Last Days

"Now you go to sleep," Nina said coaxingly, and as old Hannah
found but little difficulty in obeying the command, Nina was left
to herself while she wrote that long, long message, a portion of
which we give below.

"DEAR MR. RICHARD: "Poor blind man! Nina is so sorry for you to-night, because she
knows that what she has to tell you will crush the strong life all
out of your big heart, and leave it as cold and dead as she will
be when Victor reads this to you. There won't be any Nina then,
for Miggie and Arthur, and a heap more, will have gone with their
way out where both my mothers are lying, and Miggie'll cry, I
reckon when she hears the gravel stones ruttling down just over my
head, but I shall know they cannot hit me, for the coffin-lid will
be between, and Nina'll lie so still. No more pain; no more
buzzing; no more headache; no more darkness; won't it be grand,
the rest I'm going to. I shan't be crazy in Heaven. Arthur says
so; and he knows.

"Poor Arthur! It is of him and Miggie I am writing to you, if I
ever can get to them; and Richard; when you hear this read,
Nina'll be there with you; but you can't see her, because you're
blind, and you couldn't see if you wern't, but she'll be there
just the same. She'll sit upon your knee, and wind her arms around
your neck, so as to comfort you when the great cry comes in, the
crash like the breaking up of the winter ice on the northern
ponds, and when you feel yourself all crushed like they are in the
spring, listen and you'll hear her whispering, 'Poor Richard, Nina
pities you so much! She'll kiss your tears away, too, though maybe
you won't feel her. And, Richard, you'll do right, won't you.
You'll give Miggie up. You'll let Arthur have her, and so bring
back the sunshine to her face. She's so pale now and sorry, and
the darkness lies thickly around her.