Year: 1861

times There was a sound in the cough
/ that was unpleasant to my ears. I glanc-
ed toward my friend, to see how it affec +
| ed him. but he had not noticed it.


And kills the mothers sometimes, I ven
tured to remark.


Nv friend looked at me moment or
two, as if | had disturbed him slightly, and
then went on with his breakfast. l no
ticed the cough again, once or twice, du-
ring the meal


After breakfast my friend and I retired
alone to the library, leaving Bertha to her
maternal and household cares. A sail on
the river, which ran along one side of my
friends estate, and in that 'fairest Of
pleasure boats" about which he had writ
! ten to me. was TO be our forenoon's occu-
patton.


After spending an hour or two in the L.
brary, talking and reading, we went down
to the river, my friend carrying a lunch
basket which his wife placed in bis hand.


Why can't you 60 with US? I asked, as
I looked into her face.


She shook her head, and half turned it
toward the door, from which she had step
ped into the portic0 to give her husband
the basket, thus indicating that duty must
go before pleasure.


1t is no use to invite her, said my friend
in what struck me as light and careless
manner. She never goes anywhere
Leave her with her babies and her SER
wants; she is happiest among them.


I stood near Bertha when this was said,
and could not have been mistaken in the
sound that reached met was faint sigh


There something wrong here, said I to
myself as we walked towards the river
A life is wearing rapidly away, and no
suspicion of the fact seems to have been
awakened. My friend is very selfish or
either very blind. How can he look into
his own ruddy face as it stands each day
reflected to him in his mirror, and then
look upon that pale, shadowy, feeting
countenance, and not feel the truth?
A week at Fern Dale confirmed all nv
first impressions as to the rapidly falling
condition of Bertha And yet my friend
showed no anxiety, no dim consciousness,
even, of the peril in which his wife stood.
How can be gaze into that pale, thin face,
I would ask myself over and over again,
and not take the warning that nature gives?
Was his own enjoyment of mere sensuous
life so great that he could not understand
a condition like Bertha's? He loved her,
nay, almost idolized her; and when
would hint, occasionally, in a concerned
way, my fears touching her health, he
would regard me with a vague, bewildered
countenance, as if was troubling him with
the shadow Of some far-off evil. It never
seemed to occur to him that evil was at
his door.


One morning Bertha did not make her
appearance, as usual, at the breakfast ia
ble On asking for her, my friend an
swered that she had been up most of the
night with her baby, and was too much in
disposed to rise.


Nothing serious? I remarked.


Oh, no :! he answered. She often has
such spells We shall sec her at dinner
time, as usual. only locking little bit
paler, herhaps,


Only little pa]er That must be a
death-like palor, I said to myself


This morning we we're to have sail on
the river. Soon after breakfast We went
to the boat house and unmoored the fairy
bark in which we had already spent SO
many happy hours together.


As she glided gently out, like bird
floating on the buoyant water, through
some mishap the eht cord by which my
friend held her slipped from bis hand, and
she passed from his reach in moment,
out into the current, and commenced drift
ing away. My friend became instantly ex-
cited about the boat His face flushed
his eyes dilated, all his movements were
hurried and disturbed. He ran here and
there in an incoherent manner, aud appear
ed for some moments to lose all self pos
session. At last catching at small coil
of rope, he tied stone to one end Of it
and gave me the other end to hold !; then
throwing the stone with all his strength, it
fell into the boat. Eagerly taking the
rope from my hand, he drew on it until
the slack was in. Now came the moment
Of suspense.


The boat was moving steadily with the
current; should the stone not obtain a
firm anchorage inside, and release itself
and be drawn over the gunwale, the little
vessel would float beyond our present
means of rescue But the expedient proved
success sful. The stone held with sufficient
tenacity to overcome the pressure Of the
current, and soon the pleasure-boat came
floating to our outstretched hands.


Safe exclaimed my friend, as he grasp
ed the side of his pet with eager fondness.
How careless l was he added, as he step
ped over the side, and commenced adjust
ing the sail.


You could easily have recovered hel
again, said I, even had she drifted away a
mile or SO before row-boat could be pro
cured in which to go after her.


Oh, yes, he replied, but I didn't think
of that. was only conscious that my
beauty was drifting away beyond my
reach. Don't laugh at me but l have :
real affection for this boat.


Soon we were moving away over th'
ripping water, under the pressure of I
gentle breeze, my friend every now ant
then recurring to the little incident ! hav'
mentioned.


You don't know, he said as We foatet
into sheltered cove where the wind n
longer laid its soft cheek against our snow.
sail, that hung rudely against the reed-llk
mast, how that little peril of my boat dis