Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-09-26
OLIVE WAYNE.


The wind and the rain seemed t
sigh and sob about the house. Mrs
Wayne heard it, and drew nearer
the fire, shuddering; Olive pacrt
the room restlessly. The clock
struck seven; there was something
in the sound like the tolling of /;
bell.
"What can have detained papa 2
exclaimed Olive, and she went tC
the window, and looked ont anxious,
ly. "It's foolish, | know, but can't
help feeling uneasy"
Mrs. Wayne sighed, but made no
reply. She was confirmed invalid,
a pale-faced, delicate woman who
had been nursed and petted all her
life, first by doting parents, then by
husband and children. There was
something in the very droop of her
hands that told how helpless she
was, and how dependent on others,
both mentally and physically.
Olive was different. She was not
so pretty as her mother, but there
was strength and decision in the
lines of her face. Her clear gray
eyer looked out upon the world with
a glance that did not falter when
there was work to do, or wrongs to
be righted; and Mrs. Wayne often
sighed and wished that Olive was
less energetic and self.reliant, and
more like the "yOung lady of the
period" "Just like her father"
was the worlds verdict, and it made
the girls cheek flush with pride and
pleasure, for if ever one being was
perfect in the eyes of another, he
was in hers. 1t was his helping
hand that had lifted her above the
fOllies and trivialitics which make
up the existence Of so many young
women; it was he who had taught
her the true meaning of life, and
encouraged her to look forward to
independence rather than a loveless
marriage,
Olive was still at the window,
when the door-bell rang sharply.
She startled, and hurried out of the
room. In the hall she met Katy,
who had just opened the door. A
carIiage stood in front of the steps,
and some one wrapped in a cloak
was being lifted out Of it and borne
into the house.
'papa! papa" she moaned. The
men looked at her pityimgly, as,
without asking a question, she had
led them up stairs into a chamber,
bright and cheerful, far away from
the one where her mother sat and
shivered over the fire.
They laid their burden on the bed,
then turned aside sorrOwfuIly, for
with quick movement Olive pull
ed off the cloak. and fell PROSTATE
on the corpse of her father! She
did not faint or cry out, but drops
of anguish stood on her forehead,
and her whole frame shook with
emotion.
"lt was disease of the heart"
said a low, sympathetic voice. "He
was as well as usual until about six
O'Clock this evening, when he sud-
denly put his hand to his side with
a cry OF pain, and fell to the floor
dead"
Olive had need of all her self-con.
troll to carry her through the night
that followed. Afterward, remem.
bering what she had suffered, she
wondered that it had not killed her
then and there. Her mother lay in
convulSions; the shrieks of her
younger sister, Clarice, rang thrG
the house; in darkened room lay
that shrOuded fornl- all that re-
NAMED of her idolized father.
She could not have kept up but
for the necessity of comforting her
fellow sufferers. The example of
that dead father had taught her it
was the duty of the strong to light
Ell the burdens of the weak, and to
hide their own griefS rather than
add to the misery OF others. So
few guessed from her white face and
quiet manner what she endured.
Some were even cruel enough to
think her indifferent, but others
read that lofty nature Alright, and
knew what a struggle went on be. |
meath her calm exterior.
Mrs. Wayne was so unnerved
that the slightest allusion to her
dead husband threw her into parOx
ysms of grief. Sue was not even
able to attend the funeral, and the
only mOurners were Olive, Clarice,