Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-20

things comfortable, and Thought. IL be
must suffer, it was we'll to be tended nv
hands so soft and kind. y
Come here, ANNIE" he said. sEand 81,
IN thls armchair and rest, and, whilst Won
rest, VIII talk with you little"
ARE you sure you are comfortable
enough to talk?' she asked, obediently
taking the offered chair.
les, can talk quietly to YOU. want
20 tell you something. Do YOU know that
less?' GIL" neiP-
Il cannot tell how, sir; it distresses me
to see you ill.''
Pm sure it does; but. if I had kept
well ana strong, / should have been al
ways so busy / should never have known
what good wife had. You have nursed
me very faithfully, and l am not migrate
iul; but will not tax YOU much longer.
am dying. Every day-every hour dv-
ing, my Annie"
Her eyes TILED with tears, hut she said
nothing. She knows he Is hOpelessly i'll.
and she is far too truthful to latter him.
Making a tremendous effort, after a mo-
ment, she said:
You know Whom we all need in health
as IN sickness, siT?''
'Whom?' he asked, dOubtfully.
"Christ-the risen Saviour" she whis-
pers.
''Ah. child. don't believe any Of that
cant, you know. / have violated some
law Of health unintentiOnally, of course.
did not care 10 be iii, and | am paying
the natural penalty for II. / know that
there must be IA First Cause, a Creator,
but all this pretty story Of Redemp-
ton won't do. | shall die and turn To
dust. The immortal part Will return to
my Maker. With my intelligence. or i'm
mortality, or soul, If you will, He will
doubtless clOthe some other body subject
like this one has been to certain ii Ned
laws Of being TO live and then to die.
Speculation is very useless on these mat
tiers. Your revelation at last just gives
you rush-light for guidance, making the
darkness around all the more intense.
have tried to evolve from it an intell-
gent and satisfactory belief and / have
failed, and, of late years l have given up
the whole YeXing problem. ! shall soon
pay the debt | owe TO nature. as mortals
do every moment-in this world. the issues
are beyond my ken. and | don't bother
with them. But you needn't look SO dis
tTessed, my child. Hold fast to your
sweet, child-like faith. 1t was intended
for just such as you, the pure in heart and
good. Let us think Of other things-
things which must be settled now or, per-
haps, never
She lOnged to say more. Her faith is
earnest, strong-a pillar Of trust-but she
is essentially modest and with the high-
est awe of her HUSBANDS wisdom
"Wh0 am l TO instruct him = she thinks.
and not daring to touch his. exclusions,
she answers gently:
Tell me what you like, Judge Barrett.
! am lislening.o
Last spring | felt a great anxi ETY.
about leaving you And Charlotte So
young and 50 unprotected; but, of late,
have felt much relieved. Since l have
known YOUR brother Albert, for he is i'm
heart "a true brother. | have concluded
that I could not do better than leave YOU
TWO in his guardianship. Tie Is GevOtrd
TO YOU, and is an honorable gentleman. Be-
sides all this / am-we all are. indeed
under great obligations 10 his mother.
You could not live without her, could on,
Annie?'
son! no, sir. l really could not"
$50 | have thought. and so far my plans
have prospered; but last week when
sent for my daughter and proposed Mr.
Beltham as her guardian, | met with the
most outspOken and uncOmpromising Op-
position. Now, | am not IA person to BE
batiied by girls caprices; but l con
fess | hardly like TO act in direct contra
dictiOn to her wishes. Unfortunately
my only daughter has temper and Will oil
her own with entirely TOO strong a brain
for woman. | have suffered no little
anxiety about her. Can you tell me the
cause Of her violent aversion from Mr.
BethamT'
II don't think | can, sir. She certainly
dislikes him, and he as certainly tries u
be liked. They don't understand each
other. Perhaps they Will when they are
better acquainted. Charlie 3 generous
and kind, sir, and whenever she finds her.
self mistaken is ready TO make amends
| trust they will be friends, and think SO
too"
Il trust SO, Annie. believe you are
really fond of my willful little girl aim
your"
Certainly. l believe | love her as i
she were really my daughter. Nobody
knows as we'll as l do how true and gOOC
her heart is, and how sweet she is to thOst
she loves"
The father turned himself restlesslv or
his bed. At this late hour great regrel
is troubling his soul. In the midst q
many cares he had forgotten his child
and certain unceasing remOrse pos
sessed him that he had so neglected her.
"Annie," he said. Il give my daughter
to YOU here on my deathbed, and God
deal with you as you deal with herp
"She Will have nothing but love and tie n
derness at my hands, Judge Barrett"
Il think so. | believe so. Now, YOU may
20 and l Will try to sleep
May l say one word more, sir; jus
One?''
"Yes, dear"
won't you remember? Won't you
I leave a kind word for Hugh?"
Not one My son has dlsObeyed me
tried me, d etied me. Never let me heal
his name again! Go to YOUR room aut
rest. Send john To me-"
She is the last woman in the world tC
press her wishes, and, without a wore
more, she goes out and leaves her hus
band alone with his own thoughts.