Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-28


horse without his rider.
When she thought Johnny asleep
she arose and went into the kitchen.
She did not dare to remain in the room
with the child lest he should suddenly
open his eyes and see the agony VIII oh,
she felt she could no longer suppress.
There was nothing she could do for her
husband, living or deal, except to keep
the lamp burning in the window as
beacon, in case, as was just pc sible.
he had been thrown after crossing the
gorge. and was now wandering about
in the darkness. ,
But for johnny she would have set
out TO follow the road ack towards
town, hoping to find some trace of b r
husband but TO do so and leave onnny
when there was so tile chan, OF any
good coming Ut it was not 10 be seri-
ously thought Of She must wait unit
daylight, and then even then at
could she do? If the rsiu should c
it would still be days and may be weeks
the Cottage. But this fact did not
nothing she c. uld do except % wait
aud keep the lamp n the window burn
ing as brightly q, possible.
For many NON uts she sat motion
less. anu then stole gu city to the side
OF her child, whom she found much as
he had been for some hours past sleep
ing uneasily and with considerable
fever. As was slipping from the
sick room aga q, she heard noise as
if some one were fumbling at the
kitchen door in n vain endeavOr to find
the latch. She listened with q feeling
OF returning hope. mingled with a no.
rlble, superst t.ous dread; the latter
born of her ted condi ion and the
terrible drearinc of her surroundings.
The sound cont nued un il she could
not be mistaken; it was some one try.
ing to open the door, and who else
could it be but her husband? With
feel ng of fantness, as if she had sud
denly been caught as she was about tc
drop into horrible abyss, she ha tened
to lift the latch. AS she did so. form
covered with mud, hat ess and vita a
look OF death upon his face and in his
eyes, entered. For an in tant she did
not recognize the form as that of her
husband, but when he staggered fo--
chair, she saw that it was he. and in an
instant she was at his side. striving to
remove his storm soaked garments.
'FTell me where lou are hurt, John;
tell me what to do, quick" she said.
care you wounded anywhere, or only
terribly bruised by your fallp Tell me
quick. so can help YOU
But he only stared at her and made
no reply.
John. john" she cried, now doubly
alarmed, ''what is It? where is it? tell
me. dear. Is it your head that hurts99'
He looked at her so strangely that
she thought he must have been crazed
by blow upon the head.
Slowly he raised his hand at last and
drew it across his forehead.
Il d'know, Marty" he said. in a
hestating tone, Il reckon-I d'know-
exactly what ia the matter"
He still sat gazing at her with that
strange look in his eyes, rs if he was
not certain of whert he was.
Mrs. Parsons hurriedly placed the
ea-kettle back on the stove, where it
instantly began to sing. and moment
later had a cup of tea prepared. Then
she came and put her arm about her
husbands neck, paying no attention to
his filthy garments, while she held the
cup to his lips.
''Drnk this, DEAR" she said, land
then IL. get your wet clothes off and get
He took q sip Ct the tea and then
looking up at his wife as she bent
over him. askei:
'.Do you think they'll let us stay till
mornin'p"
And Martha Parsons tired to keep
her voice from trembling and make t
sound che 'rful as she answ red: ''Oh
yes, dear. they sad we could stay until
morning.
She saw that he was out of his head
and knew that the better way was to
hum any fancy of his brain, and
hop ng that if she could get him to bed
and apply hot draughts to his person.
he ight recover his mind in few
hours.
She finally succeeded in undressing
him and getting him into bed, where
he lay staring at / er as she moved
about, preparing her hot draughts and
placing them upon his head and feet,
and across his chest.
Johnny had ava ened when his father
came. and tried to call h m. but be ng
told by his mott er that his father had
fallen from his horse and Was hurt. and
that he must keep quiet. he had done
so, though his eyes were big with tear,
and with the fever. which had come up
higher than ever.
Occasionally, as she worked over her
, husband. chatling his limbs and chang
! ing the cloths and vessels of hot water
with which she had surrounded him, he
would mutter something about 1.-The
mortg ge.' or 1.-The m nes." or about
''Lucy and Era-tus." and once g
thought he spoke the names of Jennie
and her husband. but she gath red
nothing from VIII he sa d of the loss of
their home and supposed that his con
! horse, and of be ng long exposed to
the storm His limbs were cold and
she feared he was going into a nervous
chSl, and worked wi h all her mig to
restore circulat on, but in spite of
her efforts lie cont nued to sink. His
eyes would close for a few moments and
then open AGAIN suddenly. but never