The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-05-22

is he dead ~
Not nearly You foolish chid-if you
had only let me finish-hs left arm is
broken. and set again by this time, for
left him at the surgeons He wanted ne
to ride on and tell you. but declare I've
made bad worse-he'n be all right in no
time"
care You sure Geotfrev ?"
Steps were heard in the hall Here.
Linton. | can't persuade Helen that YOU
are not killed; came and see what YOU
can do" And Geoffrey CONSIDERABLY
withdrew. closing the door after him. to
prevent the intrusion of the now alarmed
guests. Did any one notice that it was
only the lips that smiled In the tired
eyes there was only pain, and bitter, bit
ter regret
Sir George needed only one glance at
his wife's pale face to assure him that the
time lie had waited for had come And
Helen as she felt the clasp OF his strong
right arm, recognized with a thrill Of
thanktulness, the fact that She loved her
husband.
Cousin Geotfrey, what does mamma
mean by saying she hopes soon - see YOU
in Paris P' asked Helen few mornings
later, as she refolded a letter Just received
from Mrs. Howard
Geotfrey made a grimace.
1T means, my dear Helen, that Aunt
Ju has picked out a countess for me who
she declares is already devotedly at tached
to me. I've seen her She has skin
like parchment, beadv eyes, voice like
a parrot. and more francs than she know
what 70 do with. However, I'll 90 to see
Aunt Ju, at any rate
And off Geotfrey went. promising to
return in the spring.
Gallons of ale We're flowing. and an OK
was roasted whole in the park at Linton
Court. A bonfire cracked and blazed on
the village green. and the bells were
tumbling in merry fashion, to give voice
to the great rejoicing for an heir was
born to the Lintons of Linton, and Joy and
hope We're playing bopeep through the
long corridors and in the lofty rooms of
the great house
the kindly young English physician
face of his patient, turned 50 YEARLY to
the easement
How long will live, do Won think -
Months | hope weeks ut al events "
Geotfrey Howard sighed
Traverse, tell me the truth, will live
to get bach to England p
Il think so. You cannot travel now.
but when the weather gets a little cooler.
| will 60 with YOU myself"
Il thank YOU. Traverse. | hate Paris
now; you don't know how long tor one
breath of cool, sweet English air-one
sight Of dear, familiar faces"
Howard, | cannot disguise the fact
Il ,t ha,,
disease is SO uncertain. | will DO my
best tor YOU"
''fEeart disease ~ and he smiled 4 little
bitterly, Are YOU quite sure, Traverse,
that have enough of that article to be
diseased ?"
A light breeze stirred the curtains
The quiet stars came out one by one
The soft chanting of the nuns in the neigh
boring chapel came swee.ly through the
twilight stiffness. And while at Linton
Court the rejoicing waNed louder and
louder. here in hot, gay Paris Geotlrey
Howard slept the quiet, dreamleSS sleep
of Il child,
"A letter for YOU. Helen"
The post-bag had inst come in and Sir
George Linton tossed i lctter, with the
London postmark across the table to his
wife
The writing was familiar, though
strangely irregular and eble-lookmg
She opened i; quickly 1t contained only
| these words:
II am dying. May | come to you, Nellie. :.
| Traverse will bring me. Your cousin,
GEoFFREN."
With a sudden burst OF tears. She hand
ed it to her husband They read it in
silence. He knew the history of those
two hearts. When he did speak, it was
to say, quietly, "Have room ready for
him Helen; am going up to town for
him this afternoon"
Geotfrey came--a little paler. a little
thinner than before; the tired eyes still 4
little more wearied. II couldn't 20 the
Countess, Nellie,' were among the first
words, uttered with Il flash of his old
smile, but he made no references to the
future they all knew was 50 near.
One by one the leaves tluttered to the
ground. Day by day Geottrey's step
| grew weaker, and his voice fainter. The
room he liked best was lIelen's morning
room. and there each day found him.
One evening She was sitting beside him
with her baby on her lap. He lay quietly
watching the amber and red fade out Of
the sunset sky. "Nellie do YOU see that
linden ?" he said, suddenly. All the
leaves are gone but one; that will fall
tomorrow
| Helen shvered. The quiet voice went
on; "Nellie, do yon remember that after
noon in London, when you told me about
Sir George? Then. for the first time | elt
this pain that is killing me Traverse
says | have had the disease for years, but
| never felt it till then | might have
worked for you little gid mi ghtu't / +?
But | never thought of that; it was too
late then. Nellie, I've wanted to tell YOU
I'm glad you are so happy. You mustn't
cry, darling I've been tired so long,
perhaps, because | felt might have been
something, and | wasn't Do YOU re-
member, Nellie ''-he went on dreamilv
-"that wreck on the coast of Wales
We went down to see it, 1t was lust
such a night as this. You thought it
would be there for weeks, but the tide
was rising then. We went in the morn
ing; it was gone, Ielle-the ebb tide
carried it out. Nellie, want to be buried
in Linton churchyard You'll take your
children there sometimes, and tell them
about Cousin Geoffrey ?''
The nurse came for baby, and Helen
told her to call Sir George Geotfrev
seemed to be sleeping. Suddenly he
aroused himself
"Did | ever tell you. Nellie, about the
little Sister of Charity, Traverse brought
to see me? She talked to me a great
deal about these things He paused, and
Helen slipped her hand into his. Ira
verse read me something in that about
rest You'll find it marked, Nellie"
Helen opened the little Testament, and
read, falteringly, Come unto me, all ye
that labor and are heavily laden, and |
will give you rest"
The sky was all gray now, save for one
golden shaft. A beam fell on Geoffrey's
face, lighting up its wonderful beauty. |
Ills lips moved: "Fd like that, Nellie
rest Y" and the tired blue eyes closed
forever
A plain white marble cross stands in a
sunny corner of the Linton churchyard,
and there, one summer afternoon, Helen
is sitting, and, as her children gather
rOunu her she tells tham of tho frop5 Of