Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-10-01
dltlon to hear even that, though ] put


by convalsscent patients, iato small
one, no dark that | could not dis
tinguish anything for moment,
"Is she here r. ! heard a woman'a
voice ask family, aud, guided by the
sound, | saw q woman lying on a mar
row bed, propped up with plllows
~ am Miss Dennison," ! said, "but
| am very wet, and may give you a
chill"
ut don't matter, sshe returned, afler
waiting for prolonged coughing'ht
to pass, "Nothing can hurt me, aud
| must say quickly what ! have to
say"
Even then felt certain impa.
tience that | had been dragged out on
such day, to hear tho dying con-
fession Of q stranger, who probably
Intended II Tor some other person.
How often, but for our hard'work-
ing guardian angels, We should pass
by with n sniff and miss forever the
most blessed opportunities OF our lives
sat down by tho womau's bed, and
she grasped the cape OF my water
proof" as il to DO certain that should
not escape her. She was much emac''
ated (hcr cheeks-bones stood like
rocks at low water, ,',and, having been
Il dark brunette in her best days, her
coal-black hair and extreme sallownes'
made ghastly contrast with the pill
lows at her back.
"Are we alone I" she asked when
the Matron went cut aud closed the
door, without noticing my silent
entreaty for her to remain.
glanced over the room aud per-
ceived another bed, in which the out
line of human figure was visible
under the coverlet.
"Not quite; there seems to be some
one asleep in the other bed"
"Yes, she sleeps fast enough, and
she won't trouble US with her dreams
its the-only kind Of sleep worth hav-
ing. She died while the Matron was
down stairs
"For mercy's sake let me 90 and
tell her - l sad Mortified ut her care
less manner.
at is for mercy's sake to the living
that l have sent for you Never mind
the dead"
The woman was not in the least
wild in her manner. and paused only
to cough at intervals.
81 am Madeleine Dejoux, seam
stress, who worked three mcnths once
for Mrs. John Deane, making up the
wardrobe for one OF her babies. l
think it was the second boy. l used
to see you, Miss Dennison, every day,
and you have changed very little
But I was handsome then, with @
brilliant, Spanish sort Of beauty you
would not suppose it, to see me now =?
81 have given no thought to the
matter at ALL said little sharply
recognizing her at last as one whom
had formerly disliked, and snspecting
that she was about to confess the theft
of Isabel's gold thimble, or something
of the sort.
II suppose not, but you must give
both thought and understanding to the
rest of what l have to say. Mr.. Deane
and his wife, as possibly you have
noticed, were the most perfectly hap
by married people that I ever saw
Being SO long under their root, l had
every. opportunity to observe it.
always sewed in little room. adjoin
ing their chamber, which Mrs.
Deaue used as nursery; indeed, she
usually sat there with the only child
she had then.
"She treated me kindly, after
fashion, but somehow she seemed to
make no difference between me and
the servants in the house. l was just
the person who served her purpose,
and she wanted no more to do with
me. I had been taught that my good
looks we're to be my fortune, and she
never noticed them at all. -a
"She was a plain-looking woman at
times when she had no color; but il
she bad been full-fedged angel, Mr..
Deane could not have been more con.
vipced OF her beauty. He fairly wor'
shipped the ground she walked Oh,
and when could hear them billing
and coolng over their boy, l would
grind my teeth with sheer envy OF her
happiness.
81 tried in every way to attract Mr..
Deane's attention. even to lacing his
wife's boots after she found /. difficult
to stoop; but he had eyes only for her
foot. and nsvar saw tha scarlet flower