Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-08

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Horace home. for he's hurt pretty
bad. Could you call Jonathan to
help the men lift him out p
Il was round at the back Of the
wagon before he hao fDished speak
ing, and gazing eagerly inside. Hor.
ace lay there with his head upon
his arm, and his eyes shut, looking
very pale; but 1 could not see that
he was very much hurt, until sud-
denly, as the mon lifted him, and in
doing 90 loosened the blanket they
had thrown over him, saw that
both limbs were fearfully crushed
and mangled.
suppose | cried out, and it
startled him, for he lifted his head
and looked towards me, Mile, I'm
used up he said, family.
1 did not, for | could not, reply,
but f lowed, too stunned even to
weep, as they carried him into the
house.
He needs careful attention, and
steady hand was the first thing l
heard distinctly and found that
the doctor stood near, and was talk.
ing to me. l reused then, and took
up my task-ayel my life-w ork-
and never since have | for one mo-
ment laid it down.
Both limbs must be amputated
and it must be done to morrow
morning. the doctor was saying
lin the meantime, care must be
TAKEN and go on
[ listened with q throbbing head,
and tried TO attend and ask all nec-
essary questions.
At length the doctor took his de.
parture, and accompanied him to
the door, very 10th to have him 90
but he left, promising to come in
again the first thing in the morning.
As | tarned to go into the house
again, | saw Harry leaning against
one Of the piazza pillars. He came
forward Immediately, and as | met
him l placed my hand on his arm
and my face on his shoulder, and
burst into tears.
me; but for few minutes even his
efforts failed, until at last he began
to ask me questions, and | to an
swer, until the tears we're driven
back, and l was calm again. lie
seemed, if it could be possible, even
more shocked and sorrowful than l
was, but he tried to hide it in order
to soo.he me. | was quiet and still,
at length, under his gentle and pa
tent efforts, and sat there quietly
talking until they called me from
within and then, knowing that |
could have no more leisure. told
him so, and, bidding him good night,
went in.
| was to share the nights watch
with our yeuug servant, Mary and
in accordance with this arrangement
l sat at the bedside until midnight,
attending To the many wants of
Horace, who was suffering fearfulIy,
aud needed constant attention. He
was easier, however, before Mary
came to take my place, and l felt
that | need have no anxiety, and
that it would be much better tor
me, in the prospect of the morrow's
trial. if quietly slept the remain
der of the night. | lay down in my
room with my face towards the win
dow, through which the moonlight
was pouring, and outside of which |
could see the waving branches of
trees, determined TO go imm ediately
to sleep. But failed utterly. The
events of the day passed 10 array
before my excited brain, and for
babe all rest of body or mind.
had lain about an hour, trying
in vain to sleep, when suddenly, just
as l was beginning to lose myself,
the thought OF the California letter,
and what it involved, came over me,
with the sudden fear that l could
not go either now or any time. Our
family were very comfortably
placed-indeed, were wealthy; but
my brother was the only one beside
myself who was ssrong enough to
carry on the duties of large farm
and the mill. l knew tt at my broth
er would be, must be, cripple for
life, and here l had been planning
to leave my mother and my brother
to the tender mercies of strangers.
The thought of how it would be if l
stayed at home-my agony and the
deep sorrow of the heart which l
know was all mine, was almost over.
whelming. Could l ever bear it +?
And yet was it not my duty? The
struggle almost killed me. loved
Harry with all my heart, and bow
could l bear the thought of letting
him go away to that distant land
with no hope of ever seeing him
again. Ny head throbbed and beat
with the tumulL of my heart until
it began to grow light in the east,
and then / threw myself on my
knees, and spent the next two hours
in struggle and prayer. How the
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not gone to God, 1 shall never know,
but He showed me then so clearly,
so plainly, that my duty lay here,
and that no good | could do in that
far-off land, could ever atone for
having left my mother and brother
thus, that | gave up at last, and
buried my head in my pillow in an
agony of grief. I must remain at
home.
This was wretched beginning
for such q day as kew was be-
fore me, and | was in very poor
state to bear anything. as I slowly
descended tbs stairs, aud made my
way TO my brothers. room. Mary
exclaimed at my looks as came 10,
but | checked her midway, and
came up to the bedside. Horace was
better, and opened his eyes and
spoke.
Are you well 2 he said, fearful
for me. amid his own suffering.
l replied, that Il was quite well,
and ready to nurse him. wondering,
at the same time, how he would
bear to be told of the coming troub-
le. But he anticipated me.
The operation Is to be performed
H. "a. -