The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-08-23

give up A pittance-a mere pittance may
be saved, but it's wise to expect the worst"
Christine thought of her disappointed
heirs yet none of them were in want. Of
the beautiful plan she had made for her poor
wretches; yet somebody else would take
that up.
"Pm sorriest," she said, for the families
that are ruined. Men ought to be very care
full in handling money, when the interests of
so many are tangled in their transactions. p"
"First time, meditated the financial gen.
tleman, after concluding the interview, that
l ever saw woman sacrifice hysteria to
moral reflections"
Her month was near its close. Yet how
evenly, serenely, the heart throbbed. Was
it really the treacherous fountain DR.. Mer-
curry described. liable at at any moment to
sutfocate and strangle her?
She was wont, in these last hours, to be
finding sad, inspiring chords on her piano.
She was living intensely. Time and eterni-
ty melted together. Says Emerson, /" 1t is
the quality of the moment, not the number
of days, that imports"
Once, as she thus sat in the cathedral OF
her own emotions, Dartley's card was
brought in. He knew she had lost her for
tune, and he came with manly impulse to
befriend her. Christine rose to meet him
with singularly beautiful grace. She low.
ed him with self-forgetfulness, as if there
were no Christine Dent.
Their positions were reversed. Dartley
forgot he ever held any vain power over that
face, now SO lovely, so intense with uni
versal tenderness. She spoke simply OF her
reverses. She gave herself up to making
this man of her heart happier for one little
hour, since by such beautiful happening, he
came to her so near the last
He rose and stood near her. Saw the st.
Agnes face which acas coming up through
the former unhappy, tigerish beauty OF his
sweetheart.
christine, 1 know I love you better
than | used to do. Forgive, and take me
back"
She spread two sudden, entreating hands
against him. Don't-don't love me! I'm
only trying to make you happy moment,
not to make you love mel"
You're making me unhappy by repeling
me. Christine, you loved me once, didn
your"
81 loved you after fashion," she replied,
turning up face white with that electric
look which only comes from earnestness,
but care so much for you now, that L
would rather do without you than to have
you for mine and give you pain"
what pain could you give me worse
than the torment you're dealing out to me
now?"
He crushed her like a barbarian. He
was at her feet pleading, at this moment
when she would turn his thoughts from her,
lest her death should be bitterness to him.
"Sit down." breathed Christine don t
make life too dear to me; | want to see
clearly and coolly for your sake. Do you
know I'm going to die? 1t would be too
selfish to accept aud bind you to me now.
only want you to be my dear, dear friend
for little while. And, believe me, l will
be as close as helpful friend to you foreo-
err, as the Maker will let me be. DR.. Mer-
curry told me nearly thirty days ago. that 1
should scarcely live a month. 1t is some
trouble in the heart and circulation
hounds Dr. Mercury What right had
he to set bounds to your life? And you
believed him Ill prove him quack Give
your remaining life into my hands"
Now whether this young woman's heart
learned to comport itself peacefully during
that month, or whether DIR. Mercury made
"slight mistake in time," which even the
wisest scientist may do, or whether the liza
bility to sudden death was not as great In
her body as it had been in other bodies OF
her olood-she still lives. And as her heart
enlarges, and learns the pulse-beat of human.
ity better, it may do service to green old
age.
But" say her friends, Mrs. Dartley
has the happiest faculty of getting lifetime
out of every day.
They do not know she learned her happy
faculty by having to squeeze lifetime into
month Woods Magazine.