The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-06-12

tOot OF tho engine and SEQ tho outgoing
of the homeward train.
"Just an hour and half to watt"
said the station master; and back in
search Of the house agent went Mrs.
Jones. This time lie was in, and ur.
panely desirous Of taking her to the de-
sired premises. Then they begun to
walk and walk again, till her head Seem
ed to leave her shoulders md go up in
tho mir, and her body to leave her legs,
which went walking and walking on. At
last row OF new brick houses reared
themselves before her on the brink OF
one OF those dismal gorges, the back
kitchens propped up by posts. the
chimneys topped by queer monsters to
induce them to draw-a whole row OF
staring brick houses, with little court
yards in front, and n funeral urn in tho
middle OF what looked like q newly
made grave. The agent opened the first
Of the rusty iron gates to these little
collrtyards, and entered.
"Why, this isn't the cottage advcr-
tisod, is it I" said poor Mrs. Jones'
"this isn't cottage at all. It's house,
a regular brick house."
eve call them cottages here," said
the agent, mildly; Eve call them brick
cottages. But walk in."
Which was easier said than done, the
occupant opening tho door m inch and
parloying with the agent.
"You'n bc coming hero before break
fast, and after We go to bed, the next
thing" she said. But seeing tho white,
wan face OF Mrs. Jones, size added |:
"Come in and sit down; you do look
beat out. Yes, ma'am, there's three
rooms on this floor
"Four," said the agent.
"Well, il you cali that cubby hole
under the stairs n room, NIL right-aud
they're every ono rs damp rs they can
be. With this roarin' fire, you can see
for yourself tho papers all peelin' off
the walls. There's a laundry down
stairs-yes to the agent). "Don't you
be afraid LII forget the laundry. It's n
very handy laundry, cause the waters
knec-deep there NIL the time; leastways,
it comes and goes with tho tide in the
back lots there. There's four rooms up
stairs-as cold as Greenland in winter,
and hot rs Africa in summer. There
amt garrct on the loft that you can
tuck away rs much rs an old hoopskirt.
But come on up stairs; III show you the
hull premises"
Mrs. Jones declined. She was not
quito able to continue her work that day.
Could she (turning to tho agent) get n
lIack in the vicinity to take to the stu
tion again2 She didn't feel very well,
and n storm had gathered. Tho snow
began to whirl around in tho front lots
and back lots that comprised tho view,
covering up the ashes and garbage, fall
ing into the pits from whence dirt had
been taken, and upon tho heaps where
dirt had been thrown.
A hackl Well, no; there wasn't any
hacks to be had. A conveyance OF any
kind, for which she would willingly
payf We'll, no. ho didn't know OF any.
II she'd take his arm, he'd help her
down to tho station. And, more dead
than alive, the poor Indy found herself
agaiu walking. Tho agent put her on
tho train, glad to bo rid Of what seemed
to him then an impending evil; for she
looked bad, very bad, and there was no
place in Rosedalc for people to be sick
that he knew OF.
But hack was to be got in the metro
polls, which Mrs. Jones reached at
nightfall, and she fell from the steps of
the coach into tho arms Of her aston
ished and terrified husband.
"Dont bo alarmed. DEAR" she whis-
percd; don't mind, TofIy; but I'm 60
ing to die, think.
"Hold on |" cried Mr.. Jones to the
hackman. Then he carried his
wife into the house, and jump
ing into the cab, went after the family
physician.
"She must be very bad" whispered
Mr.. Jones to himself. "She hasn't
called me 'Tofry,' nor put her arms
about mo in that way, since our honey
moon."
The doctor looked grave, ordered per-
feet quiet; sedative. The next morn
ing he looked graver still. Ice was put
upon the poor lady's head, which rolled
hclplessly to and fro upon tho pillow.
And there she lay for four long weeks.
II was season of wretchedness and
despair. Nobody knew how dear and
necessary was this rather sharp and per.
emptory matron till there was an i'm
minent danger Of losing her. Then all
WIS remembered aud clung to tearfully.
Jones found hisheart contracting with
agony, and could think OF no way in
which life would DO endurable without
her. To contend with business afrairs,
to shape the future OF this pretty Ro-
sale, to manage these three boisterous
boys, without Maria-without Mrs.
Jones
my God! Joe, he cried, that night,
bowing his head upon the marble table
and bursting into tears, 81 shall go
mad"
"Hush take heart. Thero's faint
hope" said Joe, coaxing the cold,
trembling fingers of Rosalie into his
keeping.
Oh, what would they have done with.
out him, these Joneses, who knew naught
Of sickness save tho little ills that yon-
der fainting hand upon the bed had
guided safely into health againi Joe
had dealt with it all his life.
That dreadful night not m cye closed
in the house, save. perhaps, the tear
swollen ones Of the boys. Early in tho
day Mrs. Jones Ind fallen into slum.
ber which the doctor had said would
probably lead from unconsciousness into
death. But the next morning, though
still asleep, her pulse was stronger; n
nanIln noranirntinn hnfhnl hnr fnrnlnnl