Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-10-23

morning, and her eyes looked as mine
do sometimes, when I ain't got water
enough to wash with comfortable, and
1 leaves the color ronnd under 'em {; |
but it wasn't from that. I knowed, be-
cause Rose was a very tidy girl. II
never says nothing, butt goes on eat
ing, and not pretending TO- notice any
thing different: and by and by of We |
goes to the theatre. I was very curious
to see what Charlie would do but he |
only just takes off his hat. g .
Things went on in this unfortunate
style for week. Rose was too proud |
to explain, although I wanted her to !;
but no, not her! and there he was.
One morning she didn't come down to |
breakfast as usual, so I goes up to her
bedroom and says:
i" What's the matter, my beautya"
"Oh, father" says she, II don't feel
very we'll just now. dare say I shall
be all right tonight.
But her hand was trembling like q
leaf, and her eyes were sunk; and when
I came to look at..her close, I was stag
gered to see how she'd altered in them
few days. It austered me more than /
should although !; so I gives her a kiss
and tells her to lie down quiet, and off
I goes to doctor. He comes and feels
her pulse, and such like; and he calls
me out on the landing, and says she's
in high state of fever, and says she
must be kept very quiet, or he wouldn't
be answerable for it. Then he began
asking me about myself, and my pro-
fession and cctera.
"Not very rich, I suppose 2'r says
he. "Ah, welll" he says, eve shan't
quarrel about the money"
And s'welp me goodness as I stand
here, he never charged me q blessed
h'penny for phisic or nothing, and
found the bottles besides! :" Whom
Charlie sees me by myself, he didn't
know what to make on it. He fidgets
about for ever se long, and at last he
comes up and asks where Rose was. I
was very short with him, a-treatine her
as he was, though he didn't know the
damage he'd done 40 I says stiff
my daughters at home. sir-not 40
we'll as she might be-" :.
I hope she isn't ill.," says he, quick,
TT don't much matter to. you," I
says, " whether she's ill or not" and I
turns away, choking like, a:thinking of
my little deserted beauty s-lying 60
quiet at home.
I hurried back as soon as T could.
and goes up to her room; and, God
help me! she was in that state she
didn't know me, and wanted to know If
I'd brought message from Charlie, az
she was certain he was dead, because
he hadn't been to see her. I tried to
soothe her, but it was no good there
she kept rambling on about one thing
or another, a-pretendlng to be talking
to him, and a-telling him not to be sor-
~, as she'd soon join him. 1t made
me. feel queer like, and moist about the
eyes; and remembered 1 was an old
man, and began to think how should
feel when was alone. She lay in this
state for q week, living chiefly on SOD
vituals, as I was obliged to force down
her throat. It was hard time-I
didn't mind that but couldn't abide
to see my darling in pain, 1 never went
near the public then, but hurried home
every night as soon as the performances
was over' a-hoPing always she'd be
better, and would know me again; but
she never did till an hour before It
came. 1t was Sunday night, at
church-time. I used to like to think
afterwards that my little darling was
carried up to Heaven on the sound of
the bells, as it died away on the breeze.
| was a-sitting quiet at the window, a.
ker ping my eye on Rose to see as she
didn't want anything. and, somehow.
my poor wife came into my mind. and
l couldn't get rid Of tho Thought no.
how: The more tried, the more IL
would come. 1 remember as we'll az If
it was yesterday, when I had her in nv
arms in the green-room, her a.looking
up into my face as though she wanted
to say something.
lis it Rose, Mary9" I says, and she
> mods and smiles, and I promised I'd
be kind father to her.
J She smiles again at that. and lays he,
> head on my shoulder. Soon I see hel
eyelids a-closing, and that told me thai
the Great Prompter had rung down he,
curtain.
was a-looking out of the window.
and I sees somebody turn the corner
! and stop in front Of the house but f
was a'getting dark, and couldn',
. make out who it was-I thought knew
the figure too. just as was q pug
, cling myself a.thinking how it could
he; heard my little darling cal
"Father! J" runs TO her quick, for j,
t was the first time she'd knowed me
. since the fever took her head.
had such . glad feeling at M
heart as I can't tell here--it comes st
! fresh to me after waiting so long. al
though it seemed to choke me too; ani
! couldn't speak at the m, ment.
sits down by her head and takes he
y hand in mine, and there we was for
matter of minute or two before eithe
D Of na said q word a.lookinn into oaol