Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-12-18


administering medicine with his owl
hand, and doing everything In hi
power for her relief. He was great,
distressed over the accident, and in
wardly vowed he would never fire of
another gun as long as he lived.
But what revelation of toll, hard
ship, and cruel wrong the unconsciou
Meta made in her deliriumi She fan
cied the DOCTOR. as he bathed her no
head and hands and soothed her as h
would child, was her mother, and sht
drew his head close to her lips and whis
pered:
80 mother +! I'm so glad you have
come for me am tired to death. Aunt
lie has no mercy or feeling for NE ! Sh,
has kept me at work over her night an(
day, and I've gone hungry many ant
many a time because / couldn't bear tt
eat the food so grudgingly given. O.
am so glad YOU have come
Now Meta was not beautiful girl
though she had sweet, pure, womanly
face, and great wistful eyes, and al
abundance of dark silky hair. But hel
small hands were brown and hardened
with toll she was poor, dependent, alone
in the world except for this selfish, un
natural aunt, and the cousins who scarce
~ deigned TO notice her.
Doctor Chester was rich old bachelor
not so very old either, only thirty-six
Why he had never married no one could
tell, but true it is he had remained heart
whole all these years in spite of the many
hoo,,f,f,,1 xuop,o,, Who baI e,,,,1oI 49,,
graciously upon him. But somehow
this poor suffering orphan won his hear,
completely during that week of uncon.
seriousness. He was charmed with he,
sweet prattle about her childhood and
her innocence ard helplessness, together
with the suffering he had so unwittingly
caused, appealed strongly to his sym
patty, and he fully resolved to win hel
love and make her his wife, if possible.
Never had a patient more assiduous
doctor and nurse than cid poor Meta.
Mrs. Smith filmed and fretted over all
the fuss that they made about "Mat
girl" until the doctor frightened her
into silence by telling her that he knew
how she had treated the poor child, and
if she didn't keep quiet and have every
thing done that was needful for her CON-
fort he would have her arrested and tried
for inhunan cruelty. Under his watch
full care the danger was soon over, and
Meta was pronounced convalescent. The
doctor took her out to ride as soon as
she was able, in the easiest of all car
riages. Rare delicacies were sent every
day from the hotel to tempt her return
ing appetite. The sweetest and most
fragrant flowers that could be found
adorned her room. Meta demonstrated
with him for all this lavish kindness, but
hewould silence her by saying he was
the cause of all her suffering, and she
must allow him to atone for it in every
way he could. How eagerly he watched
the faint color that crept into her cheeks
at his approach How tenderly and del
icately he ministered to her comfort and
pleasure day by day, until at last he ven
tured to tell her of his love and his great
desire to have her for his own. He had
become very dear to her during all those
weeks of suffering, and she acknowl-
edged it and promised to be his wife.
He fastened to inform Mrs. Smith of
their betrothal, and asked her forbear-
ance for another week when, he assured
her, he would relieve her Srom all furth-
er care and responsibility of her niece.
Imagine if you can her establishment
She was completely " dunatfounded -
and had not a word to say; though
doubtless in her heart she thought it an
other most mysterious dispensation. "
The next day notable dressmaker
from the city arrived with various won
derful and costly fabrics, which she had
orders to make up for Miss Langoon in
the latest style. Such time as there
was then of cutting and basting, CT try
ing on and trimming Two other seam
stresses kept their sewing machines run
ming at the highest rate of speed, until
at the close of the week there was enough
of a wedding rousseau to ELL a huge
Saratoga trunk. The doctor made daily
pilgrimsges between that chamber and
the city, until at last he could not devise
another thing which his darling could
possibly need for dress or ornament
during the trip TO Europe which he had
planned. Never was there a happier
bride and groom than those who we're
made one in Mrs. Smiths parlor that
bright September morning. They went
immediately to his beautiful home on
the Hudson, whers his mother received
the new daughter with open arms, and
soon after went te Europe, where they
spent year. Meta made good use of
the time by putting herself under the
care of the best private teachers, and
when on their return the happy doctor
presented his wife to his friends, there
was not among them one more highly
accomplished or more elegant and re-
fined. The doctor was very proud of
her, and never tired of telling his init
mate friends how he found his wife, or
the result of his Last Shot.-Hearth
and Home.