The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-07-28

heads, and said he would never
awake again; but they We're all
mlstaken. There came time,
when he reused out OF his stupor,
when be said to her:
ETHEL sweet one, | am going to
llve--and what then?'
Said it, with his large, troubled
eyes full Of wistfulness, and care,
and SORROW. And she listened,
with her face hidden in her hands,
III an agony of bewilderment and
self-pity. Awhile ago, the thought
OF his dying had seemed to leave
the great world empty and desc
late. But, wife, yet rot a wife!
TO be bound by the law, while her
young heart was aching for free
dom! What should she do!
What could she DO?
But one thing was plain to her.
She must say nothing to excite
him, while his life hung thus upon
a thread. And when he said again
to her, in his faint voice, "Well,
what then, Ethel? What then?"
She nerved her voice to say, 'You
mustn't talk any more, now, Paul {;
when you are stronger, then we
will talk of anything you wish. -
But it was long weeks before
they spoke of this again, for he
had second relapse, that brought
him down, still nearer, to the
grave.
And Ethel watched over him,
faithfully, day after day. If he
had been, indeed, the husband of
her young hearts choice, she could
not have nursed him more faith
fully. The housekeeper, Mrs.
Lindsey, shared her lab0rs, as
much as Ethel would permit; but
she had habit Of falling ASLEEP
in her chair, and the bare posi-
biiity of Faul's being neglected
in any way-the thought Of hi,
wanting anything, needing any,
thing-gaye Ethel such agony, a:
might have taught her what he1
feelings really We're for him. if she
had been wise enough to have un.
derstood them. But she had not
understood her true feelings fol
. him. She thought she loved hin
only a. q dear friend. a brother.
This housekeeper, Mrs Lindsey
was the widow of a distant rela
; tive of Paul Lindsey, and whe1
Ethels father died, he invited
this widow of his cousin, who wa.
III reduced circumstances, to com,
and live at his handsome country
seat, and make home, where h,
could invite his ward, during he
} vacations.
Mrs. lindsey had been a widow
with one son, at the time of he
: second marriage, and Gerald Blacl
, had now come, for the first tim,
since his mothers marriage, t.
+ visit her. He had had some ap
pointment that had kept hin
+ abroad.
But he seemed very glad to b
| i'll his native land again very gla'
, to be at rest. He was one of thos
!; men who love rest; who love t,
: fold their hands peacefully owe
= their bosoms, and let the waves O
5 Time bear them on gently.
e Gerald Black thought Ethel wa
+ the loveliest girl he had ever met
e Perhaps her sweet, fair, innocen
: face was welcome contrast t
: his own dark, naughty, and rathe
lmperiOus countenance. He also
y thought, what a fine thing
would be, if he could have tn
B, control of her wealth; for b
: thought she was very wealthy
}, Why, it would make it entirel
I unnecessary for him to work al
e other day; and Gerald Black ha
y n strong, constitutional aversio
l. to labor. He would never be
d bold, active villain. His badne
e would always show in a cowardl,
d deceltful manner. He was not
e all energetic, even in wickednes:
Le he was too lazy to ever make
thorough scamp. But he tried /
It ingratiate himself in Ethel's f
vor i'll every way he could, COZ
II sistently with his natural const
o tuition. He hattered her, in
st certain heavy, persistent wa
1, that, at first, was rather disagree
A able to her; then what prove
u more successful, he appealed
v her pity. He had been unfort-
nate all his life; fate had bee
is against him an evil star had silol
II upon his birth. And, finally,
q, the long days, when Paul was o
ii Of danger, and coming slow
r; back to life again, Ethel got q