The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-21

couldn't give him no relief But he said he
guessed he'd pull through all right m there
wasn't no need to worry
"Mis Parsons was maxim the silk up
Luther wasn't satisfied till Annie had gone to
the village N got some one to work on it, IN
she thought best to humor him. He wasn't
no better when the dress came home, N, the
doctor was still 'tendin' him; but no one
lowed he was anyway dangerous 1t was
John who brought the dress home from Miss
Parsons, N he said Luther was just too
pleased for anything to see the bundle
I'm goin' to have Annie dress right uI
in it, he says, IN you N Jane must come
over after supper m see how she looks
"Weil as heard afterward, John had
hardly gone, when Luther began to tease
Annie to put the dress on. She wanted tc
get supper first, but he wouldn't hear to it
"Pve bsl waitin' nearly twenty years tc
see you in that dress he says, ''n' won't
wait even an hour longer
Wed, Annie sho made him lie
down--for he'd been walkin' tho fiool
constant nearly all day--'n' she went into her
bedroom to put the dress on. She'd got the
skirt on, N was fastenin' the waist, wher
she heard a queer sound from the spare room
where Luther was lynn. She stopped min
ute to listen, m then called to him to know
if he wanted anything. There wasn't ne
answer m she crossed the hall N hurriet
into the spare room. Well, child, she found
him dead his face turned toward the dooI
rs ii he'd been watchin' for her, m the
sound slo'd heard was the death-rattle il
his throat
"Whon John n goS there he'd been dead
only a few minutes m tell you, child, il
was Il sad sight to see her kneelin' down by
that low bed in her new black silk, her arm
round that dead man N moanin' m shud
derin' over him N beggin' him to speak t,
her
lie isn't deadr she says to me as come
in. He has only tainted. Oh, Jane. do some
thing for him. Gel hot water N you'll find
camphere in the PANTRY on the lowest shell
to the right,
But saw that hot water n camphere
wouldn't be no use, N | told her so as gentle
as l could N begged her to come away. She
wou!d'n listen to me at first, but after the
doctor haa come. n he'd told her it was all
over, Ii poor Luther d died from apoplexy
OF The stomach, she let me take her to her
own room.
As We was cyossiu' tao han She heard hel
dress "a tie, n she stopped short N looked
at ne pitiluL
"1ls never saw m in it, after all she
! broke down n criel "a il her heart would
break
"After poor Luther was buried m there
was stone put over him n his debts
was al Ifi%sp there wasn't uothin' left
for Annie, n she was glad to take a place in
the mills We wanted her t. come here but
she was too proud 70 eat bread shs hadn't
earned, she said About a week ago was
out with Miss Sniper, gettin' subscriptions
/ for the church carpet, m We met Annie OF
the strest Miss Suipar she amt over-sensi-
/ tive herself II She don't give no one else
credit fer beiR' 20, N she up n asks Annie
If she didn't ever VISA she'd said yes stead
Of no to young Tom Layton.
"'Never, says Annie. Had | MY life to
begin again / would not alter it as far as
| Tom Layton is concerned
But its pretty hard to have to work Tor
| hin, isn't it asked Mis- Sniper, n felt it
| il nay heart to hate Ter for askin' such a
| thing.
But Annie only smiled / consider my
self fortunate to be able to earn such good
wages, she says, m then she walked away
! smilin still
! q was glad Miss Sniper didn't know abou I
that black silk dress If she'd said anything
| about that, Annie would "a broke down.
Shsd got it packed away at the bottom Of
! her trunk, poor soul, N sho never speaks
! about it