The Washington critic., 1886-12-28
A BLOW ON THE HEAD.

presume 1t reused me from my stupor,
or whatever my previous state might
have been; then l heard my brother
in law say:
"Shut those windows, please; there's
draught enough to kill dozen we'll
people And, Kitty, have one Of the
servants bring that little air tight stove
down from the truuk.room, and then
see that there is q gentle fire kept up
here at least until midday TO morrow.
will be back in few moments"
/ had been trying 10 open my lips to
say something-to ask why l was
lying in my bed at this hour of the
day, Or to request my sister Kitty to
put another blanket on the bed. But
i could not utter n word While / was
wondering what allied inc and why |
felt so queer, one of the servants, who
had entered with the little stove, said
to her companion:
Sure an the masiher's that quarrel
Niver before did ] hear Of amy one
wantin' to kapc dead man warrum;
begorra, some o thin gets warrum
enough where they've gone, but not the
likes O. Masther Fred"
Why had Norah such sound Of
tears in her voice?
AN why, wonder, didn't some O.
thin miserable spalpeens round in the
back street git runned over an kilt In.
stead O. himv' Norah continued. "1t
will about kill his sister"
A cold chill came over me; who
were they talking about? Surely no
one could believe that was dead A
score Of weird tales which had read
came rushing through my mind-how
people had been buried alive; how
dear ones had permitted husband
brother, father, even mother or child,
to be neglected AS past hope; and how,
after infinite suffering, the supposed
corpse had struggled free from the
coffin and winding sheet and come
home again; and thought, too, Of the
many who had never been able to free
themselves, and would have shuddered
If / could have moved muscle or
even an eyelash; but l was as immov-
able as any corpse.
In what seemed a century again
heard my sisters voice. Considering
that her only brother was supposed to
be dead before her very eyes, thought
she seemed very blithe.
"Oh, Otto" she said to her husband,
then you do not think Fred is really
dead?''
mo mole dead than / am, my dear;
he has evidently received a severe blow
upon his head, which rendered him
senseless and has thrown him into a
sort of trance or cataleplic state. |
have just been to see DR.. Burke, and
lie says 1t Is very probable. Anyway,
Kitty, insist that the room be kept
warm, quiet and comfortable; If alive,
he is weak, and this place when came
into 1t was cold enough to have frozen
any invalid; and then, on the other
hand, II he is not alive it will do no
harm to have the temperature little
high, for any sign of decay will settle
ii, condition beyond a doubt-and un.
Ill am quite positive he is dead will
give him the benefit of the doubt"
had always liked and respected my
grave hrotherin law, now loved him.
How l blessed him for his words
That he would stick TO them had no
doul I, for he was q perfect mule for
obs,inacy-no, no; never again would
i call him obstinate, but firm.
l certainly was weak, for i either
dozed now or had faint turn, for the
next thing knew the room was warm,
soft scarlet shawl was spread over my
feet, as / could see through my half
closed eyes; the curtains were drawn
down, and the house was delightfully."-
still. My sister seemed to have been
persuading her husband into grudg-
ing consent to something, for he was
saying:
well, have your own way, Kitty; |
can't pretend to fathom the minds of
you women, and you may be right.
do not like the girl myself, and think
our Fred is thrown away on her. But
then, you see, there never was but one
woman in the world to me-"
You are the best man in the uni
verse, Otto, l do hope you are right,
and that dear Fred can hear what we
say answered my sister, kissing me
tenderly.
III he can," answered Otto, laying
his firm, cool hand upon my forehead
"be knows that he IS to be cared for,
and that no harm shall come to him If
Otto Kramer can defend him.
Alasl my tear.ducts, too, were para.
them could go no further.
Kitty now spread large white Quilt
over me, letting 1t hang straight and
smooth, and then she and Otto left the
room. had faith in them, and again
/ allowed myself TO lapse into state
Of Inconsistencies, from which was
aroused by voice which l knew right
well--the voice of Feroline Palmer
my bctrothed. She was saving calmly
II will be glad, Mrs, Kramer, If you
will leave me quite alone with-with
Fred for few moments; give me Just
five minutesl / know you never liked
me, but surely you will not refuse the
last request will ever make of YOU
What could she mean? Could Kitty
have been so heartlcss as not to tell her
that Otto knew that | was still aliveI
Kitty and she were not good friends
for my sister showed plainly that she
did not think Lima (whom she always
spoke Of by her full name, Feroline
half good enough for me; but | was OF
different opinion. In my eyes Lima
maidenly reticence; that she was at all
mercenary was, TO me, disproved by the
fact that Harold Carter the matri.
huuiI pllAe VI our loWni ndu not DScu
able to win her from me, though every.
body could see that he was head over
heels In love with her.
VERY well" answered my sister, in
a tone of q woman convinced against
her WILL 81 will leave you now, and
return in five minutes" +"
AS Kitty shut the door behind her
felt glow of pleasurable anticipation
come over me- said to myself that
surely the warm kiss which Linn
would give her dead lover would break
lhis EtlA- ge iLrnll thAL hold me ns