National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-08-29
very well just now. ] dare say shall
hn al riubt IN u.utk -

very wei just now. J uhre .sny Snail
be sil right tonight"
But her hand was a.trembling like o
leaf, and her eyes was sunk; and when
/ come to look Mt her close, was stag
gered to see how she'd altered in them
few days.
II hustered me more than I should n
thought so gives her kiss, and tells
her to lie down quiet, and off goes to
n doctor. He comes and feels her pulse,
and such like; then he calls me out on
the landing, and says she's in high
state Of fever, and must be kept very
quiet, or he wouldn't be answerable for
it. Then he began a-asking me about
myself, and my profession and cetera.
'",Not very rich, I suppose ?" says he.
All, well y he says, eve shan't quar-
rel about the money" H,
And s'welp me goodness as I'm
standing here, he never charged me n
blessed hapenny for physic or nothing
not a ha'penny-and found the bot
ties besides
When Charley sees me by myself, he
didn't know what to make on it. He
fdgets about me for ever 40 long, and
Mt last he comes up and asks me where
Rose was was very short with him,
atreating her as he was, though he didn't
know the damage he'd done 30 I.says,
stiff Sw -s.1.
3" My daughters at home, sir-not 30
well as she might be. (" -
81 hope she isn't i'll, says he, quick.
cit don't mnch matter to YOU" !
says, "whether she's i'll or mot" and 1
turns away, choking like, a-thinking of
my little deserted beauty aIaying so
quiet at home.
| hurried back rs soon as l 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 Heaven from
Charley. as 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 and another a-pretending to be
talking to him, and a-tellpg him not TO
be sorry, as she'd soon join him. 1t
made me feel queer-like, and moist
about the eyes, and | remembered | was
an old man, and began to think how ]
should feel when / was alone.
She lay in this state for week, a
living chiefly on sop victuals, as I was
obliged to force it down her throat. 1t
was hard time-not because the money
was short, / didn't mind that but |
couldn't abide to see my darling in
pain. l never went near the public
then, but hurried home every night as
soon as the performance was over, a
hoping always as she'd be better, and
| would know me again but she never
did till about an hour before 1t come.
| 1t was Sunday night, at church
time. / 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. wa sitting
quiet at the window. melancholy like,
a-keeping my eye on Rose to see as she
didn't want nothing, and, somehow, the
night my poor wife died came into my
MUD, and l couldn't get rid of the
thought nohow. The more tried, the
more it would come. l remembered MS
we'll as if it was yesterday, when 1 had
her in my arms in the green-room, her
a-looking up into my face as though she
wanted to say something. SO 1 says
"Is it Rose, Mary q and she mods
and smiles, and I promised as I'd be q
klnu 1atner 10 ner.
She smiles again at that, and lays her
head on my shoulder. Then / see her
eyellds a-closing, and that told me that
the Great Prompter h>d rung down her
curtain.
was a-looking ont of the window
and l sees somebody turn the corner
and stop in front of the house but it
wes a-getting dark, and / couldn't make
out who it was-I Thought / knew the
figure, too. just ms / was o. a-plzzhng
myself a-thinking who it could be, I
heard my little darling call Father"
runs to her quick, for it was the first
time she'd knowed me since the fever
took her. l had such a glad feeling at
my heart as l can't toll here-it come so |
fresh to me after waiting so long, al |
though it seemed to choke me, too, and |
| couldn't speak at the moment. l sits |
down by her head, and takes her hand |
in mine, and there we was, for a matter
cf n minute or two, before either of us |
said a word, a-looking into each others |
faces, joyfuller than we'd been for some |
time. Then, says She
Father" she says, 81 want to see
Charley" |
l says
You shall tomorrow, my darling"
"Let me see him tonight, father"
she says, beseechingly-" let me see
him tonight, because--"
And there she stopped.
gets up-not having it in me to see
her want for anything as l could give
her, though 1 couldn't make out why
she was in such hurry-leastways 1
could not then; L do now. 1 puts on
my hat, and just outside who should /
see a-coming across the road from the
other side but Charley hisself.
When he knew he was wanted, he
runs faster than l could, and by the
time l got in the room, there she was,
with her arms round his neck, a-smiling
up into his face, and he a-kissing of
her, as happy as birds. So Isays moth
ing but goes and sits on the stairs
awaiting till they had made it
lp.
I felt almost jealous of Charley and
[ thought-God help me l-as how he
would take her away from me- as soon
Is she was well. She ,cas took away
rom me; but not by him-not by him
/ sat there for a matter of half an
lour in the dark, when, all of sudden, [
Charley gives a cry. 1 rushes in, and s
here was my darling, with her head
l-laid quiet on his bosom, and her ewes
lint /; and l could see by the scared
ook on his face, that my little beauty
would never cheer my poor old heart :
gain. \