Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-02-22

" w mere r SAID Shirley, delgnlng |
to lock about him. l don't |
see herr
"She's speaking to Miss Strong this
minute. Her gown looks as if it were
woven of white ssnoke, and fits as if it
had gaown on her."
81 am no judge of muslins,' said
Shirley.
The next instant Miss Strong seized
his arm. give seen a ghost, or some
thing worse" she said. Don't say
anything, just go home with me now.
I've staid long enough
&c 1t rains," said Shirley. You must
wait till eleven, and the carriage will
come for your
"Tm neither sugar nor salt, to be
melted by rain and I would go out on
the thirty ninth day of the deluge, be-
fore would see that face again."
She marched resolutely back to her
hotel through the sloppy street; and at
intervals through the night he heard
her heavy step, pacing up and down
her room. But in the morning she
presented him the same sturdy old
fgure-head to kiss, and gave no word of
explanation.
al believe the sight of so many
Eighty girls has made me dizzy. 1 am
actually light-headed," said Miss Tenn
perance when they reached her own
door. 81 haven't felt like this since l
had my fever"
81 did not know you ever had such
thing" said Shirley.
1T was long before your time, when
was young" said Miss Temperance,
making a dive at her tea-kettle and
missing it. Her motions were as cratic
as those of the dilapidated cousin"
in :" Bleak House; and Shirley was
creed to make the tea himself.
Afterward she fell into heavy sleep.
and Shirley covered her with his travel
ling shawl when he went up stairs for
the night. When he came down to
breakfast she still lay on the sofa,
scowling fearfuliy in her efforts to sup
press the means which her pain wrung
from her.
"Ten me what to do and I'll do it,
for l havn't the least idea," said Shirley,
| hanging over her with the true manly
helplessness.
"I've got stroke, doubt, or maybe
| it's only rheumatism"
81 had better go for the doctor, any
how"
"No, indeed. l hain't SO tired Of
life as that, nor | won't have any neigh.
bors coming in to spy out the land
There's plenty of cold meat and bread
You can camp out on that, and l shall
be well enough tomorrow"
1t was one more proof to Shirley Of
| 10 c,1ba cf-a4 IF MfSc
Strong's character that so soon as she
was i'll she became peevish and exact
| ing. Most women can be i'll gracefully
it is their normal conaition-but Miss
Temperance knew the thing only by
name.
Shirley half lifted and half dragged
her to her bed-as she would not be
carried, and could not walk. He die
not venture to leave the house, and al
noon his patient thought she could take
some tea and toast. Shirley had made
tea before, and having made it anc
placed the teapot on the hearth out o
harms way, he addressed himself t.
the toast, which, after repeated failures
was at last success.
"Do you call that cup of tear" sale
Miss Temperance scornfully. cts colo
as s5epmother's breath"
Hot water made it too weak, and an
other brewing had to be made with in
finite care.
You were gone long enough to burr
John Rogers instead of this toast" sh'
said when he presented it. And thes
were the last conscious words that Shir
ley heard her speak for many days ant
n ghts.
She began to talk of things that Shir
ley had never heard of-called on Al
thur, and made lover-like entreaties t
him not to forsake her. He sat patientl
by her side. kissing her horny hand
when he saw that it soothed her for
mement; and when at last she fell int
a doze, as the twilight began to fall, h
escaped into the parlor to think wha
he could possibly do next. He dare
not leave her long enough alone to g
{ for doctor; and for a long time b
watched the rain beat sullenly agains
the window, hopeless of seeing any on
pass through the lane on which Nj!
Strong's house faced. Hope had nearl
, died within him when the slight fgul
E of woman, cased from head to foot
q water preof suit, battled round tn
- corner, and dropped a heavy carpetba
. on the doorstep while she scrutinize
: the house. Shirley rushed to the dot
q and opened it noiselessly.
= MADAM, beg that you will come i
= if only for moment. You cam
: think how great a charity it would be
: Certainly l will come in; ha'
q been travelling all day for that EXPIRE
j purpose, if this is Miss Strong's house
:. and the girl leaned forward to pier
,. the gloom which enveloped Shirley, vi
= waited for no more words, but lift
:, her, bag and all, into the little hall al
"a shut the door.
% "Miss Strong is very i'll and wand,
q ing in her mind, and l am wholly alo
=. - with her. You could not. be more w
&c come if you were an angel out of h
" ven," said Shirley, in the extremity
= his delight and relief. He found b
,a hand somehow in the dark, and sho
e it as heartily as if she had been Lenc
% ~ thank you," said the girl simp
y, - "Miss Strong is my cousin, and, if y
y, y will be so good as to bring light TO
~ moment, will take off my cloak"
u Shirley found candle, with lig
- heart; the clear, low voice of the ne
e conner seemed to create new atm
y phere in the house.
y, She met him in the parlor, and h
40 oft har hand apain frankly to