Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-04-19

row."
And then Dick understood the case. an,
mentally abused Miss NAV as "cold
hearted flirt," which epithet she did no
in the least deserve.
Evert and Dick went away early in tn,
morning. Emily heard the stage driv,
away, and turned her face to her pillow
and Thought bitterly of the horrible per
verseness of things in this world.
She knew that Evert was good anC
manly, and sensible. He was i'm fail
way to win reputation at the bar. and. h
not just handsome, was attractive and
gentlemanly.
9 There are dozens that would be proud
and happy to accept his love; and moth.
ing would co but that he must throw il
away on me-" thought Emily inpatient
ly. But it's never worth while to pity
men very much. They mostly get over
their troubles very easily, if there is no
money lost" From which it may be in
ferred that Miss May was perhaps a bit OF
cynic.
Emily May lived with her mother,
in an inland town in New York.
She had a little property of her
own, and, with what she could earn by
her pen, she managed TO dress herself, pay
for a summers journey now and then.
and keep her own house over her head.
1t was her way to look after her sick
neighbors, poor or not; to visit, now and
then, at the hospital and the county house,
and do what her band found to do. She
made no fuss, and laid down no rules, and
was under no ecclesiastical "direction !"
in particular but am inclined to think
an nfttl 4. IL
than If she had made herself hideous in a
poke bonnet, and committed mental
suiciie.
When her holiday was over that sum-
mer, she came home, and settled quietly
down to her work.
She was busy at her desk, one day in
October, when a carriage drove rapidly
up the street, and stopped at the door, and
Dick Bush jumped hurriedly out. and
rang the bell. Emily went to the door
herself, upon which Dicks hurry seemed
suddenly TO subside; and when he came
into the parlor, he appeared to find great
difficulty in expressing himself, and Emil
ly, greatly wondering, asked after his
friend Mr.. Millburn.
Dicks tongue was loosed.
"Oh, Miss May" he said, with shak-
ing voice, Evert is dying"
Where? How? said Emily startled, and
sorry.
Now Dick had been rather melodramat-
lcaly inclined. He had meant to act like
the hero OF lady's novel, and administer
a severely infiexible reproof to the woman
who had triied with Evert; but in Miss
Mays presence he found this plan imprac-
ticable, and wisely refrained.
" lie went out shooting with fool Of a
boy, and he, the boy, fired wild, and
Evert was badly hurt, and fever set in:
and, oh Miss May, he keeps asking for
you, and he won't be quiet; and the doc
tor said, if you could you ought to come,
for it might make difference. There's
his note. and Mrs. Millburn's."
The doctor wrote, succinctly, that, con.
sidering the state of the case, Miss Mas
presence might possibly keep the patient
Iuieter, which was all important. Mrs.
Millburn's note was an incOherent blotted
epistle, begging this unknown young lady
20 come and Save her boy.
Emily could not refuse; her mother
hurried her off, and in two hours she was
seated beside Dick, on her way to Spring.
ield. Her reflections We're not pleasant.
Every one would talk, and suppose there
vas romance. ELY st. John would be
'ure to know about it, and ELY was such
| little chatter-box; and to try to make a
mystery of the matter would be still
worse.
Then she had ''nothing to wear.n And
now should she get along with Evert's
mother and sisters? And who would
AXE her Bible class on Sunday2 And
what was to become of her little book
promised for'.the spring trade ?''
Il dare say it's all nonsense his want
ng me-" she thought. people never
mean what they say in fever. | remem-
Der Pat Murphy insisting that he would
nave ahippopotamus handy in the house;'
md if Mr.. Millburn comes to himself how
horribly embarrassing it will be!'
On the whole, Miss Mays feelings were
'ather those of yexation than romance.
They rode all night, and when Emily
cached the door of the handsome eld-
ashioned house in Springfield, she was
conscious Of '.looking like fright" and
Wished herself anywhere else.
The door was no sooner opened than
he was embraced by little old lady in
lack, and pretty girl in an elegant
morning dress. Both were i'm tears, and
ad evidently been for some time on the |
erge of Mysteries and Emily at once set |
hem down as ''the sort of women who |
re never of any use."
''Oh, my dear 1t is so good of you! SO |
cry good of you!' said Mrs. Millburn.
81 am sure you will be his guardian an
ell" said sentimental Hatty.
mot at all. Mr.. Millburn and were
cry good friends, and / shall be very
lad If L can do him any good" said
,mily, in a very matter-of-course tone;
nd then the doctor made his appearance,
nd begged her to come up stairs.
8" If he could be kept quiet, there might
e a chance for him." said the doctor;
but so much depends on nursing
nd the doctor ended with an expressive
Hence. Evert was moaning and sob
ing, and begging that some one would
end Emily May with lone drop of
Vater."
The nurse, who, to Emily's critical
yes, looked snything but capable, was
1ssing over him in way that was
nough in itself to drive sane person
mad. Emily poured out goblet of
vater with steady hand, and as the ice
inkled against the side of the glass she
eld it to his lips.
''There is water" she said. In her ortli-