FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29  
30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   >>   >|  
you would, Frank," said Herbert. "Money is valuable, but there are some things far more so." They had reached the station by this time, and it was nearly the time for the train to start. Frank bought his ticket, and the two friends shook hands and bade each other good-bye. In an hour Frank was walking up the long avenue leading to the front door of the mansion. The door was opened by his stepfather. "How is mother?" asked Frank, anxiously. "I am grieved to say that she is very sick," said Mr. Manning, in a soft voice. "She had a copious hemorrhage this morning, which has weakened her very much." "Is she in danger?" asked Frank, anxiously. "I fear she is," said Mr. Manning. "I suppose I can see her?" "Yes; but it will be better not to make her talk much." "I will be careful, sir." Frank waited no longer, but hurried to his mother's chamber. As he entered, and his glance fell on the bed and its occupant, he was shocked by the pale and ghastly appearance of the mother whom he so dearly loved. The thought came to him at once: "She cannot live." He found it difficult to repress a rising sob, but he did so for his mother's sake. He thought that it might affect her injuriously if he should display emotion. His mother smiled faintly as he approached the bed. "Mother," said Frank, kneeling by the bedside, "are you very weak?" "Yes, Frank," she answered, almost in a whisper. "I think I am going to leave you." "Oh, don't say that, mother!" burst forth in anguish from Frank's lips. "Try to live for my sake." "I should like to live, my dear boy," whispered his mother; "but if it is God's will that I should die, I must be reconciled. I leave you in his care." Here Mr. Manning entered the room. "You will be kind to my boy?" said the dying mother. "Can you doubt it, my dear?" replied her husband, in the soft tones Frank so much disliked. "I will care for him as if he were my own." "Thank you. Then I shall die easy." "Don't speak any more, mother. It will tire you, and perhaps bring on another hemorrhage." "Frank is right, my dear. You had better not exert yourself any more at present." "Didn't Mark come with you?" asked Mr. Manning of Frank. "No, sir." "I am surprised that he should not have done so. I sent for him as well as you." "I believe he is coming by the next train," said Frank, indifferently. "He thought he could not get ready in time for my train." "He shou
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29  
30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

mother

 

Manning

 

thought

 
hemorrhage
 
entered
 

anxiously

 
whisper
 

anguish

 

coming

 

answered


smiled
 

faintly

 

display

 

emotion

 

approached

 
Mother
 

indifferently

 

bedside

 

kneeling

 
replied

disliked

 
present
 

husband

 

surprised

 

whispered

 

reconciled

 

walking

 
avenue
 

leading

 

grieved


stepfather

 

mansion

 

opened

 

things

 

valuable

 

Herbert

 

reached

 

station

 

friends

 

ticket


bought

 

copious

 

morning

 

dearly

 

appearance

 

ghastly

 
occupant
 

shocked

 

affect

 

rising