The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-04-08

| Then she is sick?'
Dying! dying! and I sitting, idly
herel'
why did you not tell me of this be-
fore?'
Because I had begged so long in vain.
| [ had no money to pay doctor and who
would go forth upon such a night as this
without p
My blood boiled so that I could not an
swer. Could there be such men? Alas!
reason told me In a moment that her
words were but too true. and almost
cursed my race. Without delay | gath
cred such things as [ thought might be
of service, wrapped the delicate form I'M
heavy cloak, and with a few words of
comfort we sailed out together into the
black night and merciless storm and cold.
Fortunately the distance we had to
travel was short one. A few blocks
| passed, and she led me up several flights
of dismal, creaking stairs into room.
Florence, is that you?' heard asked
| by what my ear convinced me was pair
Of childish, almost infantile lips.
Yes, darling, be still for moment
Il am SO glad. You have been so long,
so very, very long away, and am so sick,
and cold and hungry, and it is SO dark,
and [ have been SO frightened at the
strange noises.
Excuse me sir, she said, as she turned
and lighted the remnant of candle Elk
cuse me, but | have been long away from
Bessie.
answered not Her voice had a mel
ody in it, now attuned by love, that
wished to llnger upon my ear unbroken,
like the strains of some songs [ have
heard, and WHICH haunted me for years
In a moment the candle shed sickly
light around the little room.-Little, in
deed, and untarnished to nothingness
One scantily covered bed was all But
within | saw a sweet, wee face that made
me forget all else. I approached it, and
laid my hands upon the pulse Of the little
sufferer.
who are you?' she asked drawing back
in alarm.
He is a doctor, Bessie; dear, good,
kind friend, replied her sister. and from
that moment she became perfectly pass
i've in my hands
| 1t did not require one learned in the
| sclence of materia medica to see what
was required. [ made the proper pre-
| scrlptlon, saw that was tenderly admins
tered, told the elder sister that l would
| be back in few moments, and resisting
all her attempts to light me down the
stairs, groned my way into the street. |
| had noticed an eating house at but lit
| tie distance as we came along, and a
statement of the case, backed by the all
powerful king of the world, gold, soon
procured the loan Of disused stove, a
couple of chairs, fuel light and proper
food, and in a brief half hour that little
| 1,T,o &c
fort. Another hour, and the eyes of the
child were closed in slumber, and urged
her sister to seek repose, but in vain.
AT least, lie down and let me cover
you with my cloak, I urged
No, doctor, was the constant resolve,
I cannot. I am SO happy. 1t must
have been God that directed my wander
ing steps to you
| And so we sat with the night-wind
roaring without, watching the almost an
gelic face Of the peacefully-slumbering
| child-sat and talked of what [ was most
anxious to hear. But the conversation
of those long, dark hours, can be condens-
| ed into very brief space.
She who would have sold her body for
the sake of giving little longer life to
her sister, was the daughter of at least
supposed wealth. But few years prev
iously, she could have held her head as
| high as the highest. Both birth and ed
ucation fitted her for it. But misfortunes
came-a series Of disasters upon the land
and sea, against which no human force
thought could guard combined with
treachery and ingratitude of deepest die,
swept away all. In their footsteps fol-
lowed the death of the mother, leaving
an infant of but few months old. The
fond father struggled against the tide
| manfulIy for brief time-then his health
gave wayne followed his..wife through
the dark valley and beyond the ginning
river, leaving the elder sister to provide
for the younger.
For time,' continued the poor girl,
L was able to live comfortably by the
sale of furniture and articles of value [
possessed. Than-but why should I'M
bosom myself to a stranger?' she asked,
stopping suddenly, and looking me full
in the face.
| Because [ replied with smile at
her earnestness, because you have found
a true heart, and one that can feel for
you
Yes, may kind heaven be thankful !
L feel that it is so. Well, [ struggled on
fought on were the better word, she
continued with the lines Of her noble
mouth suddenly becoming hard-'I fought
tor life, sometimes teaching, sometimes
obtaining little sewing; in short, doing
anything that my strength permitted,
until sickness came. Still [ gave not
away to despair. Truly, | was bound to
the stake-a sweet one-my darling sis
ter. Of the insults [ received while
seeking work, | shall not speak. They
must remain forever locked in my breast,
and the pallid face was flushed to scarlet,
even at the thought
And found no employment
Nonel Piece by piece [ parted with,
the little furniture was the possessor of. ;
My poor child
ut is true [ saw that she was nerv-
ing herself to tell me something that was
painful, very painful, and would have
stopped her, but she resolutely continued
1t Is true, some money was offered me
by more than one man, but [ instantly
hurled 1t back In my insulter's face
Then, great Heavenl upon this bitter
night, with all hope gone | determined
to sell my body to some surgeon.
w hat In the name of heaven could
have put such an idea into your head p
L do not Know cannot tell.-Some-
where, [ had either heard or read of
something of the kind.
You must have been very desperate
On the verge of destruction! [ had
but one dream-one desire-to save my
darling even single hour of pain.
Have you no relatives?'
Not single one that [ know of. Both
of my parents were only children, and
| their DarentS came from foreiun lands