Nevada County picayune., 1886-02-24
VOICES O. fHE U4TER.
BY CHARLES DICKENS,

Paul had never risen from his little bed. He lay there, listening to the noises in the street, not tranquilly, not car ng how the time went, but watching it and watch. ling everything about him with ob. serving eyes.
 1 When the su1beams struck into his room through the rustling blinds, and quivered on the oppo- site walk like water, he knew that evening was coming on, and that the sky was red and beautiful. AS the reflection died away, and a gloom went creeping up the wall, he watched it deepen, deepen into the night. Then he thought how the long streets were dotted with lamps, and how the peaceful stars were shining overhead. His fancy had strange tendency to wander to the river, which he knew was flowing through the city, and now he thought how black it was, and how deep it would look, rehecting the hosts of stars-and more than this, how steadily it rolled away to meet tIie sea.
 As it grew later in the night, and 1 footsteps in the street became so rare that he could hear them com ing, count them as they paused, and loose them Tn the hollow dis tance, he would lie and watch the many colored rings about tie can- dies and wait patiently for day. His only trouble was the swift aud rapid river. He felt forced some times, to try to stop ito stem 1t with his childish handS-or choke it's way with sand-and when he saw it coming on, resistless, he cried out, But q word from Flor ence, who was always at his side, restored him to himself; and lean- tug his poor head upon her breast, he told Floy of his dream and smiled.
 When the day began to dawn again, he watched fol the sun, and when it's cheerful light began 10 to sparkle in the room, he pictured to himselt'-pictured he saw--the high church towers rising up Into the morning sky, tue town revlv- ing, waking, starting into life once mole, the river glistening as it rolled Out rolling last as eyer,) and the country bright with dew. Familiar sounds and cries, came by degrees into the street below; the servants in the house were reused and busy; faces looked in at the door, and voices asked his attendants softly how he was. Paul always answered for himself, Il am better, thank you. Tell pa so.n
 Bv little and little he got tired of the hustle of the day, the noise of carriages and carts, and people passing and repnssing; aud would fall asleep or be troubled with a restless and uneasy sense agaln- the child could hardly tell wheth- CT this were in his sleeping or walk ipg momcnts-of that rushing riv' CT. "Why, will it never stop, Eloyg" he would sometimes ask her. "It is bearing mo away, l thinkw
 But Floy could always soOthe and reassure him; and 1t was his daily delight to make her lay her head down on his pillow and take some rest.
 You are always watching me, Floy. Let me watch you, nowW They would prop him mp with cushions in corner of his bed, and there he would recline the while she lay beside him; bending forward oftentimcs to kiss her, and whispering to those who were near that she was tired, and how she had sat up so many nights be- side him.
 Thus the flush of the day, in it's heat and light, would gradually de- cline; and again the golden water would be dancing on the wall.
 He was visited by as many as three grave doctors-they used to assemble down stairs and come up together-and the room was so quiet, and Paul was so observant of them (though he never asked of anybody what they saidD that he even knew the difference in the
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