Connecticut western news., 1873-09-05
atreating her as he was, though he didn't znow the damage he'd done so says,

aGreaL1ng her aS ne was, though he d1dn't
 know the damage he'd done so says,
 stiff ...-.. .
 My daughters at home, sir-not SC
 well as she might be- ....-
 CT hope she isn't i'll" says he, quick.
 "It don't much matter to you," ]
 says, ''whether she's i'll or not," and
 turns away, choking like, a-thinking of
 my little deserted beauty a-laying so
 quiet at home.
 I hurried back as soon as I 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-telling him not to be sorry, as she'd soon join him. .It made me feel queer-ike, and moist about the eyes, and I remembered I was an old man, and began to think how should feel when was alone. Gs
 She lay in this state for a week, a. living chiefly on sop victuals, as was obliged to force it down her throat. It was hard time-not because the money was short, I didn't mind that but I couldn't abide to see my darling in pain. I 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 ct come. ! It 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, melancholy-l 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 mind, and I couldn't get rid of the thought nohow. The more I tried, the more it would come. I remembered as we'll as if it was yesterday, when I had her in my arms in the green-room, her a-looking up into my face as though she wanted to say something. So I says
 els it Rose, Mary p and she mods and smiles, and promised as I'd be a kind father to her.
 She smiles again at that, and lays her head on my shoulder. Then I see her eyelids a-closing, and that told me that the Great Prompter had rung down her curtain.
 l was a-looking out of the window, and I sees somebody turn the corner, and stop in front of the house but it was a-getting dark, and I couldn't make out who it was-I thought I knew the figure, too. Just as I was a-puzzling myself a-thinking who it could be, I heard my little darling call Father" !" l runs to her quick, for it was the first time she'd knowed me since the fever took her. I had such glad feeling at my heart as I can't tell here-it come so fresh to me after waiting so long, al- though it seemed to choke me, too, and l couldn't speak at the moment. I sits down by her head, and takes her hand in mine, and there we was, for 8 matter of minute or two, before either of us said word, a-looking into each others faces, joyfuller than we'd been for some time. Then, says she
 Father" she says, '' l want to see Charley"
 I says
 You shall tomorrow, my darling"
 "Let me see him tonight, father" she says, beseechingly-"let me see him tonight, because e-"
 And there she stopped.
 I gets up-not having it in me to see her want for anything as I could give her, though I couldn't make out why she was in such hurry-leastways I could not then; I do now. , I puts on my hat, and just outside who should I | see a-coming across the road from the other side but Charley hisself.
 When he knew he was wanted, he runs faster than I could, and by the time I 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 says noth- ing but goes and sits on the stairs outside, awaiting till they had made it ID.
 I felt almost jealous of Charley and thought -God help me las how he would take her away from me as soon IS she was well. She qUas took away rom me; but not by him-not by him.
 l sat there for matter of half an 1our in the dark, when, all of sudden, Charley gives cry. I rushes in, and here was my darling, with her head l-lald quiet on his bosom, and her eyes 'hut and I could see by the scared ook on his face, that my little beauty would never cheer my poor old heart Igain.