Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-01-09

that cost him fOrtune1 and were splen.
did creatures, though very nervous and
hard to handle. : But | was not easily
frightened then I did not know what
fear was, L could not remember ever
having been hurt in all my life. I had
never been i'll or unhappy.
We flew over the ground, until we
came near a rocky decIivity known as
t.The Great Deh'' which was all cover
ed with snow, the branches of great
trees were covered with icicles growing
in confusion along the sides. One
branch fell as we dashed along. 1t
/ frightened the horses. They swerved /:
the vehicle turned over; that's all /
know about it, Afterwards 1 came to
myself down on the rock, horribly hurt
and cold-so cold could not stir, and
knew Twas freezing to death. "
did not know what had happened to
Charlie. Perhaps he was lying near
me. dead. The sun was going down,
| and far up above | saw the bank over
which 1 had fallen. I thought of
mother, and father, and every body, and
1t seemed very hard to die. Oh, Charlie
must De dead, thought, or he would
nave come down to me. 1t was all a
kind OF dream by that time, but lust as
l. a
man coming down the rock. A rope
was around his waist and a staff in his
hand. He cams nearer and nearer. and
at last he was besfde me.
is it father se I asked, through my
frozen lips. --o : = i
Mo- was the answer-"no, darling!
father is up on the rocks there. 1t is l :"
-aI1d I knew it was Doctor Garcia.
: 11dont know how he got me UP, but
he did 1t somehow. L had tainted, I
was IN little roadside tavern, in bed
between blankets, achingin every limb,
but at least not out in that fearful cold.
heard father tell lDectorGarcia he had
saved my life, and 1 tried to thank him.
And it was mother who told nae Charlie
was safe. [ had not dared to ask.
Afterwards [ found that the horses
had run away, and the rest of the party
had gone on knowing. nothing of the
Eaecident; and that Mr.. Charles Con-
stant had arrived at my fathers in
farmers cart, to tell them was dead at
the bottom of the "Great Delf.n- -.-- )
II should only have killed myself if
ia gone after her" he had said, "even
Iif had not been so bruised and hurt. ;"
+ Ihat was true enough. and I did not
blame him, although thought that |,
woman as was, would have got to him
somehow. But, you see, J called him
Mr. constant. He was never Charlie to
me again 3@- '-7fll-il 8 ---- -l----
l-had been very much hurt, and after
weeks and weeks had passed away be-
gan to know that was not likely to be
myself again.
[ asked Doctor Garcia to tell me the
truth. 80 -- '-1- . ~
Gould you bear it if it were SOP" he
asked. -5-4-..--1 -----.-- ---J- l.--- ..
+ II begin to think we can bear any,
thlng," | said; "and you need not say
any more. -" '-
After that. the next day, I sent for Mr..
Constant. / don't want TO tell YOU W hat
passed, but when ne went away he had
my ring again, and knew he had
never loved me- It was very hard to
bear-very, very hard; but, as [ said, we
can bear anything that can befall us. -
Summer came slowly. When it was
warm, began to sit up again, and to try
TO knit little; and then Doctor Garcia
began to take me out for ride. He
used to lift me in and out of his little
carriage like baby, and he petted me
ike one. L am sure he spent half his
fees in buying books for me. He was
the only one of the young men who
troubled themselves about me now, and
do you wonder I began to love him /?
l used to cry to think | had not felt in
that way when dared hope to make
man happy by loving him. If he could
do all of this out of pity, what would he
not do for love ? 1t never came into NV
mind that anybody could love me now,
until one evening he came and told me
so.
More than ever, darling ~ he said.
More than ever ~
L nestled up against him, and hid my
face on his shoulder, and cried like
baby.
II ought to say no." 1 said. "What
good am | to anyone ?'
But he kissed me--oh, how he kissed
me! And he told me 1 was more to
him than anything else the world could
give; and then l told him that was what
he was to me, for indeed, indeed he
"IfI could only walk about as I used.n
l said, "and look pretty, and be useful
again! / am ashamed to give YOU this
helpless little me-"
"YOl are always pretty" he answer
ed : always, always!" 49, ----'-
But / felt that he did not hope I
should walk. The fall had paralyzed
my limbs, you see.
Mother put me to bed that night, as
usual, AMI lay awake for hours, think
ing of him, and longing for health and
strength to be of use to him who loved
me so. And, Amy, such a strange
thing happened! In the middle OF the
night [ thous ht that ! awoke, and
beautiful woman stood near the bed. I
looked, but felt no fear, and she smiled
on me and then a sense Of relief came
over me never had experienced be-
fore.
Doubtless it was all a dream but when
l did awake, I felt that something had
happened to me. The numbness was
gone; / could move, and from that mo-
ment began to feel well.
l am almost as strong as ever now.
Though / know am not so pretty, and
/ am content-nay, am more than
that-thankful and happy beyond all
the power of words to tell and as [ sit
here looking at the river, and thinking
that to morrow will be my wedding day,
| honestly believe no living woman can
be so blest as Jack Garcia's wife; and
my honest prayer is that l shall be
worthy of him and his love.