Litchfield enquirer., 1876-08-31

hospital, and then went back to Ed. He had fallen into a kind of stupor again, and the nurse said that unless he took turn for the better she didn't think he could last many hours. You see, he had been almcsi starved to death, and as sometimes happens in such cases, he seem- ed to have lost the power of taking nour- ishment. l don't deny that as I sat by Ed. s bedside about o clock in the morn- ing, with the lights burning low, and eve rything quiet, only some poor crazy wo man who was crying and screaming Tn another part of the house,-I won't deny that wished myself back on shipboald again. I thought of Lois and the baby that had never seen and might never see; of the chances there were against my getting direct passage home; of Uncle Jethro's arrival at home, ,and the way Lois and my mother would look when they found had not come. l remembered how delicate mother was, and how many things might happen, and Iwon't deny but 1 made something of 8 fool of myself. If there IS any time in the twenty four hours when the devil has particular con trol of a mans thoughts, it IS between 2 and o'clock in the morning."
 'Some folks would say your second thoughts were best, and that your first duty was towards your wife!" remarked Captain Burton. D" 5e# ,e
 1T don't believe second thoughts are best!' answered Asa, hls dark face flush ing little; ''I believe when man is in the habit of trying to do and think the thing that is right, h1s first thoughts are I almost always best. And 1 think a mans first duty to his wife is to do his duty like man whatever it costs him. If my wife had been in any need or danger, she would have had the first claim, but she | wasn't. She was safe at home among her own folks. and nobody knows what those four words mean--among your own folks till he has been sick among strangers in a strange land. ..... ... .s,.
 '"That's just as true as you live !" said Captain Burton emphatically. ''I think you did the right thing. Go ahead !''~>-
 'I knew that kind of thing wouldn't an- swer, of course," continued Asa. ''So I took out little testament mother gave me when went my first voyage, and which always carried in my pocket; and after had read and thought little while. I was all right again. Still, the night was pretty long. and I didn't dare to go asleep because the lady had told me that Ed. might be taken worse at any time. I had SOb OuU my 4OOGCAS IO AuFU AOOA db the top of the paper, when Ed. moved and opened his eyes. I saw at once that he knew me. s.......
 "'You have got letter from home ? says he in kind of ghostly whisper, after l had given him drink and laid him down agaln. LII -'-s
 "'Yes, from my wife, said l. He gave deep sigh and closed his eyes, but presently opened them again. -'
 Is Susan-is she we'll ? he asked.
 T suppose so, though Lois doesn't mention her, answered I; she has so much to tell about the baby, that she has no room for anything else, only to say generally that all our folks are welI.'
 ''Ed. opened his eyes so wide that they seemed to swallow up all the rest of his face. '",'7 "' .. "'Lois says he, Who's Lois?'
 -".'Why, Lois Macey, that was. I for got thee didn't know ] was married. Yes, Lois and were joined more than year ago, andsnow she has a nice little girl
 a"Lois ? he repeated in the same dazed way and then minute afterwards, 'Idon't understand; thought you were going to marry Susan Coffin.
 "I'm rather bad Quaker, I know, but I was never given to swearing However, l did swear 8 little then. .. 's'l swear to thunder if thee ant the biggest fool that ever sailed out of har- Dor !! says I. Susan Coffin never would have had me if had wanted her. and l never did want her What should I want of a little redheaded wax doll like Susan when could have such girl as Lois Macey ?'says I. a- ss- e-.. e.. -i
 ''That touched Ed, as I meant it should. He was so excited that he sat right up in bed. 'Red-headed wax doll ' said he in quite fury; Susan Coffin is handsomer than Lois Macey ever thought she was, and her hair is no more red than yours.'
 We'll, we won't quarrel about that says laughing. Susan is a good girl, anyhow, as no body knows better than for thee, any day. But what put such a notion in thy head 2
 '' We'll, Huldah Greenaway told me first.' >f se.aaTaa st. ,. ! .5s, -y e
 GA pretty business of thee to be list. ening to old Huldah ! As if thee didn't know what she was ? --t
 " '' And then saw you walking together so late in Step Lane, that night before I came away. met you just above the steps, said Ed; but he looked ashamed as he spoke.
 ," Edward Swayne, if thee wasn't sick, thee'd deserve to have thy head broke for a foo, if nothing worse l! says l. If thee'd a spoken out like man, instead of sneak ing along in the dark, thee'd have heard all about it. Grandma was taken worse, and mother was feeble and had little baby, so vent for Susan to stay with grandma. There's the explanation of the whole mystery. Susan cares more for thy thick head than for all her cousins put together, and if thee hadn't been a jealous-pated idiot, we might both have been going home to our wives in the old Island this minute.' fa ral..E s.ss ..s' 3 r., ''Ed groaned and hid his face. By and by he said, without looking up,-''I don't suppose Susan, will ever speak to me again EI ase a1's@ sssht +.3z Y.5" Thee don't deserve that she should said I, but I'll tell thee what she said to me the last thing: '.Asa, if thee should meet Ed anywhere, tell him how it was. s" d"We were both silent good while after this, but by and by a bird ehirped out by the window. and says Ed,- ~sfrjss st s
 Its morning, ism 1t ? r.--.4 7i !" Yes, why ?'7aTsSI o3 iai'5&'rs .,'r.,.
 Z" Because Pm hungry; and I want my breakfast" answered Ed. Asa, yesterday SoVO SO44 uR bO O1Cs 4 tuOukuUt 4 never should see another morning, and I didn't want to. But now must get we'll If I can, if only to go home and tell Susan that I am sorry. I don't know whether she will have me, and shan't blame her if she don't. but must try, any way. [ haven't wanted to eat anything since they picked me up, but now am hungry, and want my breakfast. i.., B., -.,..-., ,i slt .- Well, l called the nurse, and she brought Ed some chocolate. He drank 1t every bit, and then cried becanse the lady wouldn't let him have any more. nAf- ter that he mended faster than any one I evec'saw, and in little more than Il I month he was ready to go home. He was i never tired of hearing about Snsan and her doings, but her preaching.
 '''l don't believe she will have word to say to mei' says he. She'll be afraid of disobiging friends.' ra.a 71s
 6 Not a bit, so long so thee belongs to; IT ( 1>t~ TCN sA 5