Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-02-07
cottage; for the garrulous, good.hearted
old lady was q dear lover Of flowers.


Old lady was dear lover of flowers.
Miss Ashley had long ago won her
admiration by her genuine love for her
iaVorites, and she esteemed it great
honor to have the young teacher fill
every convenient receptacle in the house
with bright-hued blossoms. A great
mass of honeysuckle wreathed and
twlned itself over the fence by the front
gate, and some beautiful sprays hung
low down, nearly on the soft, green
grass. She stopped to gather these, and,
as she raised her head, felt a crash on
her forehead, q sense Of binding, intol.
erable pain, and-she knew no more.
The red roses dropped from her
hands, and red drops trckled from the
jagged wound in her forehead.
You dreadful boy" screamed Mrs.
Winterne, as she hurried down the
veranda steps. "What have you done ?"
"1'm afeard I've killed her." said the
horror-stricken urchin on the sidewalk,
81 didn't know nobody was there" he
added, incoherently, "and I just threw
stone TO drive the old cow off the sile.
walk, and it struck that ere maple tree,
and glanced off and hit her."
"Run for the DOCTOR" cried Mrs.
Winterne, as she bent over the sense
less girl. "Quick !" and she called after
him as he hurried away. CDR. Cluness
is nearest. Fetch him If he's to home"
Only few moments, and the doctor
had lifted the girl and carried her into
the house. "Thank God she had only
tainted" Rejecting Mrs. Winternes
offers of burnt feathers, "camfire," and
such kindred remedies, he laid her on
the wide sofa, bathed the white face and
hands, with deft fingers loosened the
heavy masses OF hair, and clipped off
few shining tresses where the sharp
stone had plowed its way, then
quickly dressed the wound and bound
up the aching head-almost before con-
sciousness had so far returned that, with
white lips, Helen asked, "What is it i?
What has happened?"
Mrs. Winterne fastened to explain,
but the doctor checked the torrent OF
wrath the worthy lady launched against
the cause of the mischief. "Indeed,
he is very sorry, Miss Ashley. 1t was
strange accident"
"Shall be able to teach tomorrow ?"
was the next question.
The doctor gravely shook his head.
He we'll knew that many to-morrows
must come and 60 before teaching
could be thought Of, but he only said
"You must try and sleep now" He
raised her up, held cup to her lips,
and, with gentle authority, said: "Drink
this" Obedient as a child, she took
the draught, and said no word.
Long days and nights OF suffering
followed for Helen Ashley, and it was
not till the hot July days were drawing
to close, that she was so far GONZALES
cent as to once more lie on the old sofa
in Mis-. Winternes cool parlor-a very
haven OF rest it seemed to her, after her
weary tossings to and fro in the adjoin
ing bed room. She was mere shadow
of her former self, and SO wan and pale
that it was no wonder DR.. Cluness's
heart ached as he watched her. A cruel
red mark stretched across her white
forehead; but time would alter that,
the doctor assured her.
One day, when the doctor came for
his regular visits, he found Mrs. Win
terne in great state of excitement.
The doctors pulses quickened, thinking
his patient must be worse.
"What is it. Mrs. Winterne?' asked
the doctor, wondering if the worthy
lady's senses were taking leave OF her.
"Well, it's Just like this. I'm a-mak-
ing rag carpet, you know, and to-day
got all out OF rags to sew, and l went
up stairs for an old dress wore some
last winter, and doomed to carpet rags
because l burnt q great hole in the
front breadth. l just thou2ht I'd look
it over, and see if any of it was WORTH
saving and declare for to goodness,
that in that dress pocket / found thisp
1t was good thing DIR. Cluness had
taken the chair Mrs. Winterne had
pointed out to him; for the room
turned suddenly round, then grew dark,
and the speakers voice sounded very
far away. This was only letter but
on the large, square envelope he recog-
nized, in mis- own handwriting, Helen
Ashley's name-and the seal was un.
broken.
81 hope it want nothing important"
Mrs. Winterne was saying, when he
again noticed that she was speaking.
81 don't know how come to do such a
thing, but I'd ju.t had letter about
Cousin Amos's wife getting married
again, and was dreadful upset, think
ing about them poor children-and l
suppose l just tucked that letter into
my pocket, when that boy of yours
give it to me, intending to give it to
Miss Ashley when she come in and l
declare for to goodness" she reiterated,
81 never thought OF it again till this
blessed day. You see, burnt that big
hole in it that very night, and 1 haint
wore it since"
"Have you told Miss Ashley" he
asked, slowly.
"No, haven't. I thought I'd wait
till I'd seen you. I don't see how /"
"Never mind Mrs. Winterne. Twill
take Miss Ashleys letter in to her now,
and will explain it to her. Pray, do
not trouble yourself any more about it"
This, as he went into the little hall,
and Mrs. Winterne wiped her eyes, and
thought regretfully "How could I have
forgot so long? How could p
Wien DR.. Cluness entered tie little
parlor, he carefully closed the door be.
hind him, went at once to Miss Ashley's
sofa, drew chair near it, sat down, the
letter still in his hand.
The girl looked little surprised, but
she only said Good afternoon" very
quietly.
"lIiss Ashley, did you ever hear Of
man being his own postman ?"
She turned her face q little toward
him.
~ wrote letter to you last winter,
and, to make sure of its delivery, sent
it down here by my office boy. Mrs
Winterne forgot to give it to you-in
fact, forgot all about it until to-day
and she has just given it to me. Will
you-are you able to read it now p
She took it in her trembling hands.
The doctor watched her as she tried to
open the thick envelope. With gen
tle-"Allow me-" he took it from her,
opened it, unfolded the closely-writ.en
sheets and placed them in her hands.