Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-13
OUR Wary Ann.
BY FRANCIS HENsHaw BADEN.

Dale, catching his old college chum by
the hand.
''Oh, excuse me, Charley; I did not
see you" George Temple said, returning
the cordial greeting with evident pleas
/ ure.
Charley Dale, looking up into his
friends face, asked
''What is it that is worrying you, old
fellow? | don't like that expression
| you are wearing. Come, ease your
mind, and heart too, if you can, by con-
tiding in your old friend. Perhaps |
can help you, Charley Dale said, plac-
! ing his hand on his friends shoulder,
and looking at him in the same frank
and fond way that he used to when they
were boys together.
Thank you, George. | will tell you,
although you will most likely think |
magnify my trouble. The case can be
explained in few words. My home,
| children and everything else are going to
destruction as fast as possible Ny wife
is a hypochondriac.
Again Charley grasped his friends
! hand, saying.
Magnify! No, indeed. know just
what that is to endure. sympathize
truly with you. l have gone through
the same mill. Bnt, thank God that is
all over now. You must arouse her IN
some way"
Il have tried everything, and have de-
SPARED entirely" answered Temple
sadly
mo, you have not know you have
never tried Our Mary Ann"
Temple looked inquiringly at Charley,
who broke into a merry laugh after
which he said:
Il could not help laughing, George;
| but | won't attempt to explain about
Cur Mary Ann Come home with me
to dinner Do! Then Fan. will tell
you all about her. [ should spoil the
/ story"
eyes, l will come gladly. l am sick
and tired of restaurants. l have been
| taking my dinner across the street for
| several weeks" answered Temple.
On their way Charley told his friend
! of some of his own trials two years be-
! fore.
II dreaded to enter the house." he
said. Fan. | found for months either
in bed or on the lounge, always with the
same sad expression. In answer to my
! How are you now, love? Better, |
! hope, came ever the same:
No, Charles. | shall never be better
| in this world
! tried in every way to arouse her.
! All she talked about was dying; all she
thought of was dying. Why declare
to you, she even made her sister fix her
clothes ready to robe her for the grave.
Ugh! What time l had" Charley
! said, with visible SILVER.
BY this time they had reached Char
/ ley's home. At the window, looking
out, was a pretty, bright looking little
woman, holding Up three-year-old boy
to look for papa
A smile from her, a shout from the
boy, greeted Charley. When, a moment
after, he introduced George Temple to
his wife, the expression of surprise on
his friends face was so marked that
! Charley laughed out, saying:
You cannot reconcile my wife's hap
py face with my story, can you?"
at seems impossible" returned Tenn
| pie, as he hung his hat on the rack, and
/ followed Charley into the dining-room,
where very nice dinner awaited them.
Charley told his wife of his friends
trouble, and added:
Fannie, will you tell George about
Our Mary Ann ?"
after we have finished. | do not
Z NduI " StjCIi MI ICLl DlG > NillHCis ali
swered Fanny with a very expressive
/ little laugh, adding:
But, Mr.. Temple, l can give you
hope for Mrs. Temples recovery, if
I Mary Ann can be found to attend her,
and | have no doubt she can"
Many times during dinner Mr.. Temple
would look at Fanny's bright face, and
think nothing on earth would make him
so happy as to see his wife looking as
his friends. And what magic could
have worked such a wonderful change?
he wanted to ask. Once she caught the
expression, and said, with such a CHEEKY
voice, that he thought it no wonder
/ Charley looked so happy, with such
sweet music ever sounding in his ear:
Now, Mr.. Temple, | see Charley has
been telling tales out of school. And
! you are wondering and waiting for ex-
/ PLANTATION of the mystery? Well, come
/ into the sitting room, and | will tell you
the story of My Mary Ann | think
/ it better than the song"
/ Fanny rang the bell for little Charley's
nurse, and resigning him to her care,
/ began what Mr.. Temple was so anxious
/ to hear.
Il had been suffering with chills for
many months, and when at last | did
| get rid of them, | was so reduced in
strength, not only bodily, but mentally,
that | was misery to myself, and ev-
cry one near me. / could not exert my
| self to do the most trifing thing. AL
though my physician assured me that /
only needed air, exercise, change of
scene, and so on, | would not believe
him. l thought | had disease of the
heart in some terrible kind and so |
made up my mind that | must die be-
fore long.
In vain Charley tried to get me cut.
Sometimes, perhaps once in six weeks |
yielded. Of course the eXertion tired
me, and | would return vOWing never to
try it again. So l grew weaker and
weaker, until at last remained up stairs
and saw no one but MY most intimate
friends believe Providence sent me
Mary Ann at this time. Our cook came
informing me she was from one of the
fust families and was not gwyne to be
bossed by any poor white Nirginny gal.
THAT same afternoon my young sis
ter was with me, when we heard the
hall bell. AS several minutes passed
Mary Ann came not to announce the
visitor, or deliver any message, Olive
went out to see what it meant Some
minutes, perhaps five, more, elapsed,
and Olive came neither. Then | exerted
myself, and by the aid of the bannisters,
went slowly along to the first landing,
where, to my great wonder, found Oh
i've, cOnvulsed with laughter, down on
floor. A sign from her stopped my ex-
clamation, and directed me- | peeped
over the banisters, to see Mary Ann.
With large carving knife in one hand
and tea cloth thrown over her arm,
she stood holding the door partially open
with the other hand. answer to some
thing had not caught, she said
40, you can't see her. She's in a
poor state Of health. In fact, WEIR
prepared for her death most any hour.
She don't see nobody much
Perhaps | might offer her somr
spiritual comfort, was said in toaes
that sounded to me as coming from the
tombs
Spiritual comfort ? | don't know
what you mean by that-but she has H.,