Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-09-19

II suOI OUT OF my own guH-WulCH HUI
lodged in the bend of the knee. They
talked of inflammation, tumors, white
Swelling and other matters with long Latin
names, which, though heard them then
for the first time, have remained engraven
on my memory.
They all agreed upon the importance of
the case, and the urgent necessity of an
operation, though none of them seemed
willing to undertake it. The responsible
ty seemed too great, and the success too
doubtful.
The fear was that the patient, whose
system had been weakened by his two
weeks suffering, might sink under the
operation. A rough voice repeated two
or three times over, II had rather cut out
ten rifle balls"
be Dir. Maginn, however, urged the opera
tiSon, saying that he knew my fathers
strength and constitution, his habitual
,sstlmness and regular habits. He grew so
earnest that at last heard him say:
"Then shall call in DR.. Sedllot, who
will be less timid than you
| There came loud chorus of voices, the
doors opened and closed again behind
Them, and the house was left in misery
and gloom.
| Our good doctor paid us no more visits
that day, and presumed he had gone to
yet the great surgeon from Strasbourg. The
next morning at six o'clock my mother
called us all up, made us dress and 60 into
our fathers room. lie kissed US very fer
vently. Then we were all put into IL little
carriage, and she begged me to take good
care of the younger ones.
MY dear boy" she continued, "your
uncle wants you all to come week with
him, and 60 to the great tcte which is
about to be held. The change will do you
all good, especially you, dear, for you have
lived shut up like prisoner for the past
fortnight. Do not be uneasy about the
health of your dear father. After to-day
am certain he will get better"
Dear mother! 1t was her great pity for
her child which led her TO misead me as
my father before had done. The opera
ton now felt sure bad been decided upon,
and she was anxious to get us all away
till it was over My uncle's astonshment
when we arrived at his house made me
certain there lad not been even time to
send him II message.
Il am convinced" thought, "the op-
eratiCn will take place to-day. My place
is ut home, and am going back again.
set ont therefore on foot, not taking
leave Of anybody, and in less than three
hours | had travelled the twelve miles be-
tween Ilochfeld and Saverne.
shall not tell You all the dreadful
things thought of as l pressed onward.
Besides repentance for my carelessness,
was full Of anxiety for the future. had
grown from Il boy into man in those two
weeks of suffering, knew we were not
rich; knew there was Il mortgage on the
property. My fathers business as law
yer was based upon his high reputation for
probity and indulgence, and it would die
with him. If our house were to be sold,
what would become of my mother and
the little ones? had been good scholar.
But what could Il boy who had not finished
school do to support Il flmily9 envied
my poorer neighbors. Their sons could
learn trale-somc of them, even now,
no older than myself, were earning their
own living
Instead of approaching our own place
by the highway, | went round by the lanes.
/ forded the river (Which was low) and
came out unperceived under those win
lows OF the house which overlooked the
garden.
was about ten yards from my home
when IA sharp cry of anguish struck upon
my ear, No words can describe that cry
or the effect it had upon me.
In those days there was no ether, no
chloroform, to lul the patients insensibl-
hy. The doctors cut right down into the
quiverng flesh, and human nature could
not refrain from cries. | do not know
how long the agony of my dear father
lasted, nor how long it was that my sus-
pense and suffering endured. When | re-
covered myself was lying on my face in
the midst of a bed of geraniums, graspng
for my mothers plants-which | had
pulled up by the rootS-in both hands. |
heard no noise. The house was perfectly
still.
rose. shook myself. went in by
u side door, more dead than alive. At the
foot of the stairs met my mother coming
down.
"NIamma, mamma, is it all overPn
"Ctlm yourself, Frank. What had to
be done is all finished. The doctors say
he will get we'll"
Then she began to wonder over my re-
turn, to scold me for leaving my uncle's
house, to lament over my new clothes,
which had not been improved by the dust
of my double journey, or my passage
through the Iern.
The dear, dear patient slept. He was
not told of my return for several days, for
it had been his particular request that we
should be away ut The time OF the opera
ton.
At last my mother had to tell him, for
she never kept anything from him.
He asked to see me and tried to comfort
me, and made me remark that he was get
ting back his color. 1t was Il happy mo-
ment for us both. He wept nearly as
much aS my mother and l.
81 mislcd you, my son." he said, " be-
cause if anything very sad had come of it
l hoped you would never suspect the
truth"
"Ah, papa! even now shall never get
over it'
,, "Oh, YES, you will, Frank. Now, you
must stay by me until school begins. You
shall be my nurse, my head lacquey, my
: hospital steward. My dear boy, you have
Suffered so much from my accident that il
is only fair you should enjoy my convn
: lescence."
> From that hour began happy intimacy
between father and son which was one o
the greatest blessings of life to me. The
dreadful accident which had happened
: through my heodlessness made me careful
and thoughtful; my fathers courage ant
! great kindness made IL deep impression
= upon me.
: One day when was grieving over hi
Y illness, MS 1 stood beside his bed Qor ht
!, was well long before could be comfort
4 ed), he said:
). I'VE were both careless, Frank. Youl
= huedlessness was not II grave fault ut YOU
:. age but ought to have been upon my
d guard As your teacher and your fathel
| | was wrong to take my stand, in order tC
/. shoot a rabbit myself, within two hundred
h yards of you. ought to have stood nea
Il YOU and seen after you, and have givel
l. up shooting myself that day. That il
" what mean to do the next time we g
If ont together"
"a No, father, not" l exclaimed vehe
', mently. 81 shall never go out shootin!
10 again"
o :" You are wrong, my son. want yo
=, A.. h., =, ,,,orts,,,nn Tho nxprcisp is inVnl