Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-06-30

above, putting on her bonnet. Sh
was intending to snatch time fror
her hard work to go and see her hus
band, who had not yet left the hos
pital. His leg had been very badl
broken, and he had only quite latel
begun to mend.
Friends had been very kind, ant
had got up small subscription
among themselves, which had bee
of material USE But there was n
rich people lived near them, and. 70
the most part, poor Mrs. Fordhan
had had to get on as best she could
AS she was about to close the win
dow, she called to the group below
''Be good children while I an
gone; and you can have your tie;
early, and start to meet me directly
after. And don't forget to lock thu
door before you come away, as yot
uitl ldSG GlLUO.
Once away from the house, anC
fairly started on the lonely roaG
along by the beach, Mrs. Fordhan
felt her tears beginning to come.
Her children were not near now tC
ask, "What is the matter, mother p
No one was near, no one saw her,
save the Great Father above, who
could and who would help her when
the right time came; he felt sure of
that, amid all her trouble.
She soon dried her eyes, for John
must not see that she had been cry
ing, and walked on, her gaze rowing,
half anxiously, half sadly, over the
few late sea pinl1s and yellow peoples
that were scattered on the one hand,
and the dandelions and seeding grass
es that grew on the other, when sud-
denly she became aware that young
woman was approaching, and then,
almost Immediately, voice said:
"Why, Dorothy, 1 was coming to
see you !"
"Were you, dear? Well, why not
90 on? You will find the children, and
[ shall be back quite early. | am 60
ing to the hospital to see poor John.
[ expect we shall soon have him at
home again now.'' And in her heart
the little woman added: "Though
what we shall do then | don't know.
The children will worry him to death,
poor fellow And how / shall be able
to get him half the nice and strength
pning things he ought to have, | can
not imagine -
But she had observed by this time
that her young cousin-who had fire.
luently been to see her before, and
whose home was five or six miles be-
You'd Eastbridge-had eyes as tear
ful as her own; and, after they had
talked for minute or two, she (Mrs.
Fordham) said suddenly:
81 hope that there is nothing the
natter, Fanny? and that you, and"
But poor Fanny Gay was young
only eighteen-and unused to trouble
md at her cousins first words, she
dropped down among the sea pinks
md popples, and began to cry bitter
Y.
ooh" she exclaimed. as soon as
the could get her voice again, "poor
Arthur is so ill They don't think he
will get over it And you know we
we're to have been married in week.
every thing was ready-and-an and
,h - with a fresh burst of bitter
grief, "now perhaps | shall never
zee him again and he is so far away
and they won't let me go to him p
"Mother and | can't help feeling
lull and lonely and miserable she
aid, the tears running over again
and we thought that we might have
1ilda and Dorrie for awhile, if you
liked. Father is in good work, and"
"Oh," interrupted Mrs. Fordham,
how kind. Fanny and the children.
The two little girls were delighted at
he idea of going back with their
ousin, who helped their mother to
Jack their things. and departed, with
child holding by each hand, on the
afternoon.
"Good-by, Fanny" Mrs. Ford
am had said. "Don't grieve. It's
rst joy and then sorrow, and then
oy again! And there's more sun
hlne than joy in our lives, after all.
our Arthur will soon get we'll again
as I can not help thinking-and |
gu will be as happy as the days are
ong."
A fortnight passed. John Ford
am was at home once more. The |
rst small pleasures and excitements
rere over, and he had relapsed into
dullness and depression, as his wife
ad feared that he would.
It was a gloomy autumn morning.
he two boys had gone to school, land
is wife, after giving him his break
asst, wished to return to her washing |
ut he kept saying:
"Don't run away from me so Dor
thy! | shall never get well if am
} be left so much to myself.
She did not know how to spare the
me; nevertheless, she sat by him
ntil, by-and-by, he fell into light
oze, when she stole silently from the
pom.
AS she reached the little passage,
ne saw from the open door the post
ian approaching. He gave her one
.ttar If was for her husband Who