hand upon
which she could depend ;; no sympathy
from which she could enrich herself.
Her self'examination penetrated to the
depths she avoided nothing, WINGED at
nothing, slighted nothing.
She lay thus for an hour, Incapable
OF prayer, or hope, or thought. Her
misfortuues seemed to roll over her
like the waves Of the sea, and to bury
her unresisted.
But all this prostration must have
its reaction. It commenced at dusk.
As evening approached, the rebound
began. She closed and unclosed her
fingers ; there were two hands there.
They were stronger than they had been
week ago. She counted over her five
senses. They wore intact. She be.
gan to take heart. Her brain wae
clear, even unnsturally so. She vae
now thinking Of things that had never
occurred to her before, a sure proof
that she had entered upon another
plane. She slowly arose from he.
lethargy. She reasoned, she made
plans ; in spite Of her great feeblenese
and her great loneliness. her spirit va.
moving rapidly; her soul was quicken.
ing.
A light from within irradiated he,
| features.
She declared to herself: "Only le,
me get up once more, only let me stand
upright upon my feet again, and I will
live to some purpose!"
She again opened her eyes and con
templated the bare walls, the shattered
furniture, the draggled shreds Of dres'
ses, the dust, the marks of the rair
upon the ceiling, and the thick CRIME
upon the windows, and she rejoicet
that her debasement was so plain, tha
the proofs OF it we're so emphatic. L
seemed to her that these vivid remind
ers Of her position were thus brough
to her notice to work her discourage
ment. She laughed at them.
! When tho nurse came, she chattet
with her, for she was in excellen
spirits.
"You are much better. to-day" de
clared the woman.
aye" responded Martha; ~ thin
that I am"
She straigbtway began to ask ques
| tions about the outside world. Th
nurse put her finger to her lips.
"Not yet, Martha. Not yet. Wait
while; wait day or two longer"
"Very WE'LL" responded the other
and she devoted herself to the task Q
getting strong.
When she was finally permitted t
speak, she was Unsuitable. Her desir
for news Of her own community wa
limitless. What had happened? Whs
were people dong? What was sti1
ring? Had there been many misfo,
tunes or o4lamities ? Was the winte
} going to be cold one?
In answer to this last question, th
nurse answered With a positlveness an
exactuess which is common with coun
try gossips. She declared that th
} coming winter was going to be Z col
one, all the signs indicated it. II
squirrels had begun to collect the
, food early, the foxes fur was CROWN
thicker, and she had heard that th
beavers were building warmer house
Il Martha became interested. And ho
about the poor of the county?
The woman's answer could not hav
, been better: She said that the nun
bers Of the peor were increasing. 4
, the county.farm there we're now te
> helpless people. 1t was said that Fl,
others were to be sent thlther. Th!
3 ! would make double the number tn.
usually inhabited tho institution an
it was said, pursued the woman, th'
the couuty.house was in poor repair.
"Ah," echoed Martha, Gin poor r.
pairw
eyes, they say that the walls hav
settled so that they have cracked. Th
let's the cold wind in pretty freely, IN
, they will have to burn a great deal
fuel. Then the drippings from IL
elms have caused moss to grow upo
the roof, and the shingles have rotte
And the well must be deepened, II
chimneys rebuilt, and all the farm
tools replaced. Besides that, the
have only four good chambers; the
- should have double that number ,
least"
"Certainly," added Martha, "evt
eight would be too few. Is there II
thing being done to remedy all this 2"
The woman believed not. Indee
she knew there was not. No ono see1
ed to know about it; there Wa nobot