The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-03-04
Edward Brown, SLoker


We were very quiet, Mary and I, rs
we strolled out Of the churchyaId, down
one Of the lanes. and then, crossing
stile, we went through a couple Of fields,
and sat down on another stile, with the
high hedge on either side of us, and the
meadow that they were beginning to
NOW at the other end, one glorious bed
of flowers and soft, feathery grass.
polly" l says at last, breaking the
silence, "aint this heavenly 2
"And yon feel better = she says, lay
ing her hand on mine.
Better :" l says, taking long
draught of the soft, sweet scented air,
and filing my chest, ''better. old girl! |
feel as if was growing backward into
q boy.
and you fifty last week, she says.
"Yes,' 1 says, smiling, ''and you
forty seven next week" And then We
sat thinking for biz.
polly" | says at last, as l sat there
drinking in that soft breeze, and feeling
it to give me strength, ''it's worth being
Ill only to feel as | do now
For you see Id been very bad, else |
dare say I'm not the man to 90 hanging
about churchyards and watching tuner
ais. Tn stoker, and my work lies in
steamers trading to the East. ia come
home from my last voyage bad with
fever, and been carried home to die as
my mates thought. and it was being like
this and getting better that had st me
thinking so seriously and made me so
quiet Not that | was ever a noisy
sort of a man, as every one who knows
me will say. And now, after getting
better, the doctor had said | must 60
into the country TO get strong so, as
there was no Il ore voyaging till was
strong, there was nothing for it but to
leave the Youngsters under the care Of
the eldest girl and a neiehbor, and come
and take lodgings out in this quiet
Surrey village.
Polly never thought l should get bet
ter, and one TIME no more did for
about q month before this time, as | lay
hollow-eyel AMI yellow on the bed,
knowing, too, how bad | looked, for |
used to make young Dick bring me the
looking glass every morning, the doctor
came as usual, and, like a blunt English
man, put it to him fiat.
''Doctor," | SAYS, 'you don't think
shall get betterf' and | looked him
straight in the face.
"Oh, come, come, my man :" he says,
smiling, 1--WE never look at the black side
like that"
"None of that, DOCTOR" | says 'out
with it like a man. | can stand it. I've
been expecting to be drowned or blown
up half my life, so | shant be scared at
what you may say"
''Well, my man" he says, 'your
symptoms are of very grave nature.
You see, the fever had undermined you
before you came home, and, unless"
''All right, doctor" | says, 81 under
stand. You mean that unless YOU can
get new plate in the boiler she won't
stand another voyage"
'Oh, come we won't look upon it as
hopeless case" he says. "There's al
ways hope" After little more talk,
he shook hands and went away.
Next day, when he came, had been
thinking it all over, and was ready for
him. don't believe | vas bit better.
In fact, | know | was drifting fast, and
] saw it in his eye as well
| waited till he had asked me his diff
ferent questions, and then, just as he
was getting up to go, / asked him to sit
down again.
polly, my DEAR says |, 81 just want
few words with the DOCTOR" and she
put her apron up to her eyes and went
out closngSthe door behind her very
softly, while the doctor looked at me
curious like, and waited for me to speak
Doctor" says, you've about given
ne rp. There, don't shake your head,