Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-05-21

/
getting on an emergency that he was
he possessed the lives of fifty cats and
the strength of a score of horses; for
which forgetfulness, l may mention,
he was pretty safe to pay severely al
terwardsp
So | stayed, and though sternly for
biddin to go into any of the infected
houses, found / had plenty to do in
keeping up the necessary supply OF
kitchen physic, and acting as matron
to an impromptu home for temporary
orphans, who were sent up to me to be
out of the way, from all parts of the
parish.
At this time Mrs. Jervoise utterly
cast Off her invalidisn. and worked
side by side with her husband so
courageously and skilfully that there
was not soul in the place who did
not look on them as direct messengers
from heaven to help us in our need.
At one end Of what seemed an inter-
minable period. the epidemic was at
last got under, and we all began to
rest and regain our normal habits. A
few cases, however, still fingered, and
the large number of fresh mounds in
the churchyard testified to the severity
of the visitation. But, in spite of these
witnesses we felt the worst over and
rejoiced accordingly.
One afternoon, when i was busy
| preparing the nurseries for my chill
dren, who were to be brought back
| by their grandmother in q few DAYS, L
heard my husband calling me at the
foot of the stairs. But for troubled
tone in his voice, which at once de-
tected. confess | should not have
hurried; as it was, ran down with a
half-made curtain in my hands.
"Mary. can you put on your bon
net, and come over at once to the Jer-
voisesP They are in trouble"
(Which has taken itp" / exclaimed.
ale has, was the reply. Il called
in about some trfle on my way up
from the village, and Bessie, the maid,
| told me. with tears in her eyes, that
master was down and missis was very
nearly Wild | went in but l soon
found that l could do no good, so l
pelted off to see if Sister Emily had
left, as she had talked of doing.
Luckily, those kind Simmondses had
persuaded her to allow herself one
more day of rest before taking up
| fresh work, so she then and there
came back with me to the Holt; and
now, dear. | want you to come at
once, and see what is 10 be done with
her. There is something dreadfully
wrong about those two, | am certain,
from few words she dropped in her
misery this afternoon; but no matter,
whoever is to blame, she is not, I'm
morally convinced-and, anyway, she
is in trouble, so come along, little
womanr'
In less than ten minutes we were at
the Holt. Mr.. Jervoise was sleeping
at all events he was quiet, and
Sister Emily had made Mrs. Jervoise
go and lie down in the drawing room.
"And would / 60 to her theree" said
Bessie. Accordingly, went to the
drawing room, and, coming out of the
sun glare, could not at first distin-
guish anything IN the darkened room.
AS, however, my eyes became accus-
toned to the twilight, saw Mrs. Jer-
voise lying on the sofa, her head
buried in the pillows. Poor soul! She
was sobbing convulsively, though try
! ing hard to stifle the sound. When
touched ner she started, and, seeing
who it was, flung herself into my
arms, but then sprang back. saying:
''Oh, why do you come? You ough
not; it is the fever you know" i
cared little for ten fevers at that mo-
ment, and drawing her down on the
couch told her so, pettiDg and sooth-
| .,,.. ha, ,x,At,lH tit-a1 nhtlA
After time she slept, and shifting
her head from my arm to the cushion,
l went TO find out what could about
her husband. Alas! things were as
bad as my worst fears had pictured
them. Worn out by his exertions, his
constitution, weakened by wear and
tear in hot climate Che had told the
doctor that he had spent ten years in
India), and by trouble, he had broken
down completely, and from the first
there was no hope. He was delirious
the whole time, and his wanderings
were painful to listen to. He never
recognized his wife, but called for her
necessarily, every sentence he uttered
showing his intense love for her. At
ter the first outburst she controlled
herself and waited on him, in turn
with Sister Emily, as quietly and
steadily as ere now she had done on
some fever stricken cottager, though
day by day her face grew more drawn
and wearied, and the heart-broken
look on it more terrible. To make a
long story short, he died, unconscious
to the end of his wife's presence.
though his last breath was sent in a
wild prayer for her.
From the moment he died she
seemed to turn to stone. She never
shed tear, but saw to everything her.
self, making all the arrangements, and
evidently trying in every way to save
us any work. / could see that she
only kept up by sheer force of will,
and could hardly bear her out Of my
sight. The night before the funeral
she left me, saying she must go to
Gerald for the last time. After lit
tie grew anxious, and, calling Frank,
we went toe ether to see her. The cot
fin was nailed down, but by the side
of it lay my poor friend, stretched al
full length where she had evidently
fallen-stone dead.
/ don't know how the doctors &C
counted for it; l only know what l.
and the rest of the unlearned thought
and that was that her loving heart
broke when all else was taken from
her.
Strangely enough, with their death
the sort of mystery attaching to then
was renewed and increased. The
morning of the funeral lawyer ap.
peared, announcing himself as Mrs
Jervoise's man of business, summoned
by her; he took charge Of everything
gave up the house, discharged the