Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-04-04


I had waited she would not have gone
there, disPraced and worse than widowed.
But she was stunned like, and did what.
ever | said.
"And have her mother and brother
znown nothing Of her marriage?"
Not a word, sir! You Will find her
marriage certificate in her pocketbook,
and picture of her husband in the
locket on her neck. You had better take
them now. Tell her mother I never left
her, aud would have brought her home
But her Heavenly Father knows best.
You started when | thanked Him that
she was dead Is it not best so? Think
of twenty years of misery, watching and
waiting, sorrowing and weeping. Bet
ter she's gone, poor lamb, than living tc
| d.e by inches.
But the law would free her from her
husband" said.
"No law would take the love out of
her heart, sir. Bad as he was, a forger,
a would be- murderer, she loved him
| That's the strange part of life, sir, how
| a pure, good woman will cling to a bad
mao. But they DO, they do. Can you
lift me little. sit, SO can Sc G her??'
[ complied, lifting her tenlerly, SO
that she could fest upon my arm, and
see the face death had left unsecured
and peaceful.
"It is long since she rested SO quietly"
theold woman, said solemnly; "sleep was
| only living all her trouble over IN
| dreams, Who would wish to wakeD
| her ?"
'Poor childl' 1 said softly, "she
sleeps quietly now.
s'In perfect peace She will not
waken to weep and moan. Pat me
| down, please. I can rest, too, before
the time when you carry us both home !
Will this dreadful pain last long, sir %
"Not long," said.
[ returned to the wreck outside
There was ample work for me, anu l
tried with all my skill to meet it, coming
to the little house whenever l could
spare moment.
Each :ime I found my patient weaker,
carefully tended by the girl who had
summoned me to her eide. Tender
hands had prepared Lorna for the grave
and carried her to another room, to
await the train that was expected as
| soon as the track was cleared.
The third time I came, I knew that
The end of the faithful servants life Wa;
very near She smiled as [ knelt beside
the mattress, and pat my finger upol
the fast failing pulse.
'The pain is oil gone, Doctor" she
whispered family. Il shall not be long
| separated from my child. She woule
miss poor Margaret, would she NOT
Will you carry me home with her?'
You shall not be separa~el,"
promised.
You have the locket and the certld
cate?"
eyes, have both"
Tell her mother I was faithful to
| HcNcI-IciI- uSfC1-- CII-lu - Ot<ttI
She smiled again, whispering th,
words; and with the smile upon he
lips, her spirit joined that Of the poo
sorrow-stricken child she had Lowell s
devotedly.
waited beside her TIL she was CARRIE
to the side of her nursing, and promises
to return to carry out the mission upo
which she had sent me, fulfill the trus
reposed in me.
Tenderly, upon that fateful night
placed old Margaret beside her charge
and giving orders that they were nc. t
be removed excepting in my care, wen
again to the scene outside to give wha
service could to other sufferers.
And as opened the house door, hav
ing seen the last Of the tragedy ended i
the little room, the early dawn W.
lighting the scene outside, and the glo'
Of sunrise was reddening. the east.
And I may say here that / kept m
; word and saw the dead safely under th
roof they had SO rashly forsaken, an
told the story entrusted to ne to til
sorrowlng mother and brother.