Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-09-30

% Sc of it
My friend made no further preparation than
restoring his cap to his head and we desce 1ded
10 IN street arm-in-arrn, begging each DINER TO
dine at DelmOnico's a. special favor
III was raw and cold. westerly wind tore
Gown the street like the air from an iceb.rg,
ana IN the uneleared places the snow was half
way to our HI e s. We walked up several blocks
ayoidig first one street and ts,ey another from
some fancy, and fna'ly hit upon one which pre-
scented no possible objection, and which mint
was twentieth street. l applied at the first
promising basem, MT and was refused the labor
OF cleansing the steps and sidewalk, for the rea-
soT feared, We had no irnlle mznts of eur own.
lbs was just enough, perhaps, but still VEN
tured 10 argue the case at other doors albeit
WIN no success for at least dozen trials Then
we, we accomplished our object. For the sum OF
mai dollar we agreed Ia DO the required work,
ana having received hrsitating loan of two
labor.
IL was more arduous and exhaustiny than we
thought possible. / felt my strength dwiudle
almost at the outset. / said nothing bu. kept
on until found that my mate hal ceased, ani
dared not srt ak to him. and pretending to be
Obvious OF him Kept at work. He resumed
again while i took a long rest, and he told me
afterwards that he watched my efforts with the
same anxious feelings. 1t took us an hour TO
complete the work. At the end OF it neither of
us was able 10 stand erect and we were tram
bling from head to foot: We painted up the steps
and rang the bell. A little child PLAYING in the
hallway opened the door and we went in
though little doubtful of the propriety of the
act. We were left alone, the pretty bine-eyed
Pol,er haslng run OF, shouting for his father.
NO CHAIR was visible in the entry. | could
Keep my feet with difficulty, and began to look
about The place was comfortable, warm,
and perfumed. An open door showed a parlor
10 the right i reused up and beheld an easy
chair beside table with gilt heads upon IL I
walked in and sank down, my cap falling upon
ane moor; MY friend also entered and leaned
against The table. Upon Ii was a small box tied
a rlbbOp al N Il -
delicate iron-work.
He opened the box, and the side at once fell
Gpwh ana disclosed piece of wedding cake.
We both uttered an exclamation, and nv friend
at once seized it and thrust it into his pocket
suddenly q noise came from behind US; we
Turn and oeheld gentleman with wrinkled
sion Of anger. He walked directly up to us and
demanded what We had done, and WHY Week
claimed that we were hungry.
lie glanced at the table; the pretty box re-
NAMED, only the cake was gone His face soft
ened de reached down and took my wrist in
his fingers and laid q hand upon my forehead.
Irin aet ne quickly repeated with my friend,
VINO Hss white with dread and sickness.
"Hungryi" he cried; "you are a great deal
more than hungry. Poor fellowsl Sit where YOU
are" He disappeared.
moment he returned to carry us to another room
and his wife came with him. The little child
became frightened to see us walk so feebly,
saw us 60 by leaning on her fathers arm
they gave us some medicine and some food.
ben we fell asleep in our chairs, while the gen
tt man and his wife, with the child, sat on either
side watching us. When we awoke, which we
did nearly together, it was dark. Only the gem
tit man remained; the others had gone to he'd
and the gas was turned down.
At this point we told our stories: TELLING n,ina
frankly, my friend telling his with reserve. His
name was Emilio Bello. He was Gillian. He
had been in this country two years. He was
twenty-five years Of age.
Beyond this he said little hpt NM, A.
IDEA OF truthfuiness from the very scarcity OF
his information. But he was poor to the last
extremity. He had no friends, no prospect of
That night we slept in the house-a sleep 50
deep, so precious, 80 sweet, that never felt its
In the morning came the gentleman. f,, IF
solicitude, bringing the little child.
We were well, he told us. Then he offered Ms
employment. He was the leading physician in
the " Hospital. An additional number of
beds had been added; In fact, enough to ae-
IMMEDIATE twenty more patients, and from the
recent great number Of casualties these were
nearly all occupied. More under-nurses Mere
needed.
The duties were regular, not unpleasant. and
would secure ease for us until the summer
Had the most brilliant offer then opened be-
SIDE this humble one, we would have eagerly
embraced the lat in order to have an opportn-
NIFTY 70 show our g, altitude near the person of the
We accepted with tears in our ewes. Poor
Emilio was deeply affected. 1t was at this mo-
ment that beheld the irstevidence that he had
He sat up in his bed and thanked the doctor
imPstuously. He then asked, after a pause
"Win i see de miseree of de human race, de
SICKNESS, de SOLDERING and de peen?"
The doctor nodded.
"Den have not 80 much as one repreet.
am happee. i Will be 30 kind, so gentle, so
teender. viii make dem adore me. ., my doc
tore tore, ! know 1 may be an angel, even eef 1
His face was sublime. He stretched out his
arms and looked upwa ards with transcendent joy
Then he cast himself upon his pillow and wept
bitterly.
Within eight hours we were installed in our
places.
The ward TO which we were attached wa.
room OF twelve beds, all Of which were occu-
pied but two.
Across one end was a corridor eight feet wide;
the other looked upon garden filled with grass
ana shruhbery now dead. with a dozen trees
which overtopped the roof.
The windows were lung, and each had four
shades of different color. The bedsteads or cots
were uniform, made Of iron and ranged in two
southern end of the hall.
When we first beheld the place it was illumi-
mated by yellowish glow. Before each window
plant II
pictures Of autumn leaves were hung upon the
walls, and at each bedside was table Of walnut.
having upon It either book, a puzzle, or a vase
the entrance was a small organ, which was
played at evening prayers and on the Sabbaths
when the condition OF all the patients would per-
init it AL was refined, and pery AIDED with a ca m
which was almost holy. This apartment was a
gift from former patient whose bone had rotted
in their sockets. He had been a mechanic, and
while lying In his bed had invented a machine
OF great simplicity and strength, and the pro-
duction Of which was blessing. He whispered
the plan to his son, and before he died he asked
thatthe present memorial of his thanks might
be erected. twas scrupulously done and ten mis-
cradle WITCHES now enjoyed the blessing. The
impression of Emilo's last related words being
still fresh upon me, was able to partly under.
stand his behavior.
He contemplated the ten occupied beds with
look which displayed something like delight He
glanced about the hall as If il were his Kingdom.
but walked from bed to bed with the gent7eness
Of a woman. At the end of the little journey
during which lie did not utter aword' his face
was transformed, and throwing an arm about
the heck Of the venerable doctor, he went awav
Twenty-fOur hours had not ELAPSED before lie
had made the acquaintance of the ten patients
and had acquired an accurate knowledge OF their
cases as well as their remedies.
Hebegan his work by endeavoring to love the
unfortunate group, and no soil could be more
more responsive than such a one. A puny bov.
with a decaying thigh bone, whose employment
lad been merely to watch the gralual
wasting of his hand as he held il up before
him, was the first to worship the foreigner HIS
young heart burned stronger for a few days and
then stopped, but ceased happily, under the
burning eye of Emilio.
A bare remnant OF q man, from whose BODY
all had been Topped away sa re enough to com