hooting, Cuthbert groaning,—the dogs barking,-two canary-birds singing as loud as they possibly could,-Hutton scolding the dogs,-I hustling the Doctor out of the room,— and Kitty and Jane scudding across the hall to take leave of Mr. Kittington, the dancing master. wife's room, and I led the Doctor up to my having just looked in, Mrs. Wells held up her hand to caution me against speaking. I heard a faint murmur of complaint from my beloved wife, the door was shut upon me,—and I burst into tears. I did, and I am not ashamed to record the fact. Oh, the thrilling, aching, throbbing pain of anxiety which seemed to affect every part of my body and limbs; my hands were icy cold, my tongue was parched, my knees trembled; my kind, my affectionate, my darling Harriet was in pain and in sorrow, and I unable either to assist her or soothe her in her sufferings. I did not know how to dispose of myself; return to the breakfast parlour I could not; where I was, I dared not stop, lest I should hear the sound of Har riet's voice in grief and anguish. I went down stairs, I fled to my sanctum, and shut myself in my library, to pray for the safety and restoration of the being I loved best on earth. Silence had been restored, and I heard nothing where I sat, except the subdued ringing of the servants' dinner-bell, which told me that I had been for upwards of two hours in my concealment; presently, however, I was hunted out : Hutton knocked at the door, and after repeating the operation twice, I felt obliged to answer, to prevent a continuation of his thumping,—my brother wanted me. I of course obeyed the summons; and there I found Cuthbert covered with a shawl and a blanket, extended on the sofa, with the three windows of the room all open. "What a thing to have happened!" said Cuthbert; "it is,-dear me,-what shall we do? -poor dear Mrs. Brandyball never had it,―nor either of the girls. I have sent for Sniggs,they have shut themselves up in Kitty's room with camphor bags and eau de Cologne till he comes. They are all going to be vaccinated,so am I,—and Hutton and I have been speaking to Mrs. Habijam, and the coachman, and the two housemaids, and they have all agreed, and I. want you to let Foxcroft be vaccinated, too,— -there's nothing like precaution." "But, my dear brother," said I, "all these people have had either the small-pox or been vaccinated before, rely upon it." "Ah, but," said Cuthbert," the cow-pox is like everything else, it wears out; besides, it was not discovered when I was born, nor when you were born. I don't recollect having had the small-pox, nor do either of my girls.” 66 Probably not," said I; " and probably none of the establishment recollect a similar event in any of their lives, inasmuch as it generally occurs at a period to which the memory of man reacheth not." "Well, it can do no harm," said Cuthbert; "let Sniggs see poor Tommy as soon as he comes, and then have him well fumigated,—ah, -or washed, anything you think safest,—and then let him begin his operations. I'll have poor Pilly vaccinated, too.” "Who?" said I. "Pilgarlick," said Cuthbert, looking the pic ture of despair. "What, your tom-cat!" exclaimed I. "I think it will be safest," sighed he. Hutton paused in his operation of bathing his master's temples, to see whether he were pleased to be facetious, or was in sober earnest. I am convinced it was the purest bit of matter-of-fact solicitude that ever man expressed. The arrival of Sniggs was the signal for action. I was ordered to convey him to Tom's apartment, in order to satisfy Cuthbert as to the reality of the existence of the disease he so much dreaded; and accordingly I conveyed him to the room where Tom had compounded with himself as to not going to bed, by having taken off his jacket and waistcoat, and lain down on the quilt with his boots on, ready for a start whenever he felt disposed to run riot. "There," said I to the apothecary, "there's a patient for you. What's the matter with him ?" "Hold up, Master Tom," said Sniggs; "look to the light-eh,-umph,-feel any itching?" "Yes, I do," said Tom. "Umph,-I see," said Sniggs; "obstructed perspiration, a sort of nettle-rash,—better out than in,-little cooling physic will set all to rights." 66 Why," said I, "we were thinking it was the small-pox." "The small-pox, my dear Mr. Gurney!" said Sniggs; "not a bit of it. Where's the synocha, -where the languor and drowsiness which invariably characterize that complaint? No, no; the blood wants cooling. I'll send him something which will set him all to rights in no time." "Well," said I, "but do you know we generally believe it to be the small-pox." "Ha, ha!" said Sniggs, "that's deuced good; who is likely to know best?" "My brother says it is small-pox,” said I. |