The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-12-08

didn't expect her never to get married
L. was preposterous.
II was destined to know her objec-
! ton. As I approached the lodge the
porteress met me.
"'Oh, Mr.. Bourn, this is shockin +
Why my engagement to Ella should be
shocking I couldn't see, and I no
doubt expressed it in my looks.
so sudden, too SIR said the wo-
man. Nobody expected itT
"'Whaever's the matterG' said l..
"'Why, haven't you heard that
Miss York is dead7 No! On, dear
Poor thing; had a fit in the night, doc
tor says. was quite unconscious when
Miss Ella got there, and died at 9 o'clock
this morning.
my heart sank; I felt faint and
giddy. 1t was some minutes before l
could move. You will never know how
it feels, Howson, unless you should
have such a blow, which 1 hope you
never will. But 1 am bound to say
that my n thought was my poor,
lonely darling, Ellar
There were no more details to be
learned about Miss York's death. She
was buried in Lowmarket churchyard.
Ella was i'll for weeks, and could not
see ven me. When she was we'll
enough to attend to business it was
found that she inherited all her aunt's
money, and as she had already accepted
me, we were married twelve months
afterWard. She had been -awtuIly
lonely, she said, since Miss York's
death, but no couple had ever lived
happier and been nearer and dearer to
each other than Ella and 1. May God
bless her"
"AmenT' said I, solemnly and rever,
emily.
ELLA ard l." pursued Jim, could
never give the remotest guess as to her
aunt's OH ection to our engagement,
and it would probably have remained
a mystery to me, as it has to Ella even
now, had it not been for the following
circumstances. Sometime ago l was
sent for at the prison to see a rather
desperate character, whose end was
very near. He had been sent to
seven years penal servitude some
three years before for forgery, and
after serving three years at Portland
had been transferred to Lownmarket.
His appearance was superior to that
of the ordinary convict, even when a
forger. Although l had seen him sew
eral times, and certainly been struck
with his face and appearance, we could
not be said TO be friendly, as he had
been Indifferent to all my advances
II found him lying in the hospital,
and I soon saw that he would not live
very long.
You seem pleased to see meG' I
said.
"'Yes, SIR replied No. 1852; I'm glad
you've come; 1 hardly expected you
would, considering how standoftin I've
been. But 1 wanted to see you, as the
doctor says I'm not likely to last much
longer-perhaps not till to morrow
"'There, we'll, never mind. Keep
your courage up, and you'll probably
deceive the Doctor
II talked to him about his soul and
spiritual things. That we may pass
by, Howson; l believe he was thor
oughly penitent. I asked him if there
was any thing l could do for him.
Eyes, sir, there is one thing, if you
will. It's such a curious one, l hardly
like to ask His eyes looked eagerly
at me.
"'Go on 1 said; I'll do it if posi-
ble.'
1--we had a queer life, SIR said the
convict. Il might have been somebody
and done some good; but I got led
astray after marriage. and broke the
heart of my wife, who died soon after
ward. Yes, I've led a bad life, and its
precious few friends I've had lately
anyhow. But l hope l may be for
given, as you say God will pardon even
the worst of US. And if you'll prom
ise me to do one thing when I'm dead,
I shall die happy
IN promise as far as 1 can,' I said !;
what is it9'
Its to take good care of your wife, ,
answered No. 152 All! said he,
smiling, 4 thought that would aston
ish you!
Take caro- of my witeI l gazed at
him in amez ament. why, of course
l shall! But what is that to you3'
ga great deal" he said8