Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-01-07

Denbigh was walking, with rapld strldes,
across the field at the back of his house.
1t was a short cut from some parts of the
village. but of late he had seldom used it,.
On this occasion he crossed the grass al
most at a run, yaulted over low gate
which led into the garden, and was soon
at the drawing-room window. The out
side blinds were down. and the room
looked cool and pleasant in their shade ;
the perfume OF jasmine and roses, and
verbena, breathed from
tie fiower-vases and Elsie in her white
summer dress, was seated at the open
window. She began AN exclamation at
her husbands worn, tagged looks, but
he interrupted herr
~ can't stop. | only came TO tell you
that L was right in what | feared this
morning. Those Bailey children have
scarlet fever, undoubtedly, in its worst
form. That poor little boy is dead already,
they arel Never calling one in till it is
too late"
80, how sorry | am!'
"Yes. don't see what chance any OF
them have in that close nest of q cottage
it must spread like wildfire- And it has
been for a week in the workhouse wards
at Slowcombe."
" Will that give you more work ="
"Of course; | have sent for help from
Brixham, but, till it comes, must do all
the work, so don't wait dinner for me. "
But can't you come in and take q
mutton chop? Ne? Well, some cold
meat? A glass Of wine, at least?" said
Elsie, diminishing her offers as he shook
his head at every suggestion.
"a I shall do very well only, love, don't
expect me till you see me, and. above all
don't sit up"
but can do nothing 10 help these
poer people? Do they want nothing ?'
Nothing? Everything! Go TO Mrs
Carter, dearest, and see what woman's
wit can devise. to help thesick, and, above
all, to feed up and care for those who are
still well; prevention is better than cure
Only, whatever happens, / won't have
yeu run into the slightest danger; mind
that
Then followed two months during
which Mrs. Denbigh scarcely saw hel
husband, though she heard of him from
many people, and never without praise
and blessing. 1t was sharp conflict
that he waged with the plague fiend, and
he brought to the service all the power o
science and skill, assisted by the thor
oughness which was his great character
istic. Though he seemed to have more
on his hands than any human being
could accomplish, no one was neglected
no blunders were made, nobody could
complain of forgetfulness or undue hurry
on the DOCTORS part, and many were
dragged back from tie very brink of the
grave. He really seemed to live without
eating or sleeping; and even when assist
ance came from elsewhere, he only en-
tered his own house for hurried meal
q cold bath, an hours sleep, and, above
all, the word and kiss to his wife, which
as he truly told her, were more to him
than sleep.
With the freshening days of October
the fever abated, the fresh cases became
fewer every day, and many of the sick
began to recover. The wears wife, who
had been managing a dispensary, while
Mrs. Denhigh had undertaken certain
arrangements for feeding some of those
yet unstricken, reported that they had
better join forces, most of the GONZALES
cents having reached a stage to require
kitchen physic. And at last there came
an evening when Nj. Denbigh entered
his house as it was growing dusk, and
announced to his delighted wife, that
unless specially summoned, he should
not go out again that night.
Never mind about dinner, Elsie" he
said; ''if you have dined, tea win be
much more to the purpose" And he
passed on To his dressing-roOm. When
he entered the sitting-rOon again, il
was glowing with the brightness of fire
and candle; the chintZ curtains were
drawn to exclude the dreary wet day
light; the armchair was drawn tempt
ingly near the fire; and the choice white
tea-service, which Elsie only used on
rare occasions, sent out its fragrance
from its own particular little table. Ell
sic herself kneit on the hearth, the fire
light glancinIso her shining hair and
the few bright ornaments on her dark
dress, as she coaxed the kettle into boil
ing. 1t was picture of home comfort,
and Philip Denbigh seemed for once to
give himself up entirely to the enjoy
ment of the moment, as he sank back
into the depths of his armchair to his
well-earned repose.
"Thank you," he reused himself 10
say, as his wife arranged tempting lit
tie meal at his elbow on another small
table; 81 ought to be waiting on you,
my love, not you on Inc; but somehow
I am strangely tired"
"No wonder; but you are only tired,
not ill, are you?" she asked, with sud-
den alarm. O Philip, how hot your
head is.p
She noticed, too, that he only played
with the food which Isott had carefully
prepared, and at length he owned that
it was of nc use to try TO eat it.
"But don't look Sn scared, Elsie" lie
said, smiling. "Siy hour has not struck
yet
"I can't get out of the trick of feeling
anxious she returned; Though it is
very faithless of me, wheE yeu have so
many prayers TO guard you. If you
could hear, Philip, how these poor
mothers speak of you! They are so
gratefulp'
"Grateful? God help them, poor
wretches! they we little enough to be
grateful to me for" said Mr.. Denbigh,
heavily. "How many of them find life
so pleasant, do you think, that they
need be very overpowering in their
thankfullness?
"Most of them; nearly all, am sure.
The poorest of them have something to
love, and, therefore, something to live
for. Surely, Philip, you and I, of all
people, should never talk as if life We're
not worth having"
MAYBE so; but for my part, with
every case / brought round, 1 wondered
if the child-they were most of them
children, you know-would MT live to
curse me for not letting it die"
"Oh! Of a child one may sometimes
feel thet, but it is faithless feeling
STILLS it not? God, who had allowed
you to save them, has surely done so for
some good, wise purpose, and for their
own happiness"
1T is all lottery said Mr.. Denbigh
gloomily; "the circumstances make the
saint or the sinner. Do you suppose that
Cain or Judas, or any others whose
names are byword for all that is bad,
were really one whit worse than dozens
and hundreds of respectable folks who
have lived respected and had all the