The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-08-17

slsTER 'T't1gREsaa
CONCLUDED.l

CONcMUDED. xs
For many weeks, Gen. Dnfour ho-
vered between life and death, but the
Sister Theresa. nursed him faithfully.
She would suffer no one ITO relieve
her, and bore the trying strain upon
her health and strength with firm
ness that was heroic. All through
the long hours sof the summer nights
she would Bit by his bedside, bathing
his fevered brow, and soothing his
deIrium Of pain with her soft touch
and her low, tender words. The stlr-
geon, who had been interested in the
case, watched her closely.
Ma fol, he would mutter with q
sigh, "what would I give for my wife
to love me as that poor woman loves
that man. .s,S., ~, 5Af
At last he had to interfere. The
task of nursing one so dangerously
wounded as the General was too Sc
we're for one woman, and the Sister
herself was growing pale and thin.
The kind-hearted surgeon declared
that she must have an assistant, and
secure for herself more rest. If she
went on in that way she would kill
herself. RI 'ISi7E
said, softly. .'1'~
The surgeon winked hard to hide
the moisture in his eyes, and return
ing to the task towhich he had set
himself, finally conquered. Sister
Theresa consented to share her duties
with an assistant; and, as if to reward
her, the General himself all at once
began to grow better. Soon he re-
covered his consciousness, and though
he was very weak and feeble, he was
on the way to health and strength
again. -e
Sister Theresa now relinquished
her charge entirely to the assistant;
and as the war was over, and her SER
vices were no longer needed, she an
nounced her intention of going back
to France. The surgeon urged her
to stay and receive the Generals
thanks, but she refused gently but
firmly. Gen. Dufour no longer
needed her, she said. He was doing
very well, and the assistant was very
faithful in attending to him. She
had other work in France, and she
must go to look after it. In vain the
surgeon protested against this; Sister
Theresa was firm; and after the Gen
eral recovered his consciousness she
saw him no more.
One day, about a fortnight after
Sister Theresa's departure, Gen. Du-
four, who was now rapidly recover
ing, was lying in his cot thinking of
the dear woman he left behind in
France. and wondering how she had
passed the months that had elapsed
since he had seen her. He had not
thought of her parting gift since his
convalescence began; and now he
remembered it, and he raised his
hand to look at the ring, when, to
his surprise, he found it was missing
The surgeon was passing through the
ward at the time, and the General
called him and stated his loss.
''Do you know whether it was OH
my hand when was brought here?"
EYES," replied the surgeon, .'I re-
member the ring distinctly, for I at
first thought OF taking it off your
hand, lest it should be troublesome
while you were suffering from your
wound; but L decided to let it re-
main."
"What can have become of it? L
value it highly. 1t is the gift of n
dear friend" said Gen. Dufour.
II can't imagine" the surgeon
said, thoughtfully, "unless Sister
Theresa took it away with her."
''Sister Theresa!" asked the Gene
raj; "who is she?"
Then the surgeon told him how
the Sister of Mercy had asked per-
mission to nurse him, and how nobly
and devotedly she had battled with
fate for his life. The General listen
ed with surprise, and seemed entirely
at loss to comprehend why Sister
Theresa should be SO much interested
in him, or who she could be; and the
surgeon was still more perplexed and
mystified by the affair.
''If you wish to recover the ring,
General" he said, at length, "I will
ascertain where Sister Theresa can be
found"
"No," was the reply, ''let her keep
it. If she took it, she will doubtless
return it to me, as I see no reason
why she should wish to keep it; but
if she cares to retain it, let her do SO
for what she has done for me-"