Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-12-12
A Turn of Fortunes Wheel.

The air was freighted with the faint
scent of magnolias-great masses OF
cream white bloom shone everywhere.
Nora Leonard, leaning from the win
dow, pale and weary, hated the heavy
fragrance She knew she could never
never again catch the faintest hint OF
that subtle odor without sudden vision
of all the suspense, the pain, the crushed
hopes, the despair, that had wrung her
heart since she entered the place. The
very loveliness gave her sick pang-it
seemed such a moCkery to her desolate
heart.
Mora, where are you? Where the
deuce do you keep yourselfP I'm choke
ing some water-anything! Oh! You're
willing ! should choke, aren't youP But
you won't be rich widow, you see
and poor widow with deformed
child won't"
"Oh, Philip, hush" cried Nora,
hurrying to the bedside with "a flush
rising on her pale face. Don't--don't
talk of our darling in that way. There
is hope, if she can only be put into the
right hands. And l shall try-after-'
ooh, after I'm dead and gone. Go on,
don't have the least consideration for
my feelings. don't mind it, bless you
I knew | should lay my bones in this
confounded hole when they sent me
here-not much beside bones, l should
say"
The invalid was indeed wasted to q
skeleton. His eyes were wild, gloomy
and cavernous, and a hectic spot burned
on each cheek. His long, clawlike
hands clutohed nervously at the bed.
clothes. His voice was harsh, cold and
cruel; although the death damps were
| already on his brow, he had not grown
more gentle or more kind. Jealous and
fierce in his love, he was full of suller
resentment that he must at last release
the woman who had been his bond-maiC
so long, leaving her free to listen tC
| kinder words, to be consoled, perhaps
| by a tenderer love, while he was lying
stiff and stark-turning to mold ashes
| to ashes, dust to dust"
Its as good a place to die in as any
where else, / suppose" he said, moodily
looking into his wife's face; g." if you car
say any place is good to die in, tor {
fellow that wants to live. l could maxi
"Oh, never mind. Don't thinl
| dDOub UutU HOW, cACldlucu NOIt
bathing his forehead.
"Oh, yes! You're like the old woman
who, when her husband wanted to Civ
some parting instructions, said, 'Neve
mind about that, you just 60 on dying.
You're in n confounded hurry, aim
youP"
You are exciting Yourself"
&C 1t does me good. 1t quickens m,
pulses. believe l am just dying o
stagnation. A good game of poker
now. Confound that quack doctor tina
sent me here"
1.-The clergyman called yesterday
81 won't see him. I don't want an,
sulphur and birthstone slung aroun,
here, and as for the place where they'r
all twangin' on golden harps, it must b
deuced slow"
Dear Philip, you frighten me! How
can you say such reckless, darin
thingsp"
A fit of coughing stopped the sic
mans angry answer, followed by com
plete exhaustion, and Nora sat by th
bedside, wearily, sometimes moving tn
restless head, stroking the nervou
hands, or bathing the hot brow, in
lifeless sort of manner that showed non
of the eagerness of love or the anguisl
of a fond wife who is dreading and fear
ing the final blow.
At last, through WEAKNESS and watch
ing, Nora dropped into troubled SLEEP
No movement stirred her from her un
easy dreams. A dead silence-a strange
unearthly hush fell upon the room. N
more the busy hands clutched at tit
bedclothes, no more the wild, ferc
eyes shot out their baleful fires.
The hectic flush burned out on th
hollow cheeks, and ashen hues settle
there, but Nora slept on. A fly settle
on the still face and walked over it with
out molestation.
" Beating heart and burning brow,
Ye are very silent now"
The sound of striking clock and th
opening door startled Nora from he
rest. 1t was high noon, and Chloe, th
kind nurse, had brought in her master
beef-tea. Clinging to her skirts cam
the only child, a tiny little creature fou
years old, her fair hair falling about he
neck and almost concealing the sligh
curvature of the spine which threatene
her with permanent deformity. In th
dark eyes there was that look of patheti
questioning which we often see in chile
ren who have been doomed to suffering
From those shy, startled eyes Phil
Leonard had nicknamed his baby Bum,
and she had found a secure place in h
selfish heart. .e.
Here's de beef-tea, honey" erie
Chloe, cheerily; strong enough
'toxicate pussun.
Nora looked at the bed. She ha
already felt the sense of stiffness ther,
She clasped her hands together.
"Look at him, Chloe. think, al
sure, there's a change"