The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-01-28


laee's, and it was but very few minutes |
until Louie was at home. They sue
ceeded In reviving her, and she insisted
that she was much better, but in the
night she walked with high fever and
inflammation of the lungs. For weeks
her life hung by a thread, and during
all that time Mrs. Kenyon nursed her
with untiriDg care. Mr.. Wallace was
almost frantic at the thought of losing
his idOlized daughter. He shut himself
IN his own room, as he was not allowed
to enter Louie's, refusing to eat or
drink
6 He'll starve himself into a spell of
sickness, said the old doctor to Mrs.
Kenyon, "and then we'll have him 70
take care of. " Turning to Nina. he
continued, "Do you, Miss, arrange
lunch, light but substantial take It to
him, and make him eat it. Can you
do it?"
"rl try" answered she, as she left
the room to comply with this per-
emptory request. When she knocked
at Mr.. Wallace's door, he opened it
himself.
"No take it away, want nothing I
can not eat"
She placed the little tray on the
table, and turned to him. He had
thrown himself on the sofa again. and
she stroked his thin gray hair with
light, soothing touch, and talked to
him In low, soft voice, till he seemed
quieter. Then, bringing the tray, she
sat down, saying, "No, you needn't
trown. am head nurse in this ward,
and say you must eat this bit of
chicken" She chatted brightly to him
until he had eaten whst she had brought:
then, replacing the tray on the table,
she stroked the throbbing temples
again, until the tense muscles relaxed
and he slept quietly. The weeks passed
by, and still Louie fingered. The fever
was gone it had left her weak as a
little child, and she had a cough that
sounded like knell to the loving ones
around her. But her father persuaded
himself that there was no danger, and
went back to his beloved counting
house, thinking each day, "My dar-
ling is almost we'll her eyes are bright
and her cheeks red" Had he no
thoughts of his deal wife, Louie's fair
young mother, whose brilliant eyes and
crimson checks had been only signs
that she was slowly and surely dying
we so often forget that the bloom on
the cheek may be but the shadow of
the red flag of death; that the light in
the eye may be caught from the bright
ness of heaven.
" Come Tomorrow" said Louie. as
Nina Kenyon was leaving her one after
noon. -" am SO lonely here; Aunt
Hattie is busy, and nurse Sarah is 70
deaf. Come, won't you ?"
will Birdie, said Nina, tenderly.
"Good-by."
At the gate she met Eugene Durant.
Re joined her, and as they walked
down the street he inquired after
Louie's health. "I don't believe she
will ever be well again. She looks so
frall, and has such a wretched cough"
While she spoke there had come q
quick tremor over Durant's face, but he
did not reply at once, and when he did,
his voice was steady, and he soon
changed the subject. There were words
spoken before they parted that neither
would soon forget. AS she went into
the house, Nina thought How could
l speak so to him? had no right to
do it."
In his room that night Eugene NUT
tered to himself "A brute's life >
was that it? Yes, that was it; how
those eyes of hers blazed when she said
1t. She's right it is a brute's life
pshaW, and he took up book to drive
away the unpleasant memory. But he
could not read. Ever between him and
the printed page there came a face, a
dark, clear face, with splendid ewes and
scornful mouth, and the phrase kept
ringing in his ears % brute's life"
He threw the book on the table, and
leaned ba, k in his chair, musing, as the
smoke of his cigar curled upward.
thoughts of Louie came to him her
| image rose before him as he had last
seen her, VIII n she stood before him in
All her delicate beauty, and promised
81 will wait for you" And now
must she die? Die in her bright youth,
or must she drag out weary life of
pain No, no; she should not die, she
should get we'll she was his; had she
not promised to wait for him? Though
the half-open window he caught a snatch
OF song from some one passing: Sc Wait
for me at heavens gate"-and the words
smote him with a quick, sharp pain.
Would it be at the pearly gates that she
would wait for him? He would never
reach her there, never, never his was
g brute's life." How should he gain
the haven where her pure spirit would
rest? And she was dying, dying,
! dying. With a muttered word he
| sprang up, seized his hat, and went out.
Halo, Eugene, just going for you
come on, old boy" and he felt his arm
| pulled through John Rushton's. An
hour afterward Edgene was seemingly
the gayest of the rollicking party in
Lawrence Winston's room. And vet,
strangely mingled with the clink of
! glasses and the shouts of laughter, there
came to him the sound of Nina Kenyon's
voice, in those three words: GA brute's
life"
r
Dusky twilight in Louie's room.
Through the open window came the
warm breath of May, and t. e fragrance
OF delicate blossoms. Nina Kenyon
sat by Louie's bedside, toying with the
soft curls on the pillow, and watching,
they shaded.
Nina, after am dead-don't clasp
me so tightly, please-win you give a
message from me to-Eugene ?"
Yes, darling" and Nina shaded her
face in the fair curls.
TELL him that I loved him to the
end, that the last prayer offer in this
world shall be for him, and oh Nina,
tell him for his dead mothers sake and
mine, to meet us both in heaven"
A fit OF coughing came on then, and
! she looked SO white that Nina felt
alarmed, and rose to call her mother.
- 1t is nothing" said Louie, family,
but even as she spoke there came a
dash OF crimson on her lips, and Nina's
frightened cry brought Mrs. Kenyon
trem the adjourning room, and Mr..
Wallace from the library. Far into the
night they sat by Louie's bedside,
while her life went slowly out. Rest
ing in her fathers arms. she looked at
Nina IN mute entreaty, and Nina spoke
softly:
81 will not forget. Is that what you
want to ask me ?"
The pale lips smiled family; then
her gaze rested on her fathers face,
and, with his kiss on her lips, she shut
her tired eyes in the dreamless sleep
that knows no waking while the earth
/ endures.
Nina was standing, concealed by the
heavy curtains, in the room where
Louie lay in her coffin, when she heard
step IN the room. Turning, she saw
I a hnnHInU QUAR- u