The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-05-30
.And he-oh. nv husband %

"And he-oh, my husband !"
"Hush, dear !" and the girl fell
sobbing on her bosom.
u must go and see him." said heI
sister, lifting herself from the lounge
where she had fallen.
mot for worlds p was the ago.
nized reply.
II tell you I win. l am his wife.
You shall never keep me from his
side"
But, my dear, there are watchers
there"
"It makes no difference. must
see my husband. Have they had a
doctor?"
"Yes."
"And there is no hope?"
mo hope, dear"
Dead! Is my Ralph dead? Oh,
my darling, my idol God has in
deed punished me-"
She went slowly into the room
beyond. How still and stark and
white, that figure under the white
sheet.
Two men sat by the open bay
window, keeping each others spirits
up. They were smoking and that
pungent odor seemed to offend her
very much.
"How very little they care" she
sighed.
Lisetta had followed her only to
the door, then shrank back, leaving
the woman alone.
"Oh, my darling if you had only
listened to meW she moaned, as she
turned down the covering. "Why
wouldn't your"
She leaned over, fixing her eyes on
the pallid face.
Long and steadily she gazed, hold
ing her breath, both hands pressed
over her breast, as if to restrain the
rapid pulsation of her heart.
The moments passed. Once she
looked up at the clock. 1t wanted
a quarter to three, and then, throw
ing herself on her knees, she took
her position close to the body, and
watched, and watched with strained
eyes.
What did she see? The men had
flung their cigars out of the window
and changed their places, looking in
awe at the strange tableau. The man
seemed marble ON the bed, the wo-
man seemed marble at his side.
Hush !" she said, with uplifted
finger.
Then one cry rang through the
room that brought every body in the
house to the room.
There is life here! l tell you p
cried the wife, hoarsely and rapidly.
run, one of you for help. He is
not dead. Go quickly, waste no
time, for who knows, who knows? ?
Oh, fly, fly for help!"
Both watchers left the room pre-
cipitately.
Others came in, and with careless,
pitying words, Knocked her hopes.
Il care not If he is cold, rigid,
senseless, there is life there, / saw it.
Bring me fire, a coal, anything that
burns, and see if his flesh does not
blister"
And still they did not believe her.
Two surgeons came, by that time
they had applied the test, and be-
hold the dead man opened his eyes.
Terrible was the story he told
when at last they reused him from
that deathlike trance. He had been
conscious every moment from the
time they pronounced him dead.
When his wife came he felt the
deadly torpor stealing over his sens
es, but her voice, her lamentation,
her close watch, revived and heart
ened him, and he made almost su-
perhuman efforts to show her that
he was not dead.
That close watching saved him
and made him another man. To the
wife he had sighted, wronged, in
suited, he owed his life, and he had
manliness enough to remember and
confess it.
His wound healed rapidly, and
when, a month later, they were re-
called to America, on the death of
Mrs. Forester's father, he was able to
accompany ber.
A late repentance had resulted in
the alteration of the will in their IA
vor, and Forester found himself in
possession of the wealth he had so
long coveted.
But more to him than all the rich
es that now poured in upon him was
the love that had so guarded and re-
stored him, and of which he found
himself unworthy.
The gambler, who had been accus-
ed more than once of unfair dealing
by Ralph Forester, and whose losses
had kindled an animosity long cher
ished against his victim. till it result
ed in a blow from the dagger of his
assassin, was never heard from,
though 3 reward was offered for his
arrest.
Lisetta was sent by her brother to
Italy. where she is still pursuing her
studies, and bids fair to astonish the
world with her marvellous voice
Mrs. II. A. Denison.