The Portland daily press., 1873-03-29
~, nv ho inferred that Miss May was perhaps

but am inclined TO think she was as useful,
and far more agreeable, than if she had made
herself hldeous in poke bonnet, and COM
mitted mental suicide.
When her holiday was over that summer,
she came home, and settled quietly down 10
her work.
She was busy at her desk one day in &c
tober, wlen a carriage drove rapidly up the
street, and stopped at the door, anu LII Iii
Bush Jumped hurriedly out, and rang Tue D1il
Emily went to the door herself, upon Mnioa
| Dicks hurry seemed suddenly to suoSiue anu
when he came into the parlor, ne aPps hi,esef
| find great difficulty i'll eXpressins - n biz
| and Emily, greatly "oiuei'"e'
| friend Mr.. Millburn.
Dicks tongue was loosed. -,
..O Hn Miss May he said, with shaking
! voice. I1Evert is dying.
NWbere? How?7 said Emily, startled,
and sincerely sorry.
Now Dick bad been rather melodramatical-
" inclined. He had meant to act like the
hero of a lady's novel, and administer a Sc
yerely inflexble ieproof to the wo nan who
had trifed with Evert; but in Miss NAYS
presence he found this plan impracticable.
and wisely re!rained. 80
"He went out shooting with a fool of a
boy, and he, the boy, fired wild. and Eyert
was badly hurt, and fever set in; and, oh
Miss May, he keeps asking for you, and he
won't be quiet; and the doctor said. if you
could you ought to come, for it might make
difference. There's h S note, and Mrs.
Milbnrns.'
The doctor wrote, succinctly, that, con-
sldering tbs state of the case, Miss NAYS
presence might possibly keep the patient
quleter, which was all important. Mrs.
Mlllburn's note was an incoherent blotted
eplstle, begging this unknown young lady to
come and save her boy.
Emily could not refuse; her mother hur-
ried her of, and in two hours she was seated
beside Dies, on her way to Springfield. Her
renectlons were not pleasant. Every one
would talk, and suppose there was ro-
nance. ELY St.John wvuld be sure to know
| about it, and ELY was such a chatter-box
and to try to make a mystery of the matter
would be still worse. .-.
Then she had nothing to wear" And
| how should she get along with Evert's
mother and sister? And who would take
her Bible class on Sunday? And what was
to become of her little book promised for ''the
spring trade ?? es.erh
Il dare say it's all nonsense his wanting
me- she thought. ''People never mean
Morphy insisting that he would have hip
popotamus handy in the house, and if Mr..
Mlllburn comes TO himself, how horribly en-
barrassing it will bev'
On the whole, Miss Mays feelings were
rather those of vexation than OF romance.
They rode all night, and when Emily reach
ed the door of the handsome old-fashioned
house in Springfield, she was conscious Of
looking like a fright" and wished herself
anywhere else.
The door was no sooner opened than she
was embraced by little old lady in black,
and pretty girl in an elegant morning dress.
Roth were in fears and had avidaotlv hoap
for some time on the verge of Mysteries; and
Emily at once set them down as 'the sort Of
women who are never of any use,'
''Oh, my dear! 1t is so good of you! Sc
very good of youv' said Mrs. Milburn.
Il am sure you will be his guardian angel, .
said sentimental Hatty. as
Not at all. Mr.. Millburn and were yer,
| good friends, and shall be very glad if 1 car
do him any good" said Emily, in very mat
| ter-ofcourse tone; and then the doctor made
his appearance, and begged her to come W
stairs.
''If he could be kept quiet, there might b.
a chance for him." said the doctor; ''but Sc
much depends on nursing''-and the doctol
ended with an e, pressive silence. Evert wa
moaning and sobbing, and begging that some
one would send Emily May with Zone drop o
wateG." 4-.
The nsrse who, to Emilys critical eyes
looked anything but capable, was fussing ov
er him in a way that was enough in itself tt
drive sane person mad. Emily poured ou
goblet of water with steady hand, and a.
the ice tinkled against the side of the glass
she held it to his lips.
sThere is WATER" she said, in her ordinary
| sweet, CHEEKY voice. ''Now if you will try tc
be quiet, I will stay with you.''
She could not tell whether he recognized
her or not, but the nervous, feverish distress
and excitement seemed in some measure tc
subside! and after time, he was comparative
ly quiet.
| Now nursing a wounded man in a fever
sounds very romantic in novel; but, in its
real details, it is anything but romantic
business. -..
Emily May, at Evert Millburn's bedside
felt herself in an entirely false position; bui
she took care of him, for there was nothing
else to be done. The nurse went off in q
huff with Miss May and the doctor; Mrs.
Millbum and iIatty could only cry and rustic
about, and overset things with their dresses.
| Evert would grow restless as soon as Emily
left him, so that the charge, in spite of her.
| SELF fell into her hands. Happily Mrs. Mill
| burn and Hatty were not Jealous. On the
contrary, they admired Emily extremely, and
and were very grateful and afectionate.
Before the end of the week, Evert came to
himself
81 have dreamed you were here" he said,
with faint spile. ''Now see it is YOU, and
no phantom" ---=
The delirium had gone, but the doctor said
nothing encouraging. Evert insisted on
hearing the exact truth; and learned as last
that he might possibly live few days, but no
longer.
Then, to Emily's wonder and dismay, Ev.
ert entreated that, for the little time there
was remaining, she would take his name. His
| heart was set on this idea, and he pleaded,
| for what seemed such a useless boon, with a
| vehemencs that seemed likely to hasten the
| last moments. Mrs. Millburn and Hatty sec
| onded the petition with tears md were sure
that 'darling Emily" would not refuse dear
Everts last request ef ea-zf ~ 7ts
Emily did what nine women out of ten
would have done in the same case, and coll
sented.
'sWhat harm can it do?'' she thought, sit
is only mere form, but it gives me the right
to be with him to the end, and will prevent
any talk ;and he is so good, land has loved me so
well; and if it comforts him now to think
that my name will be Millburn instead of
May, why should 1 refuse? And then it
crossed her mind that widows cap would
| be very becoming to her, and she hated her
| self becau this silly notion had come to her
unbidden, and twisted up her hair tight an
| plain, and went to meet the clergyman in her
| old black mohair, which had become copsid-
erably spotted down the front in the course of
| her nursing. @ 80 ga IS
| The rite was made as short as possible, and
| then Mrs. Milburn sent every one away, and
| for two days the bride stood over the BRIDE
| groom, and fought against death till she was
| ready to faint.
| The doctor gave up the patient entirely,
and ceased to do anything; and, as sometimes
hap ems in like cases, he took turn for the
better; and slowly the balance tiembled, the
scale inclined. and life had won.
'Pl tell you what it isl said the doctor.
"your wife has saved your life."
| Evert turned his head on the pillow. and
| looked for Emily; but she had slipped away
into the next room, where she sat down. feel.
ling, for the first time, with a strange shock.
that she was actually married. What should
she do? What could she say? How could
she tell Evert, after all, that she only come to
him as she would have gone to Pat Murpbv.
it he had sent for her, and consented to that
marriage rite as she had lent her silver can
dlesticks to hold Father Flanagan's blessed
candles when judy Murphy died? II
The doctor went down stairs: and present
| ly Mrs Millburn and Hatty came to her. and
overwhelmed her with embraces and graft.
tude, and point applique set, and fragmen-
4 49, IL -1~z..A 4 4