The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-12-02

echo as though DESTROYS to JOIN the
children in singing the glad anthem.
Upconsciously her mind strayeu
further back, she was a child again (;
her little brother was trying to
awaken her, that she might go with
him to e what the kind "krisskin
gle" bad placed in their stockings
"Marionl Marion it's time TO be.
going" 1t was her father calling
and shaking her by The shoulder.
Hastily arising she accompanied
Mrs. Kenton, the friend who was Il
assist her, to the siekroom. As they
passed through the bali Mrs. Kentor
gave Marion what little history o.
the invalid she had been able tc
gather.
Gle is from one Of the northern
States. and was q soldier in me
northern army. At The battle Of the
Wilderness be was shot through The
body and left for dead by his friends
Some confederate soldiers passing
a few hours afterward discovered evI'
dence of fife. carried bin TO the rear,
and cared for him kindly. lie was
sent TO the hospital here. When that
was closed be was removed to this
hotel. where be has been ever since"
Mrs. Kenton finished her narrative
as they entered the sick room. The
nurse smiled a weary, sleepy smile
as they entered, and glided quietly
from the room.
Marion seated herself by the open
window, a procedure that was al
lowable in this warm climate, and
gazed out into the night The moon
beams shed a Good Of glory over the
city. the spire Of the cathedral glis-
tened like Furnished silver, as a clock
10 a distant church tower struck IL,
Il chime OF bells rang out
.-Giory be to Col on high,
On earth be peace, goodwill to mn
the voices OF the bells died away
q merry Christmas carol accompa-
MED by the strokes of oars came Hoat'
ing over ibe water from a boat filed
with merry jewellers.
A faint groan from the sufferer at
~tracted the girls attention She APP
proacbed the bedside aud leaned over
the fevered man as lie turned, in a
spasm Of pain, the girl caught sight
Of his face. Starting back, pale and
terrified, she must have fallen TO the
ground had not Mrs. Kenton sup
ported her. 1t was but for a moment,
however. Then summoning all her
courage as though to meet a trying
ordeal. she again approached the bed,
As the sick man caught sight OF her
face he sat upright, crying Marion
Marion =" then sank back on the pill
low without q motion. For a short
time they thought the shock had
been morethan be was able to stand IN
his weakened condition, but his eyes
opened slowly and his lips moved.
Placing her ear close to his lips she
caught, kiss me Marion" Taking
the pale face between her hands she
kissed it lovingly. The sick man
stretched forth his hand; Marion
took it in both Of hers, when be sank
asleep with a happy %eontented smile
on his lips, such a smile as D sees
on the face Of a tired child that has
fallen to sleep in its mothers arms.
1t is scarcely necessary to add that
under Marion's vingtreatment, Nal
colin added his, 10 the already long list
of Testimonials, that so to prove that
love is the best of tones. They
are married and living happily in
their northern home, and their
ears are greeted by the prattle Of a
little Marion, whom her father de-
clares is the exact image Of her
mother.