Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-09-01

abroadt"
| Augusta was too moved to answer; she
/ only shook her head The child buried
her face in the pillow and gave sob or
two. Presently she was quiet and lifted
| 1t again. "Gussie, love" she said, Il don t
be angry. but | want to speak to you.
Listen. my sweet Gussie. my angel. Oh,
Gussie, you don't know how love
| you'll It Is all no good; 1t Is use
less struggling against it. l must die
sooner or later; though am only IL. and
| you think me such . child, am old
enough to understand that. think, she
added. after pausing to cough. that pain
makes one old; feel as though | were
So Well, SO you see may as well give
up fighting against 1t and die at once.
am only n burden and anxiety to you'll
may as well die at once and go to sleep. I"
Don't, Jeannie. donti" said her sister,
in sort of cry; you are killing mel'
Jeannie laid her hot hand upon Al.
gusta's arm. Try and listen to me,
dear" she said. ''even if it hurts. because
| do so want to say something. Why
should you be SO frightened about me!
Can any place that ! can go to be worse
than this placer Can | suffer more pain
anywhere or be more hurt when ! see you
cryingl Think how wretched it has oil
been. There has only been one beautiful
thing in our lives for years and years,
and that was your book. Even when
am feeling worst-when my chest aches,
you know-I grow quite happy when ]
think Of what the papers wrote about
you; The Times. and The Saturday
Review, and The Spectator. and the
rest of them. They said that you had
genius-true genius. you remember. and
that they expected one day to see you at
the head of the literature of the time or
near II. The printer devil can't take away
that, Gussie. He can take the money,
but he can't say that he wrote the book;
though, she added, with touch of child
ish spite and vivacity, Il have no doubt
that hc would If he could. And then there
were those letters from the great authors
up in London; yes, often think of them
too. Well, dearest old girl, the best of it
Is that ] know it is all true. know,
can't tell you how. that you will be q
great woman in spite of ali the Meesons
In creation; for somehow you will get out
Of his power and II you don't, FIVE years
Is not all ones life-at least. not II people
have life. At tho worst be can only take
all the money And then. when you are
great and rich and famous and more
beautiful than ever. and when the people
turn their heads rs yon come into the
room. like we used to at school when the
missionary came to lecture, | know that
you will think Of ne tbecauss you won't
forget me as some sisters do), and OF how,
years and years before. 30 long ago that
the time looks quite small when you think
of II. told you that 1t would be SO just
before died
Here the girl, who had been speaking
with curious air of certainty and with q
gravity and deliberation extraordinary for
one so young. suddenly broke off to cough.
Her sister threw herself on her knees be-
side her. and clasping her in he arms
implored her in broken accents not to
talk Of dying Jeannie drew Augustus
golden head down on TO Ler breast ana
stroked it.
"very we'll, Gussie. won't say any
moro about It." she said: but it is no
good hiding the truth. dear. ] am tired
Of fighting against it; 1t is no good-none
at ali. Anyhow. we have loved each other
very much. dear; and perhaps-some-
where else-we may again And the
brave little heart broke down. and over
come by the prescience OF approaching
separation they both sobbed bitterly
there upon the sofa Presently came
knock at the door, and Augusta sprung
up ana turned TO hide her tears. ~ wss
the maid Of all work bringing the tea;
and, as she came blundering In, sense
of the irony OF things forced itself INTO
Augustus soul Here they were plunged
into the most terrible sorrow, weeping at
the inevitable approach OF that chill eno'
and still appearances must be kept up,
even before maid OF all work Sociefy,
even when represented by q maid OF ali
work. cannot away with the intrusion OF
domestic eriefs. or any other griefs, and
in our hearts we know it and act up TO IT,
Far gone indeed must we be In mental or
physical agony before we abandon the at
tempt to keep up appearances.
Augusta drank q little tea and ate q
very small bit of bread and butter. As in
the case of Mr. Meeson, tho events OF me
day had not tended to increase her appe-
tite. Jeannie drank little milk. but ate
nothing. When this form had been gone
through. and the maid OF all work naa
once more made her appearance ana
cleared the table. JEANNE spoke again'
"Gus. she said. 81 want you to put me
to bed. and then come and read to me out
Of 'Jemima's Vow'-where poor Jemima
dies. you know. 1t is the most beautiful
thing in the book. and want to hear IL
again"
Her sister did as she wished. and, tax
ing down "Jemima's Vow, Jeannies own
copy as it was called. being the very hrst
that had come into tho house, she opened
it at the part Jeannie had asked for, and
read aloud. keeping her voice as steady as
she could As matter OF fact, however.
tho scene itself was as powerful as 1t was
pathetic. and quite sufficient to account
for any unseemiy exhibitions OF feeling
on the part of the reader However. she