Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-04-17
CHAPTER XXI.
THE RESCUE.

Doctor Eglinton had just returned from the
mornings professional round Of visits, and
descending from his carriage, strobe with his
usual careless grace toward his office, when
he beheld sight which detained him. 1t
was the crouched figure If child who sat on
the stone steps crying and sobbng with great
Pbitterness.
"What is the matter, my poor child?'
asked the doctor benevolently. The child
raised her pale little face with its great brown
eyes, and with cry of delight, sprang JOY
fully into his arms.
"Good God !' exclaimed the doctor, "1s it
possible, Berta? Where did you come from,
my child and have you been i'll again p
But Berta only cluug convulsively around
his neck, without the ability to articulate a
word. Ralph carried her into the house, and
observing with dismay her perceptibly feeble,
exhausted condition, laid her on a sofa and
gave her something to drink. This beverage
revived Berta so much, she looked up CRATE
fully into his face and said
"Thank you, uncle Ralph"
81 thought that would make you feel better
ma petite" said uncle Ralph, looking down in
utter astonishment on the soiled, faded dress,
and the general air of untidiness which now
pervaded this child of fortune, whom he had
never seen before, except attired in the dain-
tiest apparel; "and now, Berta, do open your
lips and tell me whence you came, how you
got here, and, above all, where is your
mamma? I have searched for her in all
directions"
"Oh uncle Ralph" exclaimed Berta, cry
ing afresh, II have come for you to 60 to
mamma, for Mrs Tilsitt says she is dying"
"Dying?" cried Ralph, dropping into a
seat and groaning with the sharp agony of
such unexpected news, 81 cannot believe you,
Berta. Dying! Oh! FIorimond."
'She has been very sick for more than a
week." said Berta, "and she does not know
even me" and this thought made her sob We
hemently, "and 1 thought would come for
you, to see if you cannot cure her as you did
me. I started very early this morning, but |
did not know the way, and got lost ever so
many times. l was so tired I could not walk
another step, and so I sat down on door step
and cried for long time, when a lady came
out, and she spoke to me kindly, and asked
me what was the matter. When told her
I was looking for you to 60 and see my sick
mother, she said, "poor little girl; will take
you to Doctor Eglinton's Office on Michigan
avenue" and she brought me here The ser,
want told her you were out, so she told me
then to sit on the steps and wait until you
came"
"God bless her, whomsoever she may be- y
CALCULATED the doctor, fervently; "but come,
Berta, these are precious moments we are
losing We must hasten to your mother.
God grant it may not be too late"
Berta arose and tried to follow him, but
tottered on her feet, which the doctor perceiv-
ing, he lifted her again in his arms, and then
regarding her face keenly, said, "Look here,
child, have you had anything to eat to-day ?''
"No, have not"
"Mon Dieu to think you have cometo this,
to think she has suffered so much, rather than
receive assistance from me; one who has no
pleasure on this wide earth, comparable to the
pleasure of serving her" With the child still
in his arms, he went into an adjoining room
filled her hands with biscuit, cake and cold
tongue, and saying, "You must eat this as we
20 along-we have no time to lose"-procecd
ed to deposit her inside the carriage. He
drove furiously, plying Berta, the meantime
with questions which brought to light all Of