Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-07-17


up weak and sickly, for his WAS deli
cate family; and had heard that oul
cousins were often very i'll.
Il can guess why cousin Kate is com
Ing 10 Stay with u.s." said Lii.
II know why she's coming said.
"It's because she's i'll. shouted Lii, fol
fear should know my knowledge first.
"S~Hy will take her up new warm
milk ard an egg ia ii before she gets out
OF bed 10 the morning" said Cissy SOL
EMMY. "tha. will soon make her well.'
She shall hnve all The eggs Speckle
lays, said Lii, land Jenny will take her
every morniug to tho old garden seat
under The trees. She's sure 10 get
well there"
And 80 We did, Tor cousin X ate came
that afternoon - tall, pale girl, with II
sad, weary look 10 her face, rs she gazed
wis,iuiy from one to the other.
We three girls stood back quite in ave
OF the wcll-dIessed. fashionable looking
body, who was 80 different from what
We had expected. while mamma went up
TO welcome her, aud took her in her arms
in a tender AifuctiOnate way, saying.
My dear child, VIC are so glad 10 see
you"
Cousin Kate thew her arms around
mamma's neck and burst into tit of
sobbing, hiding her face from our sight.
We did not see any more oil cousin Kate
that day bu, cur young interest was
deeply excited, and somehow, perhaps
los,ered by dark hints dropped by Sally.
who was blighted hower having been
crossed in a love affair with the horse.
keeper ut Il neishbOring farm. we girls
got to think OF our cousins illness US 3
sort Of mystery connected in some way,
how we did not know. with the heart.
Oar awe Of the sweet gentle cousin
fell Of the very next day. when We took
possession of her. and led her around our
dea: old country home, with its wilder
ness OF an orchard. great garden shrub
berries, and pleasant meadow.
Her coming seemed TO mark an epoch
in our young lives, for, seeing how weak
and delicate she was, we used TO vie one
with tho other being quiet and gentle,
waiting upon her in the most unnecessa-
~ way, ike slaves. and always ready to
rush ofl most willing messengers to fore
stall any lille wants she expressed.
This came natural 10 us; but on my
part it was increased by few words
which | heard pass between papa and
mamma, mamma. saying that she die
not IhinA poor Kate would ever grow
strong again, but slowly wither away. ]
gave q great gulp as heard those words,
and then bucst out sobbng violently.
You here, Jenny :" said mamma.
Wei! my dear, rs you have heard
what we said, il must be your secret too.
Never let your poor cousin know What
We think, and never behave to her as il
you thought she could not recover"
promised readily, and at fourteen the
possession Of that secret seemed TO make
me more womauly Than my sisters, rs
redouhled nv tend, rness TO Inc sulIcilgg
gic.
The invalid was nineleen--a great age
in our estimation and used TO look up
to her with great vonera;ion, gazing NJ
her soft sweet face and wistful eyes,
wondering why she was so i'll, and what
was the great SORROW that had come
upon her like blight upon one OF the
ro ses round our porch.
Cousin Kate came To us in the spring.
and the months flew by ill it was the
height of summer; and many night
had turned my face to the wall. SO lha'
Lii should not know, and cried silenil,
ill my pillow was wet. For | knew 50
well that Kate was weaker. so much
weaker than when she came, walk
across the lawn to the old garden-seat in
the shade being as much now as she
could bear.
cousin Kate" said. one day when
we were alone. Lii and Cissy having
rushed Of 10 get some flowers, couldn't
any doctor make you well ?"
She looked at me with wild strange
gaze which almost startled me. before
she replied, and then in way that made
my heart beat she sobbed out
"Only one-only!" and then as il to
herself, in u low whisper. she added,
land before he can come shal! be dead
dead !"
She did not know | heard her last
words, and | sat chilled and fright
ened, gazing al her till my sisters got
back, when as We frequently did, we sal
down about her; Lii got upon the seat,
Cissy sat on The grass with her head
against one of Kates hands which hung
listlessly from the corner where she
leaned, and | threw yselt on the grass
at her feet, 20 as TO look up in her gen
tie face, which had now become calm,
with its old weary look.
cousin Kate" said Lii. "tell us at
other story"
oNo NOV said "uOn't ask she isn't