Year: 1864

now, there was no doubt. The wolf so often
cried causelessly during the few preceding
years OF her long life, was at last growing at
the door. From this attack it was certain
she would not recover.


She herself was aware OF it. The hand Of
Time, which was crushing her into her grave
which had stolen from her all the vigor of life
leaving her like a dry sapless tree, had not
quenched the active mind and dauntess spirit
which for seventy years she had possessed
She well knew she was dying. 1t was un-
| derstood that she had made a will, which
was lodged in the hands of Mr.. Crooks, who
as merchant, postmaster and member of the
council was undoubtedly the proper person
to have charge of document of such import
| ance. Great curiosity was felt and many
| now beneath kitty's roof hoped to get from
her, or those who nursed her, some inteli-
! gence as to what the will contained. But
she had made no confdants and as evening
drew on, she had fallen into an apparent stu
por, from which she only awoke by sudden
starts, when she would utter a groan of pain.
or occasionally word or two of prayer.
Very strange, t. the unaccustomed ewes.
would nave been the scene, lit up by the red
glow Of the fire of bark and pinc,wo blazing
on the broad hearth for though the season
was May, the night-air was chill, and the
rough log walls by no means forbade its en-
trance. In one corner was the bed, where
lay the invalid, uncurtained and unscreencd
while on and around it were the two or
three women at present in office as nurses,
one holding tfaring candle, another a spoon
and phial, while third supported the pillows
on her arm. Filling the rest of the room,
were about dozen female figures, among
whom the seven ages of woman might have
been sought and found, from the infant in the
cradle TO the crone of threescore and ten.
There was the child creeping on the floor, in
charge of one just emerging from childhood
young girls in freshness and beauty by the
freS'de, young mother fondlng her first
born with eXultant pride, as she talked to the





mern5 on the glowing Goals while the old
| women compared notes as to the death beds
they had attended and the funerals they had
seen. The men were mostly gathered in
the. "stoop" outside, but the masculine ele-
ment was not entirely wanting within; it was
represented by old Sias Doyle, who had the
gift of grace " and had come to pray with the
invalid ; and handsome Martin Foye, leaning
over the shoulders of pretty Amarylla Doll
man, who looked up in his face with such
lauguishins expression in her great soft eyes
aided her by any means in their power, but
their sympathy did not in the least prevent
! their attending to their own affairs Tor did
any seem to remember that as she was now.
SO they all in their turn mnst be the peculiar
hum of many voices speaking low sounded in
the room, while over all the red fire shed a
lurid light, and cast fantastic shadows on the
smoky walls,


Now and then, the creaking door would
open, and give entrance to some fresh visitor,
and the crazy floor would rock under even
careful tread, as the new conner advanced to
the bed, held the candle so as to throw the
light on the sick woman's face and made
audible remarks on her appearance, ard the
change for the worse percepti5le since the
last visit. 1t was Saturday evening, and the
weeks work was done and put away this
accounted for the unusual gathering, where
there were generally only those who were
needed or had nothing to do at home !; but
all were now free to make inquiries and to in
duige, at common rendezvous in little
friendly chat. Kitty's was not the only sick
room in CrOcksville Abel Blunt's wife was
almost given over, and was, moreover very
interesting case as she was delirious the In
terest was therefore somewhat divided, but
Kitty's was the favorlte resort. Abel Blunt
lived in a substantial house with various
rooms, and only privileged few were ad-
mtted to the presence of the invalid but
Kitty Clark's one roomed shanty where the
visitor had nothing to do but to open the
door and walk in gave free access to all.


Let us listen to some of the scraps of con-
versation, and learn how matters stand in
Crocksvil'c, such having been the name civ.
en- the place when it arrived at the dignity of
possessing post Office, and received name
at all First, let us take Martin Foye, who
lS hIcp nj, -
you think there's no chance he'll change his
mind Am'riily dear ?"


Not bit. He wouldn't let Nelly marry
Robert till he hada farm of his own. and
he won't let me. Well have to wait a while


81 s'pose we must; but it's awful hard to
have patience" q =


"Well w'er botd young, and we can afford


The scene of this story is laid in Canada