Smyrna times., 1875-05-05


had Just dotird his lrrssinggown and was
thrustng his right arm through his coat
sleeve. when a sudden pallor shot over
his face; he ciinchcd his teeth, eulred
down an exclamation. and, looking over.
found my eyes resting upon him anxiouslv.
YES. he nodded, 1.-THE cid trouble.
This arm will play the deuce with me vet.
Morgan"
Notwithstanding my sympathy with
N"aton' heayrd a sigh of relief, for tn-
drrSt"od now the peculiar oxultation and
open delight he had evinccd in securing
the services of Hester.
The next day she came. 1t was a relief
10 the eye as well a. the pocket and the
soul. This Strai ght-fcatured. slender. sbapeIv
young woman, with a voice that Shakespeare
would have delighted in, and the step of u
di>rmbodied ghost seemed to fit in the very
Mich" We had found it impossible to fill
convenient pcripatetic addition to our
statuary. with no Pygmalion to create con-
fusion for Scaton really noticed the Girl
and seemed to appreciate her less than did
1t was not i'll my nature to be perfectly
"hIIvIouN to presence 50 powerfully condu-
clvc to comfort. and offered hundred
civilitie> to Hester to one of Scaton's. nm.
les his constant demands upon her time
might be considered in that light Hrhad
always nordcda great deal Of waiting upon.
and had time and again rebellcd against
the position of vale; to my contrcrr only to
lind myself mconsciously filling Ike post
within til" next half hour
80 Hester aired his linen, and mcndrd if
too. ecwcd on his buttons. bought and
arranged his ties il the prevailing fashion.
made endless cigarettes for him to puff at
leisure had lisslippcr. ready for him at the
proper moment. the leaves of his Lancet
nicely cut and no Brncdick, let him be
whom he may, was better served than this
bachelor.
We We're certainly happy about that time
Hester. the doctor. and when Seator
took it into his head to 90 down to the sea
shore, turning his patients, over to me in his
absence. He hadn't been there a week
when he mentioned the name Of remark
ably beautiful widow, that had attracted
his attention At the hctel at least six times
in as many ,"rtenc"~.
lis letters began to lose that clear con
r-on"~S that usually characterized them.
.:hd n" hrgan to ramhlc on about the skies
and the weather, and not content with
telling me that it cleared up before morn.
n=. hc put in the way OF "A t,lllI,r,t ,!yipo
IN the ho,i"win- of the n;2ilt:" and when
ltr Went "n tp state that "thc lare,. white
circle cf the Slow moon wa, lifted ur,a,uo,,,
tn" barrel Clouds and green halo
Elndl'd III tit" summit Of the eastern hills
1t was too much. ! threw ,tovn th, letter
IN disgust, and called cut to Hester. WHO
was du~tmg the book, and pamphlets in
her quiet way, that was alarmed about
>"'t"n. and Thought something must be the
matter
The book fell from her hand heavily to-
the floor. and turning t" her, found her
2;lay eyes kindiin@ INTO a >olt Of terror
81" clasrcd and uncla>Icd her fingers.
looking 1T m" with an rntrcaty that forced
tn" next words from IN" in spite of myself
Tut. Hester! calm YOURSELF child moth
ing "or~" has happened to him than per.
maps To fall in love.
She stood fora moment like one in a
dream, a gray shadow falling over her fea
tnr">; and thcn She turned and left the
room without word. could not hrlp
feeling in tn" minutes that followed that
~h" was lying somewhere prone upon the
floor
1t occurred omr that had been ground
up IN a machine, crushed under an engine.
or fallen into Il boiling vat, Hester could
not have cvinccd more emotion. and took
good car" to mention Seatnn's name no
more IN her presence. But greatly to NV
v"Xatl"n. found that Hester lost strength
and vi@"r a. the days went Ly; a r,itial,le
Ian@lor oapr"d her usual strong vitality.
and although She uttered no word Of com.
llant J saw that an ndcfnablc anguish
poisoned every moment of her existence.
began t" wonder if this arrangement
for Our d"nrotic comfort had not been i'm.
Iu4ici"u~ f"r"nr Of til" aitic-, and resolved
I" mend matters upon Sratom. arrival.
Shortly after, when reached home one
night found Sraton alrcI,Iy seated in his
old 'a-y-riair his new number If the Lance,
upon the table, and a volume of
Morris, poems lying idly upon hi. knees.
II" w1S putting One of the endless cigarettes
Hester had prepared in his absence, his
head resting upon the cu-hionrd back
Of hi chair his fine eyes half closed.
and could See that. for the first time in
his life perhaps, he had yielded to the in
toXlcation of rcvcrie The next dav.
while delivering my lecture at the college.
IA little scrap Of paper was thrust into my
hahd. 1t contained these words:
Get back as quickly as you can, for Gods
sake I'm afraid Hester is dying"
cut the discourse short, and hastcncd
home, to find Hester stretched upon the
couch in the iunpr ofiico c;nI,;,,. e..