St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-06-16

with autumn his cough grew terribly
bad, and the winter, that every one
said would be so trying, was very
near. But on Saturdays we still had
/ our walks, and still went the old way
till west northwest grew to be
watchword between us for all that
we wanted and could not get. We
seldom said it without a laugh; but
there is no one but me who knows
the meaning of it now
1t was one Saturday in October
that Chris came in with a letter m
his hand I knew before he told
what the news was, from something
in his face. Pauline was to be mar
ried in NOvember-to the other fell
| low.
My prayer has really been an
swered, he said, little restlessly,
lin six months. And now I want to
buy wedding present is all
that remains to be done. You'll
come with me, won't you, Janet?"
1 nodded, and we went. Chris
was very bright and eager about
buying that wedding present rather
too bright, perhaps, when one saw
the restless look in his eyes. We
went from place to place, and at last
found an exquisite little flower vase
that took his fancy, though it cost
far more than he ought to have af-
forded fancied he must often have
taken her flowers
II shall not send my NAME" Chris
decided when his gift was packed
up and even addressed. But think
she will know"
[ knew she would know.
Now let us take the road" said
Chris, laughing, when his parcel was
sent off-and [ knew which road he
meant could walk it in the dark.
I think if I had only one inch of
strength left I would choose to walk
there till died. We took an omni-
bus and went rather farther out than
usual. Chris was very bright and
rotherly-rather in an absent way,
and seemed bent on showing me that
he was not downhearted. But we
talked of other things, never of Paul
inc.
We had tea at little shop really
in the country, as Chris said hope
fully. l think they took us for
brother and sister. 1t was very
pleasant shopwoman; she had a lit
tie girl with round, rrddy face and
very light hair who made friends
with Chris at once, as children al
ways did, and he gave her BRIGHT
new siXpence, for which l shook my
head at him We had tea at a small
round table by the front kitchen fire
rather than in the cold, deserted
room where they had visitors in the
summer. It was so warm and com
Portable, and Chris liked the warmth,
| though he could eat little. When tea
was done we still sat there five min
utes by the fire, chatting quietly
Perhaps it was because a crisis was
over and one could breath more free
ly; perhaps it was because he knew
the vase would please her; but l
think those few minutes were pleas
ant even to Chris Sometimes his
face comes up before me as clearly
as possible, with the freight on it
though | cannot recall it when try.
Then we set out to walk back All
the way there the wind had been
with us, and we hardly felt it, but
now we met it full 1t was bitter
wind, and before we had left the
shop ten minutes a driving sleet be-
gan We walked two miles before
we could get an omnibus. Chris
thought lightly of it, of course, and
was only anxious for meas if l
could have been hurt! Death is for
people like Chris I try to forget that
walk home, and go back to where we
sat in the freight; but I dream of
the other sometimes, and the sleet is
in our faces again and know it is
killing him, and wake myself with
calling out. Very well; that is all
over. The doctor said that perhaps
it made no real difference; what hap
pened then might have happened
any day in the state Chris was in.
1t was an hour after we reached
home, and he was coughing terribly
he broke a blood vessel. But he
lived for two days and nursed him
to the end; he wanted no one else.
He said l was good nurse, but l
knew my hands were very hard and
rough with homework I did pray
that might lose the use of them for
ever if God would only make them
cool and soft till Chris died; but l
suppose that would have been
miracle Chris did not mind He
was very grateful, and said he should
certainly meet me again He had
always so much faith A little be-
fore he died he smiled and said he
was going west northwest
That is three years ago and l am
glad now for the summers seem to
be growing shorter and shorter and
the winters longer; there is a great