The Placer herald., 1873-12-20

as | would trust myself. /"

'You are fortunate, said the DOCTOR
He had scarcely closed the door, when
Nathalia came to her mistress.
"My mouth expires tomorrow, madam
will you pay me my wages, and let me take
my departure at once ?"
"But Naihalia, the baby is sick"
zones first duty is to on.'s self; would
not risk the infection for twice what you pay
me-"
And Nathalia packed her trunk and de-
parted, without even coming into the nurs-
cry TO bid little Clarence good-by.
The cook was next to give warning. Ma
tilda, the laundress, took herself off with
out any such preliminary ceremony.
81 am going too," said III, seamstress.
"Mrs. Arnott wouldn't have lifted her finger
If we'd all been dying, and l believe in do
| ing to others as they do to me"
And almost before she knew it, the strick-
en- mother was left alone by the bedside of
her suffering babe. Neighbors crossed on
the other side of the street like the priests
and Levites of old; friends contented them.
lives by sending in to inquire; even hired
nurses avoided the malignant fever.
"ls there no one TO help me?" she moan
ed, wringing her white jeweled hands to-
gether. "Have ell pity and wcmanly SYM
pathy died out of tie world ?"
A slight noise caused her to turn, and
Kathleen O'Neil was at her side, busy in
arranging the table.
II thought you, too, had gone, Kath-
leen" she cried
"Sure, ma am, what should l be going
for ?" asked Kathleen, simply, "and the
bits Of children sick, and you in sore troub-
le? nursed the little brothers and sisters
at home, and know just what needs to be
DONE"
And che took little Clarence in her arms
with soft tenderness that went to the
mothers heart.
"Are you not afraid, Kathleen ?"
"M bat should be afraid Of, ma am
Isn't the good Gods sky over IL, all, wheth-
er it's the green banks of Ireland. or the
church steeple of this great confusing city ?
O, ma 'am, He II not take the bonny baby
from u.s."
All Mrs. Arnott's children had the fever,
lust of all she was Frustrated by it-and
Kathleen watched over every one, faithful,
true and tender.
Kathleen" Mrs. Arnott said, the first
day she sat up, with the Irish girl arrang-
ing the pillows about her wasted form,
"Oh, Kathleen, don't deserve this.
"Sure, ma'am, if VIC all had our deserts
in this world, it's sorry place it would be,
I'm thinking laughed Kathleen.
"But, Kathleen, | was crael to you-so
perfectly h artlcss!'
"We won't talk of it, ma IN, dear, said
Kathleen, cvasively.
But say just once thai you forgive mel
pleaded the lady, once so naughty.
81 forgive you. ma am, rs free as the
sunshine" Kathleen answered softly.
"And you'll stay with me always, and be
my friend, Kathleen p
"If God wills it, ma am.
And Mrs. Arnott put up her lips to kiss
the fresh, cool cheeks of Irish Kathleen
The years that have passed since then
have made men and women Of the little
people that Kathleen nursed through the fe-
yer; and strangers who visit Mrs. Arnoti
scarcely know what TO make of the plump,
comely middle.aged woman who moves
about the house apparently as much at home
in it as the mistress herself-who is always
consulted about everything, and trusted
with all secrets.
els she a housekeeper, or n servant, or a
relation q some one once asked.
Mrs. Arnott replied-"She is my true
and trusted friend, Kathleen O'Noi."