South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-03-05

Is
She has taken a wondsrful fancy to Ada,
and likes TO have her near her. There
is brightness and sulniness about her
that seems to como like whiffs OF fresh
dir into The sick room and Ada, whose
womanly pity, Is Al aroused by the
sight OF tue thin face and wasted form
is ready at all times 20 render every SER
vice in her power. She forgets her
pride, she remembers not their relative
positions she is simply the tender nurse,
the watchful attendaut.
There comes day at last when Lille
smiles pitifuily up from her pillows, and
says, with tremble In her voice:
Il don't think win get up to-day,
don't feel quite we'll enough
Ada chokes back slump in her throat
AMI responds, cheerfully:
Don't you, dear? All we'll, you'll
feel better to, morrow.
But Lille gives q pathetic shake OF
the head, and two large tears roll slowly
down her checks.
Ada makes no remark, but buses
herself in arranging the bed.clothes and
smoothing the pillows.
Presently Lille takes her plump
white hand between her two wasted
ones.
You have been so good and kind to
me- she murmurs. OIL what should
l do without your
flush hushv interrupted Ada. Il
am not good and kind at all. only do
it because it pleases me to-
Then it is proof that you must he
naturally good and kind, or it would
not please you to wait upon trouble.
some invalid
Troublesome why it would be i'm
possible anywhere to find any one so I'M
complaining as you are. And l tell
you like doing things for you.
Light as the falling OF rose-potal
drops kiss upon Ada's hand.
A fortnight later Lille dies. They
think her peacefully sleeping. till Ada,
vaguely alarmed. endeavors to waken
her. Then they find that she lie indeed
asleep. but it is that last long sleep
from which there is no awakening till
tho Judgment morn.
Mr.. Beauchamp gives way to no pas
sionate outbursts OF sorrow. His grief
is quiet and undemonstrativc. lie
thanks Mrs. Chantry and Ada with
warm gratitude for their kindness to his
wife, and directly after the funeral
leaves Fa;rshore.
Ada finds now terrible blank in her
small world. Other dodgers come and
go, but she cares nothing for them. Life
seems to have become intolerably same
and monotonous. Her mother gets an
xious about her, aud at length insists
upon her having q change.
So she goes and stops with some
friends, and certainly the visit does her
little good; but still Mrs. Chantry 8
mind is not quite at ease. She is more
interested in the daily bust ness Of her
liie--or feigns to be; but then she has
grown so much thinner and pa!er.
She is not 50 self willed, but there is
often such a wis.rul, far-away express
ion in her eyes, that Mrs. Chantry
tells herself she would rather have the
old impaticnce than this new gentleness.
She does not understand the Change; il
worries and perplexes hor.
Are you not well. darling" she will
ask, smoothing The girls dark hair with
her loving fingers.
ME well, mother dearr Ada will ans
wer; yes, quite and with q kiss she
will sit down and play or sing, or else
propose n walk.
IL is q year and somewhat more since
Lille Beauchamp died. 1t was sultry
July weather when she was carried TO
her grave. 1t is glowing August this
to-day when Ada puts on her hat, and
! fnO IF hat- do r
her arm, sets out for saunter on the
beach.
A shortdistance along the shore rises
aloft Il huge rock. bleak, grim and in
accessible to the most dariug OF climb
ers. Under its shadow Ada loves TO
sit, and thither she bends her steps
now.
Somehow, though she is in literary
mood, tho book remains unopened, and
she sits and muses. instead.
The sea is calm and tranquil. Far
off a fleet of fishing boats lie at anchor
Above the sea-birds float slowly across
the cloudless blue sky. There is no
wind. No sound disturbs the dreamy
silence beyond the soothing murmur
OF tho ripping waves,
"As they touch the saLds
With a soft, monotonous cadence
By-and-by she opens the book and
begins 20 read. Twelfth Night is the
play, AMI 80 absorbing are the adven.
lures Of Viola, that she reads on, oil un
conscious OF any ones proximity, till 6
I voice says:
How DO you do Miss Cbantry?
| She looks up, an1 the start she gives
causes the book TO slip from her lap.
She replaces it before she extends her
hand, or says, in n steady voice:
How do you do Mr. BeauchampT
you are not looking we'll. / hope
/ you have not been ill2'
oh no; am quite well, thank you,
returns Ada, hurriedly.
Mrs. Chantry is we'll, Hannah says
Yes she is very we'll. thank you
4 have been TO your house, and Han
nah told me where you we're 50 / came