The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-02-20

great tears SlOle out DcuShlA bhCh. Su
dith had begun to think.
"Joe," said Todd, almost roughly,
"will you hurry up that medicine ?"
) 80 Lordy; now you's got her to
, cryin', Use done obfustlcated. Couldn't
make her swaller dis, nohow. Yew clar
right out, immejetly, an tell Miss Stew
, art she'd better cum home. De Doctorll
tend ter yer case-he willm
Glad to escape, Todd took JosIe's ad-
J vice, and went straight over to Mrs.
J Kellogg's. And the Doctors wife, fear
full not only of consequences but of her
husbands disapprobation, hurried home
TO try to set matters right.
Mrs. Stewart had gently authoritative
way with invalids that was the secret of
her success with them. She never con-
suited them, nor treated them as if they
had minds Of their own. Gliding up to
Judith's cot, clad all in white, of some
fine and soft material, looking cool and
sweet and speaking low, but not in q
whisper, she took up the glass of medl-
cine, gently raised the invalid's head
and placed it to her lips, and laid her
back again, smoothing and cooling the
rumpled clothing, and said calmly and
quietly:
''The Doctor did not intend you to
waken so early, dear; try to go to sleep"
then taking up fan, waved it slowly
and gently between herself and the pa
tient to prevent her looking at her
nurse; and directly, by the aid of the
drowsy narcotic, she was sleeping once
more.
That was Mrs. Stewards introduction
to Judith. No explanations, no consul
tations-and for several days longer she
was silent as the Sphinx. Judith, feel
ing weak and babyish, enjoyed the gen.
tie tendance of her white-robed friend;
and finding the subject of her thoughts
unwillingly reverted tO-if not strictly
ta6oO--yielded gradually to the authority
that was like Establishment, and took to
herself the comfort offered-slept and
walked, and dozed in reveries half un-
real, taking no thought for the morrow.
In this softly dreamy way she drifted
back from the 'mouth of hell"
And yet the day of inquisition could
not always be postponed. 1t came at
last, when Judith was able to recline-
very becomingly dressed in pretty ruff
} fled and embroidered wrapper which the
> Coloneps wife had sent her-upon the
''invalid's chair" in Mrs. Stewards re-
ception room. The Doctor himself, whom
Judith had come to like very much,
, assisted at the inquiry, and if Josie and
Todd were within ear-shot, il was no
more, nor less, than might have ex-
pected.
1t was pity that such a pretty crea-
ture as Judith would have been with heI
former suite of hair, should have been
forced to appear in that crop of erect,
black bristles, albeit the bristles were
very thick and fine, with tendency tc
: curl. Her long seclusion, and the medi-
caments used, had removed the desert
sunburn, with every other sign of hard oil
coarse living. The hue of her complex
4 ion was as lily-white as any dealer in
cosmetics might have envied-in vain
r The gentle languor of the soft, dark eyes
:. or the contrast of jetty lashes wheI
S they drooped upon the delicate oval o
e her cheek, were equally faultless and be
II witching. The color of her lips anC
: the outline Of every feature was charm
- ing; nor did the deep sadness that ha'
d entered into her soul, never wholly Il
IS depart, withhold its charm of dignity
=" Mrs. Stewart had come to be entirely o
le the Doctors way of thinking, and con
fessed she had never seen a lovelie
s. creature in her life-lovelier than sh
ll would lie if her hair were grown. In tn
r fulness of her admiration she insiste
on coverig Judith's bushy new crop wit
s. a black lace veil, put on mantle-wist
i the effect of which was decidedly pic
to turesque.
I'd On this morning the Doctor hovere
er about his patient in that kind, fatherl
I'd way, which was entirely a novel expC
rience 10 Judith. All her life hereto
a fore it had been she who served, not sh
t, who was served in this tender an
J" thoughtful manner. Faint smiles hun
ed around her sweet young mouth or shon
* in her grateful eyes, making that az
acknowledgements which she Oh -ank froI
g. attempting to put in suitable phras
and the Doctors wife gave her a mol
or than usually warm kiss, telling her
al was for looking so well and so prett.
a Had it not been for that dreadful haun
No ing past Judith would have been as hal
at py as she once dreamed of being, whe
70 she lived all alone in her ideal worl
so and imagined courtly gentlemen ar
Of sweet, kind ladies, living together
wo beautiful, impossible scenes.
nd Lying in the enjoyable languor
Sc, eonYalesence, listening to gentle speeC
,se and refined sentiment, being cared fo
no and made to look beautiful for beauty
,is. sake, observing and learning every ho
to something she wanted to know, seem,
we to remove much that was hateful in h
ht past life beyond the reach of memor
nod and to soften the little hardness tho
circumstances had impaired to her cha
acter in the evil days. If this had be
ih' but the end!
"My dear" said Doctor Stewart to |
ted wife, as if it had just occurred to hi
''do you think we might venture to t
zen our patientis strength a little this MOI