St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-02-01

y
this abominable conscience walked just
as briskly, and talked faster. Some
thing in this fashion.
"How cold it is !" remarked Josie.
eyes," answered Conscience, though
nobody asked it to speak. "HOw blue
those little Meaghers must be look
ing. wonder whether that youngest
one will lose those toes that were so
badly frost-bitten y
Indeed, it would be difficult to ex
aggerate the ilI-bred persistence with
which Conscience introduced this dis
agreeable subject. Lill never got rid
of him a moment, till, stopping before
the windows of grand bookstore, they
went into ecstacies over the beautiful
books and pictures for the holidays.
One picture, however, sObered them
both, while it greatly fascinated i'm
pulsive Lill. 1t was an Ecce Homo, the
face full of divine sorrow, the head
crowned with thorns.
"How strange it all is !" said Lill,
under her breath, "HOw did they ever
dare-O, 10, doesn't it seem sometimes
as if the hands that made that crown
ought to have withered and dropped off
when they went to put it on ?"
iSS5 Stiiu oo, a. iitoiS oooShOiN ShS
was relieving herself 10y looking at such
a capital picture of Scotch terrier; it
always tired her very much to be seri-
GUS.
But Lill was something of an enthu-
siast, and liked to talk of these things
now and then.
go, Josie, don't you feel sure, some
times, that you love Him very much
If only could have lived when He did,
| would have done anything for Him."
Conscience was so stupetied with as
tonisbment, it said never Il word.
81 have often thought" continued
Lill, musingly, 81 would like to have
put that ointment on His feet, and
wiped them with my hair"
JOS eyes twinkled little, as she
glanced at the de> elopment on the
back of Lill's head, which was too re-
markable to be overlooked that after
noon. Hair 81? yes, Il little and Japan
switch. and wOrsted, and Gratis" 80,
dear" gasped 10; but she couldn't be
so wicked us TO say what was passing
in her mind.
"Jo," resumed unconscious Lill, edo
you ever think how you'd feel if you
found yourself dying? all of sudden,
say"
Jo started little. "What is the use
of talking about such things, Lill ?" said
she, in an aggrieved tone. 'It's such Il
bright, pleasant day, and it does so
spoil everything"
81 don't know, Pm sure" said Lill.
''but every little while have to think
about it, whether want to ol not !; and
| would like to know how you'd feel,
JO."
''Well, I'd be terribly flightened,"
said Jo, with terseness and candor.
Il hope L wouldn't" unused Lii, sit
don't seem quite right. You know we're
both members of the church"
''ln good and regular standing" in
terpolated JO, cheerfully.
"And why oughtn't we to be glad to
depart and be with Christ, which is far
better ?"
10 shook her head with returning de-
spondency.
"Tll tell you what" said Lii, hur-
riedly, by way of gagging Conscience,
who was waking up, and suggesting
several disagreeable answers to her
questions: "Tm afraid something is
wrong and Pm going to make ever so
many good resolutions, New Years, Jo,
anu luIU over IL new le;lI JtlaU lust
three weeks from to-day"
Why it was best to wait three weeks
for this desirable change, it would he
hard to tell. The workings of Lill's
mind were always mysterious she was
Il perpetual conundrum to her friends.
The three weeks were very short,
however, each day seemed to fairly race
away into the twilight; there wasn't
half time enough for anything. Mrs.
Meagher had called once IN the interval,
but Lill was just then "slaving" over
Christmas presents, and couldn't be dis
turbed if president Grant, the Sultan
of Turkey, and the Queen of the Can
nibal Islands, should all call together"
At last it was New Years Eve. Lill
came home late from Il merry party at
Josie's; undIessed in five minutes, said
her prayers in five seconds, (or-it is
not best to be too positive in such IL
matter perhaps it was sic or SeUen; the
girls will know, )-and went to sleep
while she was getting into bed. How
many hours passed, she did not know,
but suddenly she came back TO CON
seriousness, feeling very uncomfortable
indeed. She opened her eyes, and was
astOnished to find that some one had
lighted the gas, and the room was full
Of people. There was Jane, making
mustard paste, and cook bringing in
hot water, and DR.. Banks-what on
earth was he dong in her room at that
time of night Lill felt little uneasy
as she wondered what he thought of
her front hail done up on hair-pins, and
then she forgot it, us she caught sight
of her father at the foot of the bed,
looking so anxious, and her mother
pouring something out of a bottle, and
crying little too. What did it all
mean
"a most alarming attack of conges-
ton" said DIR. Banks, dropping her
wrist, ''qnless she is relieved very
sOOn-n
He didn't finish, but great teaIs fell
upon Lill's face, as her mother held the
spoon to her lips, and Lill's mind began
to work very fast indeed.
''SOme one must be very sick | won
der who. 1t couldn't possibly be I!
And yet what hard work it is to breathe
Congestion yes, that is the very way
Emma died, last winter, just in few
hours! And why shouldn't /"
LilPs heart beat very fast, and then
seemed to stop a whole minute. go,
no! absurd | am not going to die; of
course they will do something to help
me-"
How eagerly she watched them hur-
rying to and fro. How strange that no
body thought of lifting that heavy
weight off her breast. Then she would
be better right away. But no, how
stupid she was growing worse, worse,
worse, every minute! o, SO fast She