Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-08-22

1 had not taken that trip with Gladys, and if had come home on Queen Bess, which sailed the very day we bought tickets at the Paddington station for Taplow, why, l should have been in time to have-not averted her illnessl Hardly. but I might have alleviated the sorrowful burden which, I was sure, had borne her down into the un- certain valley.
 Dazed and heart-sick go upstairs to my room. must remove my travelling cos tune, bathe and dress before can go into the darkened room across the hall.
 Maggie finds time to bring me up a cup of tea, and sits down on the edge of the bed for little gossip in undertone. Dear child, she is overjoyed to see me and to get rid of the responsibility of the house. Under the circumstances I don't blame her. She looks worried and thin. And as I sip my tea she tells me that Miriam 'took with pain in her head" and that the doc- tor said 'the illness was brought on by un- due emotional exercise of the brain.''
 Whether Maggie heard aright or not, I am convinced that my suspicious are cor rect in the main. The physician is to call at three o'clock; it is now thirty minutes past two, so l am obliged to wait half hour before can talk with him myself con- corning Miriam. He is such voluble old man that l conclude to go down stairs to meet him, as he will perhaps give me a noisy greeting, and it might disturb her all the one have to care for in particular meet Mrs. Courtney on the landing, con- ing up with ice-water for the sick-room Maggie has told her of my return, and she clasps my hand warmly and says in a whisper: ''It's too bad to find Mrs. Fairfax so dreadfully ill, isn't ite" She doesn't ex- pect me to reply, and keeps on in staccato whisper: ''Would l come in and see her! She wouldn't know me, of course not but then maybe I would like to see her, any, howl
 I follow the nurse into the sick room with an affirmative nod There on the pillows, in the semi-twilight of the room, lies the fair, proud face remembered so well. The dark, haunting eyes are wide open now, with dull, listless expression in them, and the taper fingers stray over the pill lows and clutch aimlessly at the lace frills Her breath comes fitfully, and hectic flush on either cheek tells the tale.
 1 go close to the couch, and, bending over hor, whisper her name. She starts, looks up at me for a moment, while the fevered lips part in smile as she murmurs: "Ycs, yes, yesr' but she doesn't know me. grow sick and faint and turn away with the hot tears on my face. I go to the win dow and look out. The beautiful day is
 
 l ing across the lot beyond the forsaken gar den like a thing of spite, the dead leaves flying on before. The garden, too is desc late; the lilies are dead; every thing which seemed full of joyous welcome at firs l now has faded out into sable folds. gaze down the road and see the doctors carriage coming, and then l go downstairs after once moro turning to the bed and brushing bacl | the brown tresses from the hot brow of ont who knows me not at this my sad home | coming.
 ! twenty. four hours the tide will turn in Mir l iam's favor or ebb with the tide of time, ant | she will pass over." l recall her words of ! year ago: ''If only could pass over and be | at rest!' Somehow the very memory chill! | my hearts blood. Will her prayer be an | swereda If she only could live to read tn | message of souls unshine have brough her she might not want to be lat rest" now l Perhaps if she lives there will be un | folded bright, glorious chapter in tn
 gloomy history of this child of bitterness Perhaps where the thorns are now the rose l will bloom, for "Lose can never forget hi own," repeat; but am only thinking o Allan Percival in this connection, and d
 not consider that Miriam might repeat | with the outlines of two graves rising t | SSSN SA of all late gifts of affection.
 The ''twenty-four hours" are about ended
 Miriam is sleeping now, tranquil and pale
 the fever has burned itself out and she re
 mains. The physician says: "She wil
 wake after little, sane, conscious of ever.
 thing, but very weak" do not doubt hin
 in the least. She lies motionless and color
 less as the dead, and believe him.
 Last night I watched with her alone. Mrs
 Courtney. being nearly exhausted, went t
 lie down and take her much-needed rest leaving me, as desired, alone with Miriam
 l believe she loves Allan Percival Ono
 in the night she tossed up her thin hand
 and murmured: "Oh! is it youP' with sue
 glad light coming into her dull eyes tha
 for the moment forgot she was ill, an
 said, bending down and kissing her: "Yes
 1t is me-" Then she said, slowly! "It ha
 been so long since I have seen you, Allan 1!
 was bending over her still, but when sh
 said "Allan" started up with an inde
 To be continue,
 Funeral Work & Cut Flower
 A Snacialtv.