Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-03-14

position and peculiarities better
than I, who worshipped the earth
upon which she trod, etc. But
honestly / could never say her
advice was not good, and Susie was
quite willing to admit that | un-
derstood her perfectly.
So year glided by and my blue
eyed mother-in-law was just as
lovable and gentle as before mar
riage. Ny heart smote me some
times when she spoke of the louli-
ness of her home, without Susie,
but | thought of my Uncle Israel
and was firm. 1t was in the fall of
1867, when appalling news reach
ed the company of cotton spec
ulators, that we looked each other
blankly in the face. Instead of
the bales of cotton We had expect
ed, coming to be coined in gold,
we received notice that our agent
had employed inexperienced hands,
had irritated the freedman, who
would have been glad to get the
work, and so mismanaged the
whole affair, and our cotton was
worthless. There was no one to
go but myself, and my home affairs
held me. Susie was not well and |
did not wish to leave her, yet there
might be something saved if good
agent went to Louisiana.
While | hesitated and lamentedt
Mrs. Gardner came to the rescue.
"You must co." she said, "and
leave Susie IN my care. will stay
here with her, and you can return
as quickly as possible. Hannah
will come, too"
Hannah was n family servant
who had been Susie's child nurse.
| engaged a nurse recommended
by Mrs. Gardiner, and with a
heavy heart set my face southwark,
1t is not necessary to enter into o
detail Of my business worries.-
For a month / was detained, try
ing to get some return of the
money we had invested and failed
utterly. In the great cities the
yellow fever ragged, and l avoided
them in my rout. But on my way
from New Orleans to Memphis at 8
little place called Venghan Station
| was taken i'll.
Put off the train, with bag ano
baggage, i was driven to a wretch
ed little tavern and left to die OF
recover as | saw fit. ] have a dis
tinct recollection of doctor feel
ing my pulse, dreary certainty o
filth and discomfort all around me
and of burning thirst. Then fol
lowed agonizing dreams of deliri
um, with pain in every limb, rack
ing headache, lonliness, madness
was fever racked, with horribl
fancies--now being saved by med
ical students, now beset by will
beasts, rending me limb from limit
now in n sea of fire, now in de
sert craving water, / could hea
trinkling from a near fountain, an
vet could not reach it.
} Then in my delirium came a
angel who cooled my lips, pu
water on my head, let air In on IN
sitting agonies. l could not max
my tongue utter the words in m
mind; it would babble of ever
I thing else, but chiefly of Susi
: and the fear that she would com
to take the horrible fever.
And in my home there was
Q scene enacting / have heard d,
: scribed so often | can put it hei
: as IL / had heard and seen it a
: Susie white and weak in her ow
y room, with our first born in h
y arms, not two days old. when
o telegram came to her. The doct'
o at Vaughan Station had found m
+ address in my note book and tel
d grapbed my condition.
"Oh," sobbed Susie, "he will d
It there, all alone and will never knot
y mother, what you have done 4
u him."
a "He shall not die alone," MI
Ie Gardiner said resolutely. II
v shall have o good nurse and 10
~ ing one, as fast as steam can car
- tn Hannah, ~