The Ottawa free trader., 1874-06-06
OTTAWA FREE TRADER: SATURDAY., JUNE &, ln74

proposal. Since that time circumstances hay,
arisen which compel me 10 say 10 you mat
can not renew those proposals, nor can / rs
pire to Miss EllIson's hand. OF course, yol
will do with this as you may think best, bu
| should be glad if you could keep the matte
| in your own hands,
"With great respect
FIRED *. SEWARD
| The doctor studied and worried over th'
matter all the rest Of the day, and then hat
not decided upon what he ought to do. Bu
things often happen in this world that arc
not planned out beforehand by us While A(
was worrying over the letter, Mary was car
rying happiness into score of homes, ant
spreading her own sunshine among hearts
that had little else than clouds.
Among her people was widow who hao
but one child, a boy old enough to earn fe"
pennies selling papers She stopped at the
door, and was met by the mother in tears
| Her boy had been run over by the street cars
and his life was in great danger. Had theJ
a doctor "Oh, yes, ma'am; the lame doc
tor"
Mary had frequently, of late, heard Of the
lame doctor, but had never seen him.
"When was he here?" she asked
"He is here now, ma a'am."
AT first she thought she would not 90 IL
until the doctor had gone, but she wanted to
ask him what could be done; so she followed
the woman into the room.
so Doctor!" cried the mother, "here is our
best friend
Mary turned to the man standing BY the
bedside, and found the lame doctor to be Fred
Seward.
He reached out his hand and greeted her
80 4. =, -, 10
I'VE need no introduction, Miss Ellison"
She gave. HIM her hand, but could hardly
speak from surprise.
"And are you the lame doctorY" she asked,
after the first greeting,
pointing to his crutch, lying beside him.
ave never heard of it," she said How
did II happen?"
building fell at the fire, and rolled heavy
stone on my foot"
"Yes, miss" broke in the widow; but he
doesn't tell how 1t was"
patiently; ut will haye no interest for Miss
Ellison"
"fOu cannot mean that" she said
"iIe was trying to save my sisters baby"
continued the widow, "and help the poor
folks, when the stone fell upon him"
"And you live here z" she asked.
"In the city; yes"
my uncle has also removed here"
81 heard of it," he replied.
"What have we done that you should not
call on ?" she asked, smiling.
II go nowhere on crutcheS," he answered,
"And why not with crutchcs. ?"
"Why not? Because can hardly compare
tavorably with other young men"
But you will come and see Us, will you
not?r
IL can not"
Perhaps / ought to have included an lnvi-
tatlon for Mrs. Seward. If there is such a
lady, we will be very glad to see her at un-
ces."
Mrs Seward would be obliged to you, if
there was such lady, but am compelled to
say know of none"
Then you will Gomez
"Not while on crutches."
"Have you hopes of eventually not needing
,hem?"
"NO"
What have we done that you should refuse
to be friendly with u.s."
"Mlss Ellison, you compel me to say what
| would rather have left unsaid If could
nave Uuu tll IlllDS, L WOulu nave ClllCu
at your house before this, and told you that l
Owed you better than when I asked you three
years ago to marry me; but am on crutches,
md could ask no woman to marry me now.
must not call at your house"
There were tears in her eyes, but they were
ears Of joy.
"Supposing," she said, her voice sobbing,
suppOslng the woman should say that she
lad loved you all these years that she loves
,ou now with your crutches ?iall the better
because of your crutches? that she isn't half
rood enough for you--"
"But these crutches ~ he asked.
"She kisses the crutches because you got
hem so nobly," was the answer she gave to
lin.
An hour after, while Doctor Burgess was
)uzzling over the letter, he was aroused by n
Knock at his door, which knock was followed
)Y his niece.
"Can we come in, Uncle?"
And the next instant Fred Seward entered
with Mary, and the old gentleman was in
formed of the events of the morning. But he
could only mutter, tod bless me, how things
do happen' Mary's experiment was sue.
cess, after all."-Hearh and Home.
SINDBAD DISCOUNTED
of Remarkable Magnetic Chnm-