West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-07-31

! 'lhOugh NJ III no be the ribbons he III
mark. He'll say as my Jem says when
put ON my smart gown of a Sunday:
ITS the face | mind, mother, and
naught besides no says. 'Ye look as
well in the Oldest gown We wears moth
err he says"
II am afraid Jem is an arrant fat
'erer, laughed Annie. You've pos
itively grown conceited since you came
to live with him. You had much better
have stayed on with us at the house."
Nay, there's nothing as could keep
me from my Jem, now, Miss Annie,
dear, answered the old woman,
soberly. He's the only one left me
OF all had, and my heart is set on him.
It's little can do for him now Pm old.
and my sight is ailing, and I'm no that
! quick was on my feet; but it's all in
the way OF Nature, he says. Them as
sows in the spring shall reap in tho
fall. and / IN to reap now, whilst he's
to work at the sowing. A deal of trouble
We had in my day, but no finger 5
touch will he let anear me i'm my old
age he says Eth, but he's a good lad
May Heaven grant we a son like him,
Miss Annie, when we've stepped down
out OF the spring-time yerself"
Yes, Jem's very good" assented
Annie, carelessly. Father SAYS there
IS not place anywhere around so well
kept as he keeps ours. Oh! bark! Isn't
that the train?'
She sprang to her feet, throwing
back her head and listening eagerly,
with bated breath, raising an imperious
! little hand to silence all other sounds
1t seemed as If, at this spoiled darling
bidding, the very birds stopped singing
and the leaves forbore their rustlinV, all
was suddenly so still. Nurse Edwards
listened, too, but less intentlv, and the
chirping of the cricket beneath the
piazza ledge was the only sound she
caught
Hey, what noise he makes?" she
sad, admiringly, as Annie turned back
with gesture of disappointment "If
it's them rs is happiest sings loudest
yon fellow has the best of us all. -
OH will it Hcrcr be five O'Clock pn
cried Annie, mindful only of her i'm
patience This day has been hun
drcd days long already"
NOW don't we be i'm haste with
Time, my dear" said the old woman.
reprovingly. Yen not hurry H.
though We fret it never so. We must
! Just bidc the time, my Jem savA Nand
all thngs'll come in turn-frst life.
| then growth, then death. Things is
best taken natural as they come. The
rose that ye forcc'll only be sooner done
! blowing
But l can't wait" the girl com
planned. childiShly. Il always want
things Immediately, and / want five
clock this minute. What time can it
be-. Nursie? Oh! do say its five
! o'clock'
It'll be nigh upon it., sure, by the
slant of the shadows" the old woman
answered, pecring out across the lawn.
'lo can look ut the sun-dial yonder, if
We will.
"Nonsensen rcjoined Annie, CON
| tcmptuously. LAS if a stupid bit of
wool and rusty shadow kept any
| count of the time the train goes by.
! Ill look at the clock inside. "
Then We may spare yersef the
/ trouble. my deare; for the hands
! stopped Mt five minutes to seven this
morning. exactly as my Jem started out
for the city; and five minutes to seven
/ 1t II be till my Jem gets home. which
| may he the night or the morrow. And
We been a-thinking all the day as / sat
| here how it's with me and with every
| thing about me just as it is with the
/ old clock inside. It's him that keeps
us 20 NJ; and were all run down and
stopped together when he's gone. bidinU
; the time till he comes back to right us. -
Then / wish he could come back
/ now and make it five o'clock sighed
/ Annie. surely it must be five O'Clock.
and the train has come in without my
/ hearing the whistle. I'll run down to
the gate and wait there. Fred can't be
long now Goodbye, Nursic In i've
minutes more i shall be the very hap
/ piest girl in all the worldn'
And before she had finished speakino
she was off dislaining the road and
max NC herself a painless way across
the lawn; laughing, dancing, bounding
along with many a light spring and
airy leap and merry twist, like a mount
. ain brook too impetuOus to run smooth
~. The old nurse smiled indulgently.
and settling herself back i'm her chair.
went cont ntedly on with her knitting.
while the cricket again became the up-
permost sound IN her world, like a
homely accompaniment TO the single
music of her thoughts.
Many more minutes than five went bv
direction Of the gateway, Annie again
came running, but not as she had run
before. Very direct and straight she
came. Her arms were Outstrctchcd "A.
one who runs blindly; her face. that had
been so rosy, was white as death and
strangely set and she flung herself
into the old wOman's arms with "a
great, sharp cry.
go, Nurse, O, Nurse, The train is
not i'm. There has been an accident A
man going by told me. And there has
been one killed. just "a light accident
But there was one killed. Only one
Killed, the man said ., Nurse! 10 il,
Fred. / know 10 is Fred As certainly
"a that ] am alive now, ] know that ii
ls my darling who is dead"
And the girl burst into passion OF
stormy weeping, and would neither Doe
cOmiOried, nor listen 90 anythiug that
her old friend said
~ tell YOU / kuoO IL IS hen' she
cried, with an agony of conviction i'm
Der voice that almost carried certainty
with It ut was like a knife through
my heart the moment the man spoke.
AZ The word accident ] felt that Fred
was dead. even before he said ANYTHING
more tel you / IMAM that IL is he.
surely as if saw him lying here be-
fore my eyos.
Nay nay, my pct. my darling INV
heart dcario.' cried the old nurac.
/ c.aspiug thc girl 30 her breast and rock.
ing back and forth with her as If She