Litchfield enquirer., 1875-05-06


 attracted his, attention at the hotel, at least six times m as many sentences. l His letters began to lose that clear con- ciseness that usually characterized them,
 and he began to ramble on about the skies and the weather, and not content with tell 1 ing me that 1t cleared up before morning, he put it in the way of ga tempest dying l in the hollow of the night" and when he went on to state that ''the large white cir cle of the slow moon was lifted up among the barred clouds" and a s'green halo kindled in the summit of the eastern hills, !" l it was too mnch. threw down the letter in disgust, and called out to Hester, who
 was dusting the books and pamphlets in
 her quiet way, that was alarmed about Seaton, and thought something must be the matter. efa;5 af r-.=- e.s. . l The book fell from her hand heavily to
 the floor. and turning to her, found her gray eyes kindling into a sort of terror. She clasped and unclasped her fingers. looking at me with an entreaty that forced 1 the next words from me in spite of my ! self.
 l Tut, Hesier calm yourself, child:
 nothing worse has happened to him than
 perhaps to fall in love" -.... | She stood for moment like one in
 dream. a gray shadow falling over her fea- lures; then she turned and left the room l without word. I could not help feeling l in the minutes that followed that she was lying prone upon the floor.
 It occurred to me that had I been ground up in machine, crushed under an engine,
 or fallen into boiling vat, Hester could
 not have evinced more emotion, and I took
 good care to mention Seaton's name no
 more in her presence. But greatly to my vexation, found that Hester lost strength
 and vigor as the days went by; pitiable
 languor sapped her usual strong vitality,
 and although she uttered no word of com plaint, I saw that an undefnable anguish poisoned every moment of her existence. r began to wonder if this arrangement l for our domestic comfort had not been in- judicious for one of the parties, and re- | solved to mend matters upon Seaton's ar-
 rival. aza>r-. -: -..
 l Shortly after, when reached home one
 night, I found Seaton already seated in l his old easy-chair, his new number of the Lancet untouched upon the table, and a
 volume of Morris's poems lying idly upon l his knees. He was puffing one of the endless cigarettes Hester had prepared in his absence, his head resting upon the
 cushioned back of his chair, his fine eyes l half closed, and I could see that, for the | first time in his life perhaps, he had yield ed to the intoxication of reverie. The ] next day, while delivering my lecture at
 the college, little scrap of paper was
 thrust into my band. It contained these words:
 s'Get back as quickly as you can, for I Gods sake I'm afraid Hester is dying" ! Ieut the discourse short, and hastened
 home, to find Hester stretched upon the
 couch in the inner office, sinking from one
 swoon to another, the white marble of her I skin covered with an icy sweat, her pulse l almost imperceptible. Seaton was walk
 ing to and fro across the lower part of the room in a pitiable state of terror and per- plexity, while ehar-woman from next
 door was bathing Hester's forehead, and trying to force stimulant between her pale lips. ... -t.-.- er
 'sThe most remarkable thingr' said
 Seaton, as reached him. s'I merely ask ed Hester the most commonplace ques- l tion in the world, and she dropped upon
 the floor like stone" 1~ Was it in relation to your getting mar
 ried?" asked. 0,.>-5
 "Yes." he replied, with an intonation
 of vexation and disappointment. 'tYou
 see, Morgan, it would all depend upon
 Hester. couldn't think of such thing
 without her cooperation and assistance.
 If anything should happen to Hester, all
 Idea of that kind would have to be aban-
 doned. What do you think about her, l Morgan? What is the matter? Can any,
 thing be done?
 ''The only hope we have, Seaton,"
 said, firmly and impressively, lis for you
 to go over there and take that char-wo-
 mans place, stoop down to Hesters ear, ' fQ k0 hoTsh hon in tall
 as you have told me, that your whole fu-
 ture depends upon her lfe." Seaton looked at me in dumb amaze
 ment.
 ''In fifteen minutes twill be too late,"
 I continued. .'Your voice and your hand
 she can barely recognize now"
 Then Seaton went quickly over, and the
 char-woman was thrust away. Hester's
 death-striken face, the rigidity of the
 muscles causing it already to look strange
 and unfamiliar, cut him to the core. He
 remembered all that he would lose with
 the life that was rapidly leaving it, and ! sinking upon his knees, a few strong
 words burst from his lips ..s-.-n ''Hetty," he cried, his hot breath close
 to her fainting lips, his hot throbbing l hands grasping her cold and lifeless fingers
 the curling ends of his hair falling upon
 her forehead ''Hetty, live, live, for my l sake! think what it will be for me to lose | youp'
 I And the experiment. was 8 successful
 one. Hester was brought back from the
 confines of eternity. The touch of his
 breath upon her lips, his hair upon her
 forehead, his hands upon her arm, was
 like galvanic shock that set that pump ing machinery at work again about her heart. A tremor shook her frame, her eyelids trembled, then lifted themselves
 slowly-a long shuddering sigh escaped
 her lips. -s.I aF. -~ 'sShe is better, !" stammered Seaton, get
 ting upon his feet 'sshe will live" 1 ssPerhapsi" said, laconicalIY. -
 Ten minutes later Hester had fallen iR-
 to a natural sleep, the only salvation re- served for her. The strong tension upon Iher nerves had yielded at last; her breath
 fell gently and evenly as that of child;
 sweet, grateful expression seemed to
 curve her lips into 6 half smiiec As I
 looked upon her my heart melted within
 me, and walked with quite determined
 strides into the room where sat Seaton, his handsome head already back again
 upon the cushion of his chair. -. | ':It's all right now, isn't it?'' he said, lanxeusiy, as I entered. ow ttA singular
 ease of sndden prostration. She must be I taken care of, Morgan. We must have some one to take all responsibility for the present of her mind Great Heaven!
 what fearful thing it would have been! kIt would have changed my whole fature,
 Morgan: never should have dared to
 marry. The generality of women are not lsuited to -a sick -reom..-rather detrement
 than otherwise and you know it's always. on the cards that thls arm of mine may play the ducew me; and it's impossi-
 ble to say what terrible phase fhe disease
 may take if it shonld terminate fatally. The spinal column sometimes forms a complete bow. seaao-aG c 3~o1 -sl F. Seatcn turned pale, and shnddered. "A p1:4.stYou see, Ee continued, sI couldn't
 trust wife in case of that kind unless
 Hester was close at hand. It would be U lix,n,acsGc;lal 2, ... :. Y