The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-24
CHAPTER ".

In a hospital ward woman lay toss
ing from eide to side in wild delirium-
a woman with the remains of wonderful
beauty though the hair was snowy
white on her brow, young though the
face showed beneath it, By her bed
stood one of the cleverest, kindest, but
reputably one of the most skeptical ply
slcians England boasts. The case Gin
terested him." he said; for brain diseases
were his specially, and this had some
peculiar features.
Very grave looked his strong, clear
cut face as he listened to that incessanI
raYing. one persistent idea reappearinR
in a thousand forms as the poor, tortured
creature tried to unravel life's tangled
maze.
"Was IL so very, very wicked to spare
lis justice, justice such as mortals
know, so holy a thing2 Thou shalt moi
bear false witness against thy neighbor.
No, no, no, I'd never have done that
never; only just to lie once to spare q
fellow creature from such death, and
what good would it have been II could
not bring the dead to life again; could
not undo one bit Of the sin. Roberts
brother, too-and Robert loved him
said he would mics something ever in
Heaven-f Jim never came, little Jim
the little chap whose whippings he had
begged more than once to bear when
they were lads together-and once, just
once his mother-only Jim would be
whipped, too-ah-ah-he told me all
the story just, just before.
Where Jim? Oh-God find Jim fol-
Roberts sake--and Christ's, who loved
him, too"
Wandering still, poor soul What
strange nonsense she does talk |" said
the nurse drawing near the bed; but the
physician silence d her with look.
The next few hours would bring the
crisis, which be more feared than hoped.
Life it might bring, but it was doubtful
whether the poor, storm tossed brain
would ever right itself. II not, death
would be preferable.
"Who was that should dare to send
another creature out of Gods fair worldi
IL to cast stone who had played
with two mems hearts-costly play
things for such careless fingers
"Oh, the loneliness-the loneliness =
never TO dare to tell one man or woman
what one knew, and the thought that
was eating into ones very soul And
the little children To shrink from
touching even a babe, and letting its
dear, wee head nestle on ones breast,
where no babe of ones own might ever.
Ah, ah to be near one with
such secret might make it dream of
hell, and baby souls go to Heaven when
they sleep | Will they let me hold one
when die, do you think Just once, to
feel its little fingers close around mine
His mother never knew, and now she
rests with Robert in the church-yard-
maybe in Heaven, too, only don't you
think he would get place nearer where
love dwells Where will they put me I
She wiped His feet with the hairs of her
head, and she was q slnner--only mine
are so white nowp
The voice grew quieter and the words
slower, and a sort OF sleep came; yet the
physician, who bad seated himself now
by the bed, never shifted his position,
never moved, as It seemed, for hours, his
arms folded, bis brow lined with thought.
A strange s.ama had ped itself to his
quick Ins gh, out of lhe poor girls ran
dom talk. Midnight passed and brought
q change In the patient. The fever les
sened and the restless talking ceased, and