Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-24

| so easy? Since there is 30 much sin and
wretchedness in the world, bow fortunate
that death remains. After all, heaven
may be sphere where consciousness is
everlastingly obiiterated."
She returned to her rooms removed her
bonnet and wraps; lay down on the sofa
swallowed the laudanum watched the fire
burning in the CRATE, and felt exceedingly
comfortable. A delightful languor stole
over her her brain gradually teemed with
joyous fancies the apartment where she
was seemed to be vast and wondrously
beautiful. Then the mental pictures faded
a sense of perfect repose pervaded her, and
she passed into the sleep which, left to it.
self, knows no waking.
Not many minutes after Christina had
become unconscious, her servant, an intel.
| ligent Irish girl named Nora, much attached
to her mistress, knocked at the door of the
little parlor, wishing to inquire if she
might go out for an hour to see one of the
anonymous cousins with whom every Irish
servant in New York is munifcently
blessed. As there was no answer, she
| stepped in, and seeing, by the dim light Of
the turned.down gas, Christina on the sofa,
rather an unusual thing, she feared che
might be i'll.
| Are you sick, mum?" she asked re.
peatedly, and getting no reply, she
turned up the gas, and was frightened by
her paleness. She shook her by the arm,
and still unable to rouse her, was terrified,
as the Irish commonly are, by the presence
or appearance of death. Bending over,
| she detected the odor of laudanum, and
also found the empty vial. "Poor lady.
| poor lady, she has deshthroyed herself in
tirely." cried Nora, and gave way to the
| superabundant emotion denoting her bres d.
"And it's come, be sure, all along O. that
fine gintleman who was goin' to be her
hoosband, and now he isn't"
She soon discovered that Christina was
breathing, though very slowly, and that
her heart was beating So sac ran ont for
doctor, looking at the signs on doors and
windows, as she sped along. She called at
two houses; but as the doctors were not in
at that hour-about o'clock-she left no
word, continuing her search. In Thirty
fourth street she saw another sign, " DR..
! Charles Archer, and hurrying up the steps,
| pulled the bell violently. She might have
read in smaller letters, "Ofice hours from
| 10 A. M. to l P. M" but they would not
| have deferred her earnest summons.
DR.. Archer was in 4; indeed, he was going
! out, and he met her at the door. He had
visited his Office after dinner to attend to
some correspondence, and had in his hand
the letters he had written. Nora informed
him, in her crude pictorial way, that a
beautiful young lady with whom she lived,
Gas guide and swaite soul as ever braithed
the braith of life, " had probably killed her
self on account Of a man who had deceived
her, no doubt.
Archer was interested in the case at once
particularly when he heard the name Chris
tina, which he Immediately associated with
Philip Royden, and his coarse talk that
evening at the Club. He inquired of Nora
about Mr.. Robins, as she called him-evi.
IDENTIFY an assumed name-and had no
trouble in identifying the fictitious person
with Royden. Learning that Christina had
taken laudanum, he was prepared, when he
reached her rooms, which were not far
from his office, to treat the case under
standingly. He promptly administered an
emetic, which had the desired effect, and
he announced to Nora that her mistress
was in all likelihood out of danger. AT
! this the faithful servant burst into fresh
tears, and thanked God and the Virgin for
allowing the good lady to get well again.
| Archer was most favorably impressed
with Christmas appearance. He could
not avoid thinking how much gentler she
seemed than many high bred" girls who
would have been greatly offended by the
comparison. He was deeply touched, too,
by her misfortunes and her expressions of
regret at being, as she said, brought back
to life. Although very sick, weary and
strangely confused, she frequently spoke,
as if in communion with herself, and some
times iucoherently. When Archer, who
was always tender to and sympathetic
with those in any sort of affection, said,
later ON, and in the gentlest tone, to
Christina, 81 am happy to be able to tell
you that believe you will recover"
(! Recover, doctor? You don't mean
it?''
! 81 mean it most truly. You needn't
be afraid of dying now. my good girl.
| "Afraid of dying ?" she exclaimed, with
astonishment. "Why, / am most anxious
; to die. Surely, you have not cured me %
/ ST think and hope have"
] so doctor, doctor, it was cruel to do
it," and the tears ran down her cheeks like
rain. ST have nothing, nothing to live
i for. o, why didn't you let me die :? Death
would be real happiness compared with
life.''
! "My poor child, the opium has affected
your brain. You're SO young and hand
some and intelligent that it is unnatural
for you to want to die"
"But you don't know anything about
me or my circumstances. If you did, you
would despise me )" and she covered her
face with her hands.
! Pardon me, Christina but l do know
something about you. l pity you and re.
specs you. You have been shamefully
wronged, and you deserve the sympathy Of
every honorable or honest man."
/ His kindly voice conveyed more than his
I. words Both went to her heart, and started
her tears afresh.
] "How strange this is !" she soliloquized.
"Who is this stranger? He calls me Chris.
tina. How can he know me: How can he
respect me? Am still dreaming, or am
really dead, and listening to some good
angelo