The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1886-03-05

ayes, Jen's very good," assent
eel Annie, carelessly. "Father says
there is not Il place anywhere
around so well kept rs he keeps
ours. Oh! bark ! Isn't that the
train ~
She Sprana to her feet, ihrowing
back her bead and listening eager.
ly, with hated breath, raising an
lmpprionS little hand to silence all
other sounds. 1t seemed AS If, al
this spoiled dirlingfs bidding, the
very birds stopped singing, and the
leaves fOrebore their rustling, all
was suddenly SO still. Nurse Ed.
wards listened, too, but less intent
IL, and the chirping of the cricket
beneat the piazza ledge was the
only sound she caught.
"Hey, what noise he makes n
she said, admiringly, as Annie
turned back with IA gesture OF dis.
appointment. "if it's them as is
happiest sings loudest, you fellow
has the best of MS ALL"
"0h will it peuer be FIVE o'clock ~
cried Annie, mindful only of her
impatience. "rhis day has been a
hundred days long already
Nov don't be III haste with Time,
my deal," said the old woman, re.
provinely. "Ye'll not hurry it,
though ye fret it never so. We must
just bide the time, my Jem says,
and all things'll come in turn-tirst
lite, then growth, then deaf b.
Things is best taken natural as they
come. The rose that ye force'll
only be sooner done blowing"
"But can't waltz the girl com.
plained, childishly. ~ always want
things Immediately, and want flve
o'clock this minute. What time
eau it be, NurSie Oh! do say it's
five O'clock "
"It4l be nigh upon it, sure, by
the slant OF the shadows" the old
woman answered, peering out across
the lawn. aye can look at the sun.
dial yonder, it ye will.'
"NonsenSew rejoined Annie con
temptuously. CAS- ii IA stupid bit
OF wood and rusty shadow kept
any connt of the time tue train goes
by. Iii look at the clock inside.'
"Then ye may spare yerSeIt the
trouble, my dearie, tor The hands
stopped at five minutes TO seven
this morning, exactly as my Jem
started out for the city; aud five
minutes to seven it'll be till my Jem
gets home, which may be the night
or the morrow. And Fve been
thinking all the day as | sat here
how il's with me and with every
thing about me just as it is with the
OLD clock inside. Its him that keeps
us going, and we're all run down
and stopped together when he's
gone, biding the time till be come 5
back to right u.s."
"rhrn | wish he could come back
now aud make it five O'clock" sigh
ed Annie. "Surely 1t 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, Nursie. In five minutes
more l shall be the very happiest
girl in all the world Z!
And before she had finished speak
Ing she was off, diSdaining the road
and making heISelf a pathless way
across the lawn; laughing, dan
cling, bounding along with many
light spring and airy leap aud
merry twist, like mountain brook
TOO impetuOus to run smoothly.
The old nurse smiled indulgently,
and, setting herself back ia her
chair, went conteutedly Oh with her
knitting, while the cricket again
became the uppermoSt sound in her
world, like a homely accompani-
ment to the single music OF her
thoughts.
Many more minutes than five
went by uncounted, when, sudden
y, from the direction of the gate
way. Anne again came running,
but not as she had run before.
Very direct aud straight she came.
Her arms we're outstretched as one
who runs bhndly; her face, that
had been so rosy, WAS white as
Heath and strangely set, aud she
flung herself into the old wOmau's
arms with great, sharp cry.
20, Nurse o, Nursel Tue tram
s not in. There has been accident.
A mau going by told me. And
here has been Que killed. just a
light accidentl But there was one
killed. Only one killed, the man
,aid. o, Nurse it is Fred. L
lLow It is Fred! As certainly as
hat am alive now, l know that il
s my darling who is dead y
And the girl burst into a passion
II stormy weeping, aud would nei-
her be cOInforted, nor listen TO any
hing that her old FREUD said.
"I tell you | kROic it is hep she
he cried, with an agony of cobvic-
ion in her voice that almost car
led certainty with it. at was like
! knife through my heart the mo
nent the maH spoke At the word
iccident, telt that Fred was dead,
,ven before be said anything more.
tell You / kn0s that il is be, as I
Iurely as if / saw him lying there
,elore my eyesP
s'Nay, nay, my pet, my darling (
rs hearts dearielz cried the OLD
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