Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-22
Then there was your poor ia.

have Then there was your poor IA
ther! But your grandfather Craven
they thought he never would die. It's a
slender, switchy stock; may bend, may
break. You should take good care
of yourself It's a blood that owns
good care, but rebels at a slight, al
ways"
: She was a Bradford herself-Mrs.
! Fross came as straight and stiff as her
silhouette over the mantelpiece, from
the Mayfower.
She knew all about "blood" and
stock :" she could apportion to any
family in town its proper quantity and
quality of inbred sin by legitimate in
heritance for such case made and pro-
vided
Rachel stole out into the entry after
AZrael Craven had risen to take his leave
that night, and waited for him by her
self Thinking how long it would be
before she saw his face again chow pale
it looked, swimming before her tears
across the half-swung door, the sparse
limits of her happiness struck and chafed
the Puritan girl. She fed her love on
such scanty farel She felt starved A
rapid, unreasoning thought came to her
that in some way she was wronged-and
he. A hot flush ran to her temples, and
under her heavy, pale hair, while she
stood there, half hearing her mother adj
vising Mr.. Craven to put on mustard
paste.
When the Young man came out to find
his hat, Rachel took a sudden step and
shut the door; then, finding herself quite
alone with him, looked once or twice
about the dim, still entry, threw her arms
about his neck, and kissed him OF her
own accord.
"Oh!" she said, 81 love you!"
and then fled, scarlet and blinded, out of
sight.
The Young minister felt the world
spin for an instant beneath his steady,
consecrated feet He passed his hand
once or twice over his eyes, coughed,
took off his hat, and walked down the
garden walk and out into the chill spring
night.
Rachel had letters at due intervals.
She returned them at corresponding and
punctual intervals Mr. Craven wrote
of the tardy spring, of the size of his
class. of the somewhat chilly outlook OF
his northeast room, of the audience
which he had last Sabbath, of the great
theological professors latest anecdote, OF
a prospect of a ''call in seaboard vii
lage. of the difficulty which he found in
preaching with his cold (Which fingered
stilD in windy weather, of some exercises
of mind which he had experienced in
prayer.
Miss Fross wrote of Mr.. Graven's cold,
of the care that he should take, of her
pleasure at the prospect of the call, OF
her fears that the coast would prove too
severe a climate for his health, of her
mother and his aunt, of the . exchange
which they had last week, of the seeds
which she had sown in her garden this
wear. of something which had pleased
her in DOddridge or in Baxter, OF
Deacon Judkins fever, of a funeral or a
wedding down the street, OF the hepleasure
which she had taken in his last letter, OF
the anxiety once more which she telt
about his health, and the desire which
she experienced very timidly expressed)
to see his face again, and judge from it
for herself exactly how he was, and why
that cold hung out so long, and if he
were not in need of rest.
Mr.. Craven read Miss Fross' letters,
sometimes twice. with care and pleas
ure. tied them neatly together with red
tape. and laid them away on file in
a nireon-hole of his desk. with volume
of '.Jewell's Sermons laid upon them
quite safe and still.
Miss Fross read Mr.. Graven'S letters
ah well, she read the last one till the
next one came. She wore them out in
her pocket: she crumpled them with
tears of ioy: she folded them in her BIZ
BILE. and locked the Bible in her lower
bureau drawer. Once she pressed them
hastily and hOtly to her lips; but she
was quite alone, and it was midnight.
and Azrael had written . Dear Rachel
in three places in note which came that
day.
1t was quite in the heart OF the sultry
summer that letter came which Rachel
carried to her mother. 1t was very short,
somewhat wearily written, and ran like
this.
=. Nh Dear Friend. | have excused
: myself from prayers this morning, for
had a restless night, with racking and
exhausting cough. | must, in some way,
: have taken heavy chill. shall be in
better health to-day, think. The ami
versary exercises will occupy the last
week in August, | understand. spoke
with the senior professor, this morning,
about my essay, which is in preparation.
should like to be excused from the ex-
Z ercises altogether, unless | find myself
in better health before vacation. | men
/ toned this to the Professor this morn
5 ing. He remarked that he would con-
r slider what was practicable and advisa-
2 BILE in the case and inquired if / studied
: much by candle-light, and if | had
ever tried the renoyating agencies of
! calomel.
: "My Iecture-bell rings. | will post
: this communication in its incomplete
t condition, that you may feel acquainted
g with my state and be spared undue un-
j easiness. | shall improve rapidly, with
/ rest and change, | feel no doubt. You
7 will please serve my respects to your
S mother, and believe me to be
: q Always truly yours,
/ g AZRAEL CRAVEN"
f RacheFs mother read this letter, folded
' it. read il again, and handed it back to
her daughter.
: "Well ?" said Rachel, wondering why
n her mother did not speak.
Y ''Oh! he will do well enough If he
D comes home" said Mrs. Fross. :" He
2 ought to come home. Think myself he
e will before long"
, Mrs. Fross was busy putting curtain
: up against the parlor window. She
e spoke with her mouth full of tacks. Ra-
t chel listened to her eagerly, but her
r voice was drawn through her teeth, and
S whistled over the tacks. 1t meant moth.
q ing, Rachel made nothing of it, and went
r away.
n Not week therefrom, in the middle
r of slow, lifeless morning, as Rachel
e stood in the kitchen, dreamily coaxing q
It slow and lifeless bread-cake into be
s ing, her mother came and called her in
# to the parlor in a sudden way, bid
d ding her sit down and get cool for lit
:, tie while.
:, ''Fm not very warm" said wondering
It Rachel. 'tPd rather rest by and by
:, when the cake is done.
Il "But you had better rest now, sale
l. Mrs. Fross nervously walking arount
the room. "You had better rest. Th'
IT fact is, Mr.. Craven came home las
IT night.
d Rachel rose impetuously from tn
i chair. where she sat by the window, wit