Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-08-14

their best days. reckon, like their
master. Wish Id swapped 'em to
Dunn for the vearlings and boot it
would hev bin good bargain. 81
sent his love to you, Lu I've got a
cold. reckon Ill turn in and sleep
it Off"
They oughtn't have let you come,"
said Lu, Indignantly, as she carried
him bottle of hot water for his feet.
Uncle 81 or Ben ought to have come
instead
ut want their fault l thought
could drive a better bargain with the
hands. Ben said he'd come in my
place, but his heart want set on it,"
which assurance in no wise comforted
Louisa.
MIR. Bruce was restless all night, and
IN the morning was out Of his head
and didn't know his right hand from his
lett, and called Louisa Ben, and asked
grandma to put the oxen into the cart,
mistaking her for Uncle Simon. And
Louisa, half frightened to death, jump
sd upon old Roan's back and galloped
all the way to Shopton for the nearest
doctor.
"Ahem, Nothing more nor less than
fever, said he, the instant he laid his
eyes on Mr.. Bruce.
"ls he dangerous 2 asked Louisa.
dangerous, Oh, guess he'll pull
through. I'll leave this prescription,
ami be round tomorrow. There's Mr.
Maverick. Of the tavcrn-Maverick' 8
tavern, at our place-had the same
symptoms week ago, and he's about
to-day. There's no telling abou, these
things; different constitutions take
diseases differently. At least, you
needn't be alarmed at present Good
morning, with an emphasis on the
good Louisa thought 1t was anything
but good morning, after the comfort
Of his professional presence was with
drawn. But the next day her father
was no better, nor yet the next, though
the doctor assured her that he was
doing as well as could be expected,
whatever that might &c.
Louisa was too busy, and weary with
watching and nursing, cooking and
looking after the house and seeing TO
grandma's cold, and keeping order
and quiet among the children, TO take
note ot the sick mans delirious words,
though he was constantly talking
about the camp, sixty miles away
where her own thoughts wandered
whenever she had time t. think them
bargaining with imaginary teamsters,
hag-liu. with Scales and Weight over
groceries, and repeating, Provisions 5
for Il week, Tor u week. for a week. -
and counting the days on his FINGERS
anl losing the count, and beginning
over again and again, As If il weie a
puzzle upon the solution OF which his
life depended. And SO the fever ran
70 the ninth day and turned, and the
patient fell into quiet sleep, and
words together, or TO remember any
thing but that he hal suffered n fearful
nightmare and it was over. It was
perhaps the third day after the fever
turned that he suddenly took up the
thread OF life where he had dropped it,
and he asked, GLOW long have been
a-laying here, Luz
Twelve days.
Where's Ben and Uncle Si."
why, YOU lett en- in camp, father. "
Left EN- in camp Twelve days
ago, he gaspcd, with a week pro-
visions shouldn't wonder if they
were both in heaven by this time /,
What hev you bin thinking of all this
while, ell Z"
II didn't know they had only a
weeks provisions" said Louisa, show.
ins ghastly face land had to look
aiter you and the fever"
well, don't wait another minute
round me f.; just harness up old Roam
and Qlickstep, and take some brandy
and things-and don't let EN- eat all
they want; make Cruel keep 'em
short. Come start yourself, and don't
be standing still like a ghost and folks
a-dying for lack OF YOU"
And you:"
'I'lI take care Of myself, and SO II
grandma. Roam and Quickstcp can do
the distance By nightfall. Take my
gun to keep off the wolves, and little
Tim, and lantern
But how shall | find the wav r
Louisa was already inside her pclisse
and mutliers.
Bless you, Il baby couldn't miss it
the trees are notched with a star every
half mile, on the left hand side. There,
take Tim and be Oft
And as there was not an able-bodied
man short of Shopton at that season
who wasn't of logging, and as grand.
[ una and Suscttc could take care of her
I patient, and ben was starving without
her, what could she do but go?
/ And how were they faring in the
camp, sixty miles away in the heart of
the wood, which wss almost like .
primeval forest: After Mr.. Bruce s
departure they had gone about their
work with a will while Uncle Simon
was busy on the hovel for the cattle,
Ben had walked miles and miles
through the sweetscented wood, spot
ting the timber; and suns had risen
and set, when one morning, before the
week was out, Uncle Simon was sur
prised to see the bottom Of the meal
chest.
Tough luck = said he briefly "but
there's swamp pork to exc it out. y
And he plunged his hand confidently
iuto the pickle, and had something Of
chase after two or three Insignificant
pieces. The two men looked at each
other in dismay for an instant.
'But he'll be back day after to-mor-
row." said Ben.
"But what if he shouldn't? asked
the Older man, not SO sanguine.
"What can keep him? At any rate
we've got legs Of our own"
Precious stiff ones mine are 1t
would be nice excursion, sixty miles
afoot. Why, we should freeze to