Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-03-25

uASA AACA SdI II
 For some days Allie did well. The wound healed ''by the first intention;" for, as James said, "Oor Allies skin, over clean to bell" The students came in quiet and anxious, and surrounded | her bed. She said she liked to see their | young, honest faces. The surgeon dressed her, and spoke to her in his own short, kind way, pityIng her through his eyes, Rab and James out side the circle,-Rab being now recon oiled, and even cordial, and having made up his mind that as yet nobody required worrying, but, as you may suppose, setdper paratus.
 So far well; but, four days after the operation, my patient had sudden and long shivering, q ''groossin'," as she called it. I saw her soon after; her eyes were too bright, her cheek eolored; she was restless, and ashamed of being so; the balance was lost; mischief had begun. On looking at the wound, a blush of red told the secret: her pulse was rapid, her breathing anxious and quick; she wasn't herself, as she said, and was vexed at her restlessness. We tried what we could. James did every thing, was everywhere; never in the way, never out of it; Rab subsided un- der the table into dark place, and was motionless, all but his eye, which fol- lowed everyone. Allie got worse; be- gan to wander in her mind, gently: was more demonstrative in her ways to James, rapid in her questions, and sharp at times. He was vexed, amp said, ''She was never that way afore; no, never" For a time she knew her head was wrong, and was always asking our pardon,-the dear, gentle old woman: then delirium set in strong, without pause. Her brain gave way, and then came that terrible spectacle
 The intellectual power through words and
 things,
 Went sounding on its dim and pcrilous wny;'' she sang bits of old songs and Psalms, stopping suddenly, ,mingling the Psalms of David and the diviner words of his Son and Lord with homely odds and ends and scraps of ballads.
 Nothing more touching or in a sense more strangely beautiful, did I ever witness. Her tremulous, rapid, affec- tionate, eager Scotch voice,-the swift, aimless, bewildered mind, the ba filed utterance, the bright and perilous eye; some wild@vords, some household cares, something for James, the names of the dead Rab called rapidly in 'fremyt'' voice, and he starting up surprised, and sinking off as if he were to blame somehow, or had been dreaming he heard; many eager questions and be- seedlings which James and could make nothing of, and on which she seemed to set her all, and then sink back under stood. It was very sad, but better than many things that are not called sad James lowered about, put out and miserable, but active and exact as ever I read to her, when there was a lull short bits of the Psalms, prose and metre, chanting the latter in his own ! rude and serious way, showing great knowledge of the fit words, bearing uE like man, and doating over her as his ''ain Allie" "Ailie ma woman!" "Ms ain bonnie wee awtie!'
 The end was drawing on: the golder bowl was breaking: the silver cord wa, ! fast being loosed-that animula blan dula, vagula, hospes, comesque, was \ about to flee. The body and the soul | companions for sixty years-were being | sundered, and taking leave. She was \ walking alone through the valley o1 that shadow into which one day wt ! must all enter-and yet she was no \ alone, for we know whose rod and staff \ were comforting her.
 ! One night she had fallen quiet, and as we hopcd asleep; her eyes were shut
 We put down the gas, and sat watching
 her. Suddenly she sat up in bed, anC
 taking bed-gown which was lying or
 it rolled up, she held it eagerly to he
 breast-to the right side. We could se'
 her eyes bright with a surprising ten
 derness and joy, bending over this bun dle of clothes. She held it as woman
 holds her sucking child; open
 ing out her night gown inpa
 tiently, and holding it close
 and breeding over it, and murmurins
 foolish little words, as over one whom
 his mother comforteth, and who suck
 and is satisfied. It was pitiful ant
 strange to see her wasted dying look
 keen and yet vague-her immense love
 "Preserve mel" groaned James, giv
 ing way. And then she rocked bacl
 and forv'ard, as if to make it sleep
 flushing it, and wasting on. it her infin
 ite fondness. "Wae's me doctor; l de
 clare she's thinl1in' it's that bairn.
 "What bairn?" 'The only bairn w
 ever had; our wee Mysie, and she's il
 the Kingdom, forty years and mair
 It was telling plainly true; the pain ii
 the breast, telling it's urgent story to
 bewildered, ruined brain, was misrca
 and mistaken; it suggested to her tn
 uneasiness of breast full of milk, an
 then the child; and so again once nor
 they were together, and she had he
 ain wee Mysie in her bosom.
 This was the close. She sank rapidly y
 the delirium left her; but, as she whisk
 cred, she was ''clean silly" it was tn
 Tightening before the final darkness
 After having for some time lain stil
 her eyes shut, she said: James, H came close to her, and lifting up he
 calm, clear, beautiful eyes, she gay
 him a long look, turned to me kindl
 but shortly, looked for Rab but coul
 not see him, then turned to he
 husband again, as if she would neve
 leave off looking, shut her eyes, an
 composed herself. She lay for som
 time breathing quick, and passed ava
 so gently, that when we thought sh
 was gone, James, in his old-fashione