The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-09-09
Selected aalisrsIlanp.
THE INVALID.

Seleffeo ttsisfslianD.
THE INVALID.
Evelyn Rossitur sat beside an open win
dow, in small cottaga home, waiting fol
the return of her lover WHO had gone from
the village seven years before to make his
fortune. it was just before sunset, and the
sultry heat ofan August day held every leat
motionless, while the parched earth and
flowers pleaded for rain. Yet Evelyn wore
a dress of warm cashmere, and wrapped
about her was a shawlsof finest Shetland
wool. Her face, thin and sunken, was
deathly pale, save where the hectic flush
stained her cheek Her eyes large and in
teusely blue, were unnaturally brilliant,
and her hair, soft, thick and glossy, hung
! IN 'oiiS f1nsstcGs aroaags ha~ face. She held
one at these IN her wasted fingers, mourn
ingly touching 1t.
Bessie" she said softly, ana at her call
a girl of seventeen came to her side--''Be Bes-
sic, it was strange vanity, was it not,
that made me curl my hair to night? want
ed Louis to see me as I was when he left
me. Bat l only look more ghastIy than
ever
Bessie bent carressingly over her COUSIN,
pressing q soft kiss upon her lips quivering
| with emotion.
lie can scarcely expect to find you en-
tirely unchanged in seven years Evelyn she
said gently. "YOu will regain your beauty
with your health, now Louis has come"
'Never, Bessie; he has come to see me
die, to bid me long farewell. It is fata-
lity."
1T is nothing OF the Sort said Bessie;
''it is Imagination"
"Bessie, you cannot mean that am not
sick2'
| "No, do not mean that"
"And with consumption, that fatal dis
ease that has taken my parents, two broth
ers, and only sister" to the churchyard.
Look at me- Bessie. am not twenty FIVE
and look fifty. Louis cannot love such
wasted shadow of his Evelyn"
Louis will make you young again. !
prophesy it, said Bessie, brightly; s'but
must go for some extras for the tea for
Louis. He will soon be here now, dear
Evelyn"
Can't Martha go?"
90; | will net be long"
She went, as she spoke, into m adjoin-
ing room, and put on coquettish straw
bat.
Her errand was soon done; but instead
of turning her steps homeward, she went
to the station wLe'e the train was nearly
due. 1t came in as she climbed the wooden
W. W. and one PASSENGER r2 qihtii han ab6if Thiff
thirty, with handsome face, and an express
sion Of eager Laste. lie was rapidly strld-
ing across tie platform when Bessie put
little white hand on his arm.
"Nr. Dalton" she said.
THAT is my name, he replied, courteous
ly raising his lat.
81 am Bessie Rossitur," she said. 81
have ged all the prophecies by coming
TO meet you, and | am about to ask you to
outrage them still more, by sitting here
with me few minutes"
Her earnest face belied her light words
and Louis Dalton al once followed her to
the narrow wooden bench upon the plat
form. They were utterly alone, the station
lying little outside of the village.
81 have come for Evelyn's sake" Bes-
sic said. 'If you had sent US any address
when you wrote you were coming, I should
/ have written to you. AS could not do
that have come to meet you. You have
heard Of the terrible fatality in Evelyn's
house in the last seven years?"
"Yes.n
Evelyn fancies herself dying of the same
disease that left her alone in the world. |
want ycu to save her life. You may think
that l am but a presenting child when l
tell you that do not agree with the doctor
about my cousin, but love her very dear
" and love has ma de me watchful. / be-
lieve some poison turks in that house. /
can feel myself weakening every day in it,
and know that | was in perfect health
when / went there
But why not tell Evelyn this?"
81 have, again and again; Lut depressed
hy the death of all near and dear to her,
she is convinced that consumption has fas-
tened its grasp upon her as upon them"
1t is useless for me to argue. / am
young and she has whole corps of old
women croaking to her every day.
"Mr. Dalton" and Bessie's sweet voice
became sadly earnest, "If you let her see
that you are shocked at the change in hel
and she is fearfully changed-if you en-
courage her depression you will kill her
When her health began to fail, everybody
in the village kept her reminded of the fact
that she belonged to doomed family
You will try to take her away-wIll vor
= not?-that is the oniy way to save hei
5 life"
"Most certainly; and | never can thanl
: you enough for coming to meet me" re
piled Mr. Dalton.
'.Let me hurry home now, and you follow
ne soon. | think We had not better 90 to
gether.''
Though she walked quickly, Bessie foun'
Evelyn already excited at Louis non-ap-
pearance.
II heard the whistle more than half a.
hour ago, Bessie she said. ''Can any
thing have happened to Loais?"
Eve will not think so yet, Bessie said
ssFor my own part, | glad of spar
rha