The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-10-14

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plain. Yet could not but be aware of
my landlady's eye piercing me through
the crack Of the parlor door, purposely
left ajar, and of the hasty Tapping of
loose slippers, which told of the startled
slavey's flight into the abyss below.
An unusual silence held my friends
house that morning The door was
opened before / had time to ring, by q
melancholy footman, who, walking be-
fore me with elaborate delicacy Of an
Agag, noiselessly ushered me into the
study. 1t was my lot to be again rooted
to the spot with amazement. BY book
case. in shaded corner of the room. with
his head bowed low upon his hands,
} llnelt the philosopher. Here was long
step from the seige of Troy, from the
simple wrath of childlike hero to the
most complex embarrassment of an heir
of all the ages. What should | do? The
dismal menial had fled to tine 5,ades,
without word, without even glance
into the room. If | retreated left my
friend unaided, and remained Ignorant OF
the cause of his strange conduct If
advanced, l was again the intruder on a
scene not prepared for my inspection.
In an agony of hesitation I fell to brush
ing my hat with my elbow; but not find
ing the expected relief in the occupa-
ton, | was about to desist, when my hat
decided what my head could not. by fall
ing with crack on the floor. The effect
was electrical Without one glance mt
the intruder, the philosopher made n
crab at the nearest bookshelf, dragged
out volume which hadnot been touched
for half a century, and hunted for moth
ing in its pages with frantic eagerncss.
He was still mt it when | stood over HIM
and noted without wonder that he held
the book mp side down; then with the
poorest imitation of surprise which l
have ever seen, he rose and graspcd my
hand "You found me on the track Of
something" he said. Il was looking it
out iu-in-"
Here it occurred to him that he did not
know the name of the venerable tomb
which he had so rudely disturbed and
with heightened color and n sudden
change of manner he turned quickly to
me and said, "My child is ILL" felt
positively guilty. [ had been angry with
the baby for making my wise friend fool
ish for not being boy, for being called
"a noble woman" Was it not shameful
that great hulking brute should sncel
mt Il weak thing that could not even an
swcr with taunt? Were not my clumsy
sarcasmS enough to crush so delicate
plant? The poor little "nobIe woman
was in danger and | could do nothing t'
help her. There were tears III the eye'
which were looking into mine for com
fort; hut | had nothing ready to say;
II could not stand being alone, III
muttcred after short silence; hedooc
tor is with her now. and i'll moment
may hear that my little daughter must
in fact may hear the worst
While he was speaking | seemed t'
have fifty consoIing remarks TO offer; bu
when he stopped no ono sentence wonll
disengagc itself from the rest. What
blutcd out at last seems almost rldlcu
lous as look back on It,
"You must hope for the best, said
"you know she has youth ON her side.
The words were scarcely ont of my
mouth when | heard a measured stcl
upon the stairs; presently the door was
opencd bv the nosclcss footman, and The
most famous of London doctors entered
the room. My friend leaned heavily OF
nv arm, but looked at the man OF sclenc'
with seeming calm.
81 am happy to say said the physl
clan cheeriIy, "that our li',le if'eha
going ON as we'll as possible ~,
"And she is out OF danger
"She never was III It, ,
"Ncver in dangcr| cried !, Amos
disappointed -,
"She has nothing the matter VIII,
her." he replied, " but n slight 1everlSi
cold. | have seldom seen ihef or more
healthy enid, uoou Il1.p',ni nioani"s' uoro wo,
never WIS more "ili'rSou IL IL we, W."
waste OF my llil1S. a ,teir,T1' ai r;I u n,o~", w
- stlrleo " .i'b ,,,,l, uup'l' s,'ro,;sh coli n
W 'cii'' ~ D"nS ,,,aJ thot Il wos n,
% eouiSo i,. W"1 nv, W ;,;enJ was too ahsnrd
worse puI my iiier'' M"' wv "''"i y
anu = "o,'' Nv. l.''',,. 'l ,,a,,r s.r1ios ~
won you rns'no lo;yt;n,, sp"a 't, :" ho lie
asked sarcasticaliy; polh'lils 10 'llo nc a,o n,,
turbed booh, %ntcll Snt iS Was hmSiliv SH On mioh M
ground at our iee.' ni1 I ',',l' LUZ ns.s; = ~ F.,
have disarmed me q ha nil ~ ;s'..iu ,n,, ho, W
been fool ne salu, rao,i;:n nu. IL aoi, horT ,I'
seen .e,, i,er "i, sla , 10 co small and fragile"
anu .nci s''o 10 81, ~ 'l' 'nn'an VI ron,or,
Yes, Tor ronniSe% Honlo To,I, tha DART meekIv v
ed; he received 'ie "dIonin u"iI % jo
philosopher, ro,,sn s"i'' him :, om' at any cost I
terlhlne,t 70 ,,r,I III .h;c room Won we're en-
"when entered ,'l'S ;o room aoior I" csrtoipi, ~
gagged IN prasMlT, :Mov ! m ask 81 injured
dcepened' May l "'N' IS doflronce
WIN .,,. "n ,.o,, uHt ,roro addressing yoursel
whether you were . a''t'tuSS,"S ToIso or =" tb,
to to the rGrsol'"i Sc h,,t r"I' ncrhons I you wer,
Unknowable -- n"' T." pe'm"To rotTioro, % order q
:,;o,oo bu