The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1881-03-12

left home. That Telegram will aei-
ther tel you she is dead dplOr that
she il dying" s, ,s,gbo1 moi
"Heaven, have mercy" ex-
claimed, asI glanced over the con.
tents of the dispatch. My worst
fears were realized; oimy precious
darling was dyingl Yes, dying for
me; dying ola broken heart, caused
by my mysterious absence. 1t is
useless for me to try to describe
how felt, when l read the fatal
news. No one can understand or
appreciate it even il could select
words to describe how greatwas my
misery. Harry stood like a marble
statue, while there was q wild glare
about his eyes, that was really
frightfuI ID behold. 1t was over
half an hour, before either of US
spoke, and there is no telling when
the silence would have been btok.
en-, had it not been for the mes.
Senger. ,..
"Will you wish to send another
dispatch" enquired the lad, who
had been silently witnessing this
painful scene. 'Ifyou do, sir, |
can be ready to 60 again, as soon
as HCan eat a bite, and pro-
cure a fresh horse"
II shall want to send another
dispatch at daylight in the mora
ing" was my answer. | was so
completely paralized, with grief,
that could not shed a tear. 1t
seemed to me, that my heart was
freezing-and this strange feeling
was new thing to mel had
never experienced any thing resem.
bling it before. My audience will
readily understand what cause of
grief I had, when the dispatch is
readS "Here it is::" .t.
,o "DEAR EDDIE:-The welcome
news OF yoar safety received; would
to heaven, it had come a week
sooner; it would have saved our
dear Lottie's ife--but, alas! it
came too late. Put your trust In
God, mysdear unfortunate boy, and
bear your great sorrow as becomes
brave man, Lottie can not pos
IDLY live more than forty eight
hours longer. She is sinking very
fast. Her mind is perfectly clear,
and when your dispatch was read
10 her, she smiled sweetly as her
eyes frightened up--then closing
them, the tears began to stream
from them. She pressed your pic
ture to her lips a dozen times,
then said: "Poor darling Eddie,
how glad | would be 10 see him,
before | die. Then ! wish to see
poor brother Harry, so he can for
give the wrong lhave done him.
| thought he had killed Eddie, and
refused I'd, believe him when he de-
MED it.P 0i Das 'i
She talks Of you and Harry all
the time. | wish it was so, that
you could get here before she dies.
You might do il, if you can get
released in time for the up-train to-
morrow evening. | will send an
other dispatch, early in the morn
ing. .ai .r DODSON."
!. had implicit faith in Doctor
Dodson as a physician, because he
possessed aWell cultivated mind,
and had the advantage of thirty
years experience in the practice of
bis profession. | also knew that
be never ventured TO give an opin-
ion in regard to the condition Of his
patients, unless he felt fully justi-
fed by the fact, in doing so. Not.
withstanding my high opinion Of
his Judgment, ! stall clung 70 the
hope that liz was mistaken as to
Loltie's condition. | have often
heard him and other good physi-
-cians say that while there was life,
there was, hope" and you all know
how the human mind will nurse a
hope, even when no reason or foun-
dation exists for it to stand on.
bad sent up so many silent, but
earnest prayers to God in which
he'd implOred and begged Him to
let my dear Lottie 1--we, that | was
loth'tC believe He would take her
from me. | could not realize the
idea chat her beautiful young per
son was TO be consigned TO the
grave. When hadseen her olast,
she was the very picture Of health
and life --herfair cheeks all agloK
with yivacity-her large expressive
eyes filed with evidences Of hope
and her elastic step indicating
at iength aud yigor Now how was
- .aaliy, kho Fant thot oll fhic