The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-02-23

see ner.
"She's speaking to Miss Strong this
minute. Her gown looks as if it were
woven of white smoke, and fits as if il
had grown on her."
" | am no judge of muslins," said
Shirley.
The next instant Miss Strong seized
his arm. "I've seen a ghost, or some
thing worse" she said. "Don't say
anything, just 60 home with me now.
I've staid long enough"
" 1t rains," said Shirley. "You must
wait till eleven, and the carriage will
come for you."
"Tm neither sugar nor salt, to be
melted by rain and would 60 out on
the thirty ninth day of the deluge, be-
fore l 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.
q believe the sight of SO many
Eighty girls has made me dizzy. | am
actually light 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
l was young" said Miss Temperance,
making 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
breakfas she still lay on the sofa,
scowling fearfully in her efforts to sup
press the means which her pain wrung
from her.
"Tell 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
give got stroke, doubt, or maybe
it's only rheumatism"
I" had better 90 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
the substratum of manliness in Miss
Strongs 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 condition-but Miss
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 did
not venture to leave the house, and at
noon his patient thought she could take
some tea and toast. Shirley had made
tea before, and having made it and
placed the teapot on the hearth out Of
harms way, he addressed himself to
the toast, which, after repeated failures,
was at last success.
Do you call that cup of tea ?" said
Miss Temperance scornfully. otis cold
as a stepmother'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 burn
John Rogers instead Of this toast" she
said when he presented it. And these
were the last conscious words that Shir
ley heard her speak for many days and
n ghts.
She began to talk of things that Shir-
ley had never heard of-called on Ar
thur, and made lover-like entreaties to
him not to forsake her. He sat patiently
by her side. kissing her horny hands
when he saw that it soothed her for a
and when at last she fell into
a doze, as the twilight began to fall, he
into the parlor to think what
he could possibly do next. He dared
not leave her long enough alone to 60
for doctor; and for a long time he
the rain beat sullenly against
the window, hopeless of seeing any one
pass through the lane on which Miss
Strong's house faced. Hope had nearly
died within him when the slight figure
of woman, cased from head to foot in
a waterproof suit, battled round the
corner, and dropped heavy carpet-bag
on the doorstep while she scrutinized
the house. Shirley rushed to the door
and opened it noiselessly.
Madam, | beg that you will come in,
if only for moment. You cannot
think how great charity it would be-"
Certainly l will come in; l have
been travelling all day for that express
purpose, if this is Miss Strong's house,"
and the girl leaned forward to pierce
the gloom which enveloped Shirley, who
waited for no more words, but lifted
her, bag and all, into the little hall and
shut the door.
"Miss Strong is very i'll and wander
ing in her mind, and | am wholly alone
with her. You could not be more well
come if you were an angel out of hea-
ven," said Shirley, in the extremity Of
his delight and relief. He found her
hand somehow in the dark, and shook
it as heartily as if she had been Lenox.
81 thank you," said the girl simply.
/" Miss Strong is my cousin, and, if you
will be so good as to bring light for a
moment, / will take off my cloak"