Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-07-05
NO. 81.

N
instances OF such kindness came uu-
der my immediate notice: funeral
expenses, aid for one, a little conn
Try trip managed for another, a
months rent paid for a third, and
u was not rare sight to see the
DOCTOR carriage driven by himself
ahG beside him a ragged patient,
wen wrapped in the carriage blank
ct, taxing drive for health-seeking
80, If we laughed at Hermanss
manner, we gravely respected his
sterling goodness Of heart, his pro-
fessional skin and beneYolence.
Meta, be it known, not content
with captivating the son. had
struck up a most fiOurishing firts.
ton with Papa Vandercoort. who
made our house his only visiting
place. lie was a little old man.
dried up and wizened face. with
long silky white beard. and long
white hair, over which he wore =
skull cap lie taught Meta German
Tor hours together, when his son
was away, telling her wild German
legends aud anecdotes of his son. the
worshiped child of his old ace
They are all dead but Herntau.D -
ne told her; 'ali my brave BOYS and
ialr girls l am eighty-two years
Old and he is not thirty: so 1 hone
God VIII spare him to close my old
eyes: lie IS good boy, Meta, q
good boy"
The girl would assent, for she new
er had a saucy word for the old
man, however she might torment
the son.
cannot say exactly when il was
that we began to suspect that Nets
and Herman had agreed to become
6etrothed, but the fact gradually
uaWned upon US all. A blushing
consciousness upon Metals face when
the tail figure appeared at the gate,
may have given us the first hint; or
1T might have been the apparition
OF Herman in a new suit, with spot
less linen and shining boots. look
ing so entirely lost in wonder at his
own garb, that Bertha said audibly
she hoped he would upset some
thing over his clothes before he came
again; or it might have been when
he suddenly, uninvited, walked over
TO the piano and electrified ms nv
| playing, with masterly skill. sever
al dlthcult pieces, singing two Ger
man songs in rich baritone voice
and then rushing abruptly from the
house, as If he had been caught
steallng the spoons; or perhaps il
was when we found he had a toDgue.
and could converse freely when the
spirit moved him. The flashing OF
superb diamond ring upon Meta's
hnger may have sharpened our wits
a little.
BetrOthed they were. and we soon
found our bright, pretty cousin had
| given her heart into the keenino ~
her awkward lover, and gradually
put certainly was rubbing down
some OF the sharper corners of his
manners AL INTO courtesy and ease.
There could be no doubt il was a
love match, in the fullest sense OF
the word, and the wedding was on
| ly. postponed by the necessity of
IIerman's return to Prussia for a
short visit to dispose of some fami-
ly property before settling for life
amongst US.
When he had departed Meta be.
came more devoted than ever in her
attentions to the old doctor. ShC
spent whole mornings with him
apparently perfectly happy in hil
society, and whenever she was miss
ing at home were sure to find her OF
the hill.
1t was a lovely June morning
when we were looking for Herman,
return by every steamer, that Nets
put her pretty face in at my door tC
say she was going over TO the doc.
tors and would stay TO luncheon.
Il viii take some of my sewing, ,
she said ''and work as much as !
can"
put down my own work. some
wedding garments, for a moment
to draw the young girl into NV arm,
and kiss her sweet face. She Iook.
ed so very, very pretty in her deli
cate chlntz dress, with blue ribbons
IN her bright hair, a flush on her
Ialr cheek, and her violet eyes full
of life that l said aloud:
Il wish Herman could see you TO.
day" %
Am l very pretty to-day?" sht
asked, not saucily, but with an earn,
est simplicity.
YES" l said heartily.
81 am so glad. Not for myself
but for Herman. lie has love fol
all beautiful things, and | am proud
OF my face because he loves il.
hope for his sake that shall ALWAYS
be pretty" And she blushed a lit.
tie as she closed the door upon the
lovely face / saw then for the las
time, and Herman was never to SEE
again.
1t was nearly noon when DIR. Van
dercoOrPs boy came running over
for some one of us, telling, with {
white face, of an accident in the
laboratory.
CDR. Vandercoort is hurt some
but Miss Meta is almost killed. y wa
his report.
Mother and l were the only one.
at home, and was hurried over al
once.
Pretty Meta was to be a name OF
the past We found the poor child
lying upon the sofa, her face buried
in bandages. while the doctor was
applying cooling lotions and sob
ing over her like a child.
'Oh, my child," he said wailins
the words, "why did you give NJ
your fair beauty to save my old bat.
tered face?" "You see," he said Il
us as we entered the room. "shs
was STOPPING over the crucibie anC
saw the seethiBg that warns US o
an explosion. 1 was nearest thi
fire. There was no time TO speak
and as she leaned over to push m,
back the whole contents of the cru
chile flared in her face. An for me
All for me -
"But did you not see?'' criet
mother.
81 was watching another vessel
She was quite a chemist, this Met
of ours. What will nv bov sa'
when he sees how his fathers care
lessness has cost his wife so much?'
"Wili she Hve?' | whispered, 70
Meta lay so mOtiOnless il terrifie'
me.
''Livei Yes, yes. l have stupe
, fed her now to deadcn the pain i
her face. She is sleeping. She vii
; live, but the pretty face is gone. /
viii be a hideOus mask of burns AM
and se2ms-One eve drawn down Of
the cheek. Our beauty will be
, beauty no longer. And all TO saw
me. She might have passed me an,
j escaped; but she staid TO punch IN
. aside, and so suffers for me now"
Weeks rolled away before we real
, " saw Meta's face. She was brOugh
home, but DIR. VaudercoOrt KEEP
her covered with bandages. Faith
fully he tried TO restore her, as far a
, possible, to the beauty that wa
gone forever. All that tender Low
and skill could do was done, an
never were more devoted nurse
than waited upon our cousin. w
: all loved the bright little beauty
! and | think any one of US wOul
, | .rInHlu harn rnsi ,rnaH " d q fnvnr lnnE