ONLY A ROSE 297

and kept repeating as I stood there, “It was only a rose,
anyhow.”

By this time I felt sure that the “ five minutes” must be
nearly over, and was raising my eyes to the dormer windows
of the garret, and feeling very sorry for the poor little
prisoner, when suddenly I saw something spinning down
through the air from the very top of the house—spinning,
falling, nearer and nearer, until it struck the iron railing
of the front piazza, and then fell heavily upon the stone
pavement. Oh, it was Gerty! Gerty! our own darling
little sister !

Eliza and old Henry came rushing up the front cellar
steps. I remember his bent body; the gathering crowd;
the quiet little form upon the pavement; the crimsoned arm;
the screams and sobs of Marie, Miss Ellis, and Eliza; the
momentary tumult and terror; then the awful hush when
she was laid, still and white, upon the sofa. Would she

 

ever open her eyes—ever speak to us again? The doctor
shook his head when Miss Ellis looked imploringly into
his face. She was frantic with grief, and Eliza, groaning
and crying, dashed water upon Gerty’s white face, without
effect. The kind-hearted creature, even in her distress, had
a word of sympathy for Miss Ellis.

“Ah, chile,” she sobbed, “don’t take on—don’t take on —
de Lord knows yer was tryin’ to do right. Oh! if dose
bressed little eyes would on’y look at ole Lizer jist once.
If you’d on’y brought out de chair, Miss Ellis—but still it
seemed out o natur for de poor little creatur’ to drag it to
de winder all herself. Oh, doctor, doctor, 7s she killed ?
De Lord have merey. Js she killed?”