Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-10-01

week, and the second girl, too, eventually;
and Laura went about, or lay on the sofa.
as she chose but with the straneest sense
you can imagine Of the worlds revolving
on another axis since she was being taken
care Of Roger came down in an earlier
train every day and brought her grapes
and wine himself, and sat by and saw her
eat and drink. What a wretch have
been !" he said, 81, who love you 80, to
treat you 50 | thought you were just as
happy as l."
Why, 50 | am, Roger dear"
But | have done nothing to make you
so-taken you nowhere, given you nothing,
not even time or attention"
You have been so busy" said Laura.
Well, | shall be so no more !" he cried.
We have begun all over again new and
the next act in this new beginning shall be
a new wardrobe for you"
"Oh, by and by she said
"'W Who waits at the house of By and by
shall stay at the house Of Never =" he
said. l have learned that much. You
shall have il now. and have it made up
now. Things have gone 80 we'll with me
that can make the last payment on the
house on the hill tomorrow, If | will, and
have enough left to furnish it, and we will
move in the moment you are we'll. Think,
Laura what a strange house it will be with
cradle in it, and people tip-toeing round
for fear they shall wake the baby :" And
Laura lay there and laughed at his boyish
ecstasies, and felt the least in the world as if
she had died and gone to heaven.
Laura" said Roger, some months AZ.
terward--months Of such perfect, peaceful
happiness that he wondered where bis wits
had been when they let him deprive himself
Of such JOY through those money-making
years" Laura, didn't sleep an hour last
night. | never can tell you how felt
What if you had died while was so intent
on my object that could not sec anything
ailibg you2 7 should never. never have
forgiven myself"
"Oh, no, no you mustn't say 20, Roger,
she whispered Because may die yet.
1t is more than likely. | ought to tell
you; DR.. Phillips says that"
Stop stop cried Roger will not
bear a word Of such talk !"
Perhaps it would be better, dear, said
Laura Sometimes it seems to me as if
this were too good to last. And, whatever
happens, | want you always to remember
how happy this time has BEEN But he
stopped her words with kisses.
1t was indeed too good to last. That
same night, the lights were seen flashing all
about the cottage in the garden by the ever
wakeful and watchlu Mrs. Clifford, and
Roger was deserted running in wild haste
through the street, and pulling at DR.. Phil
| lips bell. Mrs. Clifford rose once or twice
more in the course of the night, only to sec
the lights still burning and at sunrise she
saw DR.. Phillips come out and gently close
door, the and Nora came behind him to
shut the paror blinds.
-" am afraid am afraid the case Is
really settled" said Mrs. Clifford. 81
have been expecting it. must run across,
aud see what can be doue" And she ran
across presently, and ran up stairs, as the
weeping Nora bade her, to find Roger
Gregory PROSTATE on the floor, aud clasping
the white wax hand that fell over the side
of the bed, as if it still would help him, and
Laura lying before her with her little dead
baby on her breast, ready for her house on
the hill at last--her house on the hill
narrow, narrow house, in which there was
no room for Roger
For, truly, " Who waits at tho house of
BY aud by shall stay at the house Of Never"
Harriet Prescott Spoford, in Harper's
Bdsdr.