The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-02-05

| OuuS Ill tHC " ECl SuSOH AbfOl, WINCH
the blood is considered.
This remark of Niel's elected a
slight smile on the countenance of
O'Ferguson, but relasping again
into his meaning mood, he replied
''This is mere speculation. Per-
haps none of the young worthless,
when near a score of years has rolled
away, will please the fortune
favored damsel; or perhaps the
child may never number half the
days which are required to bring
her to maturity. A thing, think,
altogether likely, for the nursed
plant is very apt to die.''
"And then there will be some
trouble about the Tomlin estate"
added Mel, laughing, "but Davy
and myself would have a conspicu-
Gus part to perform, if such Difficult
ties should happen to turn up"
"And what part of the play
would you and the redoubted Davy
(who, by the by, appears now to be
gliding down the stream of Time
under easy saiD act, if such unfor-
tunate circumstances should come
to pass J" asked Miles.
"Favor our friends, t. be sure"
Mel answered. "Ha, Davy Darby,
man, rouse up-you don't dream of
what Importance your sleepy head
may be in the councils of the nation
in future. Ha! ha! hal"
The slumbering Davy, reused
into life again by the hearty shake
which Mel bestowed upon his broad
shoulders, rubbed his eyes to clear
his vision and dispel his waking
doubts, and with yawn asked how
the sick man did.
A slight movement on the part of
the invalid showed the watchers
that he was recovering rom his
dull, heavy, opiate sleep. He
raised his eyes and called for some
water, which O'Ferguson, who had
approached the bedside, placed to
his lips. After swallowing a
mouthful of the cooling liquid, he
inquired the hour of the night, and
was informed that day was just be-
ginning to glimmer in the murky
East.
"Move my cot in front of the
window" said the sick man, "that
I may look upon the dawn of the
last day these eyes shall ever he
hold ~
His bed was moved as requested,
and he lay long in silence, gazing
on the family illumihed East, as
the rays of morning shot up from
the horizon, and struggled through
the murky clouds which still thickly
canopied the heavens, till a bright
crimson flush spread over the sky.
Withdrawing his gaze at length
from the glowing armament, he
turned towards the three men who
stood in silence by the bedside.
"Dear friends, 1 must soon leave
you for that untried world whence
no wanderer ever returns. Bring
in my little Rose, that 1 may be-
hold once more the image of her
lamented mother, and the family
all, till take a final leave Of all
most dear to me on earth"
| O'Ferguson motioned to Mel to
do as the dying man requested,
while he endeavored to console him
with words of hope and comfort,
but the inevitable fate of the invalid
was too apparent to himself as we'll
as his comforter, to admit of a
single ray of hope. The dagger
had passed through the left lobe of
his lungs, inflicting wound which
the physician pronounced mortal,
as soon as examined.
!, Mr.. Greenberry and his wife
soon made their appearance, lead
ing little Rose between them, fol-
lowed by the rest of the family, in
mournful silence, and holding their
breath, lest even a deep-drawn sigh
should disturb the object of their
solicitude. Little Rose, whose
bright sunny locks had been famed
) by the soft breezes of but three
summers, was too young to feel
anything of that awful solemnity
which hallows a death bed scene,
, but looking up into Mrs. Green
berry's face for the consoling smile