Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-03-14
vhen they are just recovering from 1t, and
Ioor, ri0bt rtIo onar rd ~

when they are just recovering from 1t, and
a long night ride, after rward."
"I think so, too" said Aunt Patience
nodding her head. "Typboid fever Is q
dreadful disease, and It's our bounden du-
ty to look afler ourselves first. Just give
me sniff o. that camphor will you, sister
Parkerp or course, Henry Melton, you
and your wife'll go of somewhere, and
hire nurse from the hospital up at Ark
ville."
Mr.. Melton bowed an exceedingly brief
adeu to the three alarmed old ladies, and
walked away pondering within himself on
the intense selishness of the world.
Clara was quite delirious when her father
returned, and Mrs. Melton was watching
at her bedside.
"Nna," he said, al do not know but that
we had better follow Miss Patience's ad-
vice, in one instance at least. You must
go away from her, and 1 will engage a
nurse"
Never" said Nina "do you think 1
could leave her, your daughter, to the care
of a hirelingp'
And she triulnphed.
II was gloomy evening, late in October,
when Clara Melton came back from the
land of dreams and phantasy to her own
identity and self-consciousness. Pale, weak,
skeleton-like, she scarcely knew herself
but close at her bedside was sitting-her
stepuotberi And a little farther off, she
could trace the outlines of her fathers tall
figure leaning against the window.
"Papa," she murmured, family, "where
have been?"
His heart leaped up within him as he
recognized the accents of reason in the
voice that had so long babbed delirious
monotonies.
"My daughter" said he soiemnly, "you
have been very near the Valley Of the
Shadow of Death"
"Where are Aunt Patience, and Mrs.
Parker, and
"They shrank away from you, Clara,
when they learned the fearful nature OF
your disease; they left you to struggle with
death the best you might. 1t is only ow-
ing to your mothers tireless watching and
constant care that you are well now."
Clara looked up into Nina's face it was
pale, but tender. Instinctively she stretch
ed out her arms.
"Mamma?"
And in that one loving, pleading word,
Nina had her exceedingly great reward.
She conquered at last.
From that moment, henceforward, Clara
clung to her with an affection that was al
most marvel to herself. 1t seemed as il
Nna's presence was an absolute necessity
to ber-as if she could only be happy while
she held her stepmother's hand and rested
her head against her shoulder.
"Oh, mamma, why did l not know you
sooner?' she would say with the fondest
caresses.
Aunt Patience, Mrs Parker and Miss Sa-
mantha called, when all danger of Infection
was over, TO express their coincidence.
'Poor thing" said Mrs. Parker, show
pale she is. 81 dare say her stepmother
didn't half take care of her,"
Clara rose Indignantly.
"Don't dare 10 speak a word against my
darling motherr p she said, with flashing
eyes. "If it had not been for her, l should
have been dead and buried now. 1 love
her better than all the world beside, and II
1 hear another word in her disparageme It,
l will turn you all out DOORS"
The three old ladies stared at each other.
The stepmother had used some potent spell
which had out-generaled them all.