The morning call., 1890-11-30

got dttludlHttu WIFI SUUe ptOpIt, anu
they told me this man Roberts had sot his
self talked about, on account of bein' too
friendly with a married lady from Frisco
named Clavering. l told this to Phoebe
that night, but she received it eZ calm and
Indifferent like ez if I'd told her some bit O.
everyday news; for she didn't believe
word of it. With her to love was to trust,
and she trusted him with all her heart.
Roberts didn't come over that day, as he
promised, nor the next nor the next. And
pretty soon we heard thar WIS to be pic
mic party over ON the bluff, where we met
this evenin'.
- For the fust time in her life, our little
gal deceived us. She told US she WIS goin'
down to the river to read; but it wasn't
long afore we saw her in the boat out in the
stream. with SanchG a-paddlin' NV her over
to the Point. IL was two hours afore she
come back, and when she did, her eyes had a
wild look in 'em aud her face was pale as
death. She throwed herself On the sofa
thar, and cried eZ eff her heart would break.
Me and the old woman done our best to
comfort her, but it warn't no use, and be
tween her s0bS she told US that what I'd
heered about the man she loved was true.
She'd been over to the Point, and crept up
to EN- unbeknownst, and seen Roberts and
Mrs. Clavering together. She heard him
sIeak words o love to her, heerd him say
that ez he could never marry her. he never
would any one else.
The little one was sick arter that with
brain fever, for most two weeks, and all
the time Their WIS but one word she spoke,
in her rawlings or out NV them, Harry,
Harry, Harry The doctor told US that on
less somethin' was done TO drive this man
out NV her mind she'd waste away and die.
SO | went to the hotel again.
Roberts wus glad to see me, and said the
reason he hadn't come over to the house
wus that he s'posed his Indifference might
caused Phoebe to fOrgit him He promised
to do something that day to end it all. and
he come over in the evenin'. | don't Jest
know what he said to her, for they wus to-
gether in the sick-room fur long time, and
l WIS a-waitin' here to have him tell me the
result. He come out by with a worried
look on his handsome face.
60 Mr.. Thompson he said, I'D give my
right hand II / could recall the fust thought
less words | spoke to that little girl. But
it's too late now-l CAN do nothing Good
byp
And without sayin' another word, he
passed from the room and out into the
night;
from that moment, and for five or six days
was clean out of her mind. AT the end of
that time we heard her a:callin' us in the
same sweet voice we'd been used 10 afore
she was took down with the fever.
Come to me, mother and father she
said, i want to hold yer hands in mine, for
it'll be the last time I'll ever do it this side
O. the grave. I'm goin' ter die-the blow is
too hard-more'n l can bear, more'n L can
bear,
ave both tried to cheer her by speakin'
words Nv hope, but we done it with heavy
hearts, MI. Browning, fur we seen that the
hand o death wus on her even then; that
the dark angel was a-beckonin' her from the
other side.
-. Father, want yer to promise me some
thin afore leave yer; will yer?'
|. "'Anythin' you says. Phoebe, answ cred.
We'll, them she went on, when Pm
gone want you to dress me in the gownd l
wore when fust met him-the white one,
mean-and l want yer to place a bunch o.
flowers in my hand, and with 'em this note
to Harry And she took bit o. folded pa
per from under her pillow. When you've
done this, put me in the boat, take me over
to the Point-it wus Their L flst saw him. Won
know-and bury me ther. want him to
come, and he will if you ask him, cause
feel as ef l could rest easier in my lonely
grave KNOWN he was near and saw me COW
cred up. Good-by father; mother, darling,
goOd-by. Kiss me. both of you
''She put out her little thin arms and
drawed us both down and kissed us. And
before took my cheek from hers felt the
shudder passin' through her little frame tibet
told me all wuS over-that our darling Was
dead, and all the sunshine and brightness
and joy he'd went out of our lives to the end
O. time"
The old man buried his face in his hands
and sObbed bitterly. | did not speak, for
knew too well that his was grief for which
there is no s6lace-a burden that must be
borne alone. After a few moments he re-
sumed:
. The next day we done just as she asked
us to, dressed her in the white gown, put the
flowers in her hand, and with 'em The note
to Roberts. We sent word to Roberts and a
few friends we had, and told them where
we. wus goin' ter lay our little one away.
I'VE put her tenderly in the boat and
Sancho took his place in the stern. didn't