The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-02-07

lips and looked far more serious than
Aunt Give had ever remarked her look
ing before. And when the October sun
streamed faint and yellow down on the
dying grass, the swaying honeysuckles
clinging scentlessly to the Doctors lat
tees, two women opened his door softly,
and found him delirious with pain, and
old Mrs. Withrow, the neighborhood' s
nurse, DOING in her chair by the drowsy
fire.
Aunt Give brought out her knitting,
and fell asleep presently to the monoto-
nous clicking of the restless needles (she
knit mechanically, but Hannah sat by
the sick mans couch, leaning on her
head, watching every painful respira-
ton, every fevered breath, and quietly
administering such things rs the young
Doctor recommended, and which were
found on the orderly shelves of the little
surgery, which did not smell of anything
particularly offensive.
Days of anxiety, and nights of tireless,
sleepless watching followed Hannah s
first advent into the red house. Aunt
Della had pippins to pare and put away,
and golden pumpkins to slice and string,
and very many arduous duties which de
handed her time. She missed Hannah 8
deft fingers and comprehensive mind in
the house: but of course Hannah feltvery
penitent about the way she had used Dr.
Cory, and though she couldn't love him,
she could show her gratitude for his past
care of her.
One day i'll November, the trees were
standing bare outside, and wispy damp
snow tapping against the windows and
drifting through the lattices of the
porch
A great change passed over the sick
man, who had lain burning with fever.
wasted and wan in his bed, for long
weeks, unconscious and visionary, and
helpless as an infant. He opened his eyes
languidly, yet with realizing sense in
them, looked once around on familiar
objects, then on the outlines of rounded,
girlish figure in the large arm-chair-a
girl III dove-colored dress, with wavy
brown hair and melting eyes-so serious
now-and brown, dimpled hands folded
over a foolish love story, closed forever.
Hannah was older now. 1t was all
sham and make believe life, hard and
real, unlovely as it had been to her, she
felt sweeter and pleasanter than idle
dreams and chimeras.
80, Hannah, how good Of You to
come. Are you not afraid of the fe-
yer 2"
The wan face clouded with anxiety.
Hannah clasped her hands in silent
Thanksgiving, and put away the ro-
nance
1T was not good Of me to come, and
| am not afraid OF anything. | am too
wicked"
There were tears in her voice. The
opened sternly on her
You had no right TO expose yourself
i'll this way, and | unable to attend you
if you had fallen i'll How long have
you been here ~
almost five weeks now" Hannah
said, with exultation and beaming eyes,
land if you viii take such willful,
foolish girl as [ have been to keep for
ever, yOu may
40, no, my dear child, You cannot
mean this; it is mistaken notion of
duty, or an impulse. ] cannot accept
your offer, though it is to refuse CLEAN
of heaven.
Hannah placed her moist hand upon
the head prematurely aged Z" You must
not send me away. ] know my mind
now. | am done with day dreams. am
not come ont Of any notion. | have
come selfishly, because | cannot be hap
Ply without your love, and if You refuse
mine | shall think that You have not
forgiven my poor mother the injury she
did you i'll breaking faith with you, to
we'd my father. Aunt Give has told me
all. 1t shall be my task to tighten the
life which another Hannah so thought
lessly darkened. y
Hannah was clasped in close EN-
brace, and the brown hair rippled for a
moment on the gray, now almost white,
and she thanked God for preserving this
noble life to her, and for her poor ro-
nance.