Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-06-09

been very delicate that winter, and my
great rough father denied her nothing.
| 7 sbudder when think of that beauti
ful. direful place now-it seems as
though our evil fate lowered about
il. All the anguish ever knew cen
ters there.
We passed one peaceful month to-
gether, disturbed only by distant Iu-
mors of the diphtheria, ascourge which
seemed to be striding along from viii
lage to village, first on the river, then
nearer us on the great lake; but we
never thought of its touching us, until
one miserable night, when father came
home, languid and feverish, from one
of his numerous expeditions, and we
read N his face that the CHASTITY finger
of the scourge had set its mark upon
him. After the second day of anxiety
about father all strength seemed to
fail my delicate little mother. From
the first she had despaired about him,
and now | saw that if fathers life were
taken / should have to part with them
both.
Her life would die with his, for sorrow
forges stronger bonds even than Joy, and
they had suffered so much together, his
love always supporting her. that he had
become life of her life. She could not
exist alone.
l struggled hand to hand, and sick of
heart, against what felt to he an mex
orable fate, and, on the afternoon OF
the eighth day found myself alone
and almost dcspairing, save for the
happiness of the two had loved best in
the world.
The sunset came, as l sat by the lake
side, flooding my desolated world with
heavenly glory, like a sign from them
to me of their new-found Joy.
The stars had come ont before l ven.
tured to return to the worse than de-
serted house. could not hope for help
from any neighbor until sought it out
myself the next day, and | had to look
forward to Il night, how horrible. | did
not forcsee, or l could not have endured
it. What followed / could scarcely
credit myself, il l did not bear on my
hand q tangible proof in a well-dciined
scar; and, even now, could not bear to
write of that nights experience, had not
my children's laughter and my loving
husbands care long since banished all
unnatural gloom from my life.
While l had been sitting alone on the
lake shore, toward the evening, / had
heard distant shot it scarcely reused
me. A Asportsman, / Thought, had wan
dered from his encampment on the OPP
posite shore, and seen some game in
our wildwoods, killed it, and his canoe
had long since carried him away. In
the gathering darkness / gropcd my
way back through the familiar little
path, and reached my own door. I
alone should pass the threshold in the
future their feet were still the busy
feet that had toiled for me, followed me,
and had been ever near me. ! was to
go on my rugged path alone Heart.
sick and overcome, | stopped at the
door, and, leaning my head against it,
sobbed in uncomfortable despair. Tired
ont a length, had grown quiet, and
was about to lift the latch, when n faint
moan rs Of an animal in pain, and close
to me, startled me then a death-like
silence reigned.
/ knew I had been mistaken. I felt
that must forget myself and help the
poor creature in distress. 1t is very
good for strength to know that some
one needs you to be strong. No longer
hesitating hurried into the little cabin,
struck light, and went in tho direction
whence the moan had reached my ears.
l thought of the shot had heard. 1t
was quite possible n poor, wounded
deer was lying in the bushes. Yes,
could now see it's skin in-unmistakably a
fawn-spotted dun color. 1t lay quite
still perhaps that moan had been its
dying gasp and so I came quite close
to il, leaned over, and, paralyzed with
horror, saw my mothers face, only
young and very beautiful as she must
have looked when a girl. Deathly pale,
passible, she lay matted hair all about
her face, and clothed in doe-skin. Just
then she stirred; il was not death. All
wonder ceased within me, every feeling
fled before the thought that this being,
whatever, whoever she was, might be
saved to live.
dragged her the few steps into the
hoise, laid her on my hemlock boughs,
untouched by me since the sickness
visited us. Then / found a wound in