The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-30

he preferred poverty to marriage will
a fiirt, and withdrew his claim to m.
hand"
"Oh, Flora such a heart as yol
have thrown away. In the hours h
has spent here trying to entertain me
I have learned much of the noblenes
of his nature and of his love for you
He has SO hoped that you would LEI
your own generous nature show you tine
folly of your frivolous ways"
81 have had one lecture, Kate, pray
spare me a second. Ralph Benedict
may seek somewhere else a wife as cold
and censoricus as himself"
"And your"
sob with nervous laugh--"he
has kindly indicated my future for me. ,
Flora, you will not marry Harry
Vane"
"Such brainless firt. No! Though
Ralph f1attered me enough to think we
are well mated. All Ralph thinks to
see how gladly l accept my freedom. y
And Flora left the room as abruptly as
she had entered it, to fly to her own
chamber, lock the door, and indulge in
long and bitter fit of weeping
That afternoon Ralph Benedict was
riding and musing. With his own hand
he had torn from his heart it's one bright
spot. In the few glimpses Flora had
let him see of her generous heart, her
many secret acts of charity, her tender
care of her cousin. he had learned to
love the bright little beauty, all the
more that her vivacity so strongly con-
trasted with his own rather stern nature
His life was one of earnest aims and
steady seeking for the highest ends of
life. He had seen in his short time of
practice such hard realities of life, such
scenes of suffering, such calls upon his
deepest feelings that life had become to
him one broad field for the exercise of
usefulness and self-sacrifce.
His one dream of happiness he had
broken that day, because he dared not
trust the hopes of his life in the hands
of a trifer. Yes, he loved her, loved
her as such a nature as his loves the
bright loneliness of a gay little beauty
like Flora, and his heart ached solely as
he took his long, lonely ride. He had
promised his uncle to finish his pro-
iected visit and remain some weeks
longer, and he was nerving himself to
think of his cousin as the wife of an
other, lost to him by his own act. As
he drew his horse up TO the stable-door
one of the servants came running to
meet him.
"Oh, DR.. Benedict, am so glad you
have come Miss Kate, sir, is very i'll.
VIII you come to her quick ?"
"What is it, Nora ?"
"Oh sir one of those dreadful spells
she used to have when she first hurt her
spine."
The quick, firm step of Ralph was
the first grateful sound Flora had heard
since being called to her Cousins side.
All embarrassment was forgotten as she
sprang to meet him.
sob, Ralph, help me !''
"You have seen her in these attacks
BEFORE" he said, gravely; "tell me
what you did then, and how she has
been taken now"
Clearly and concisely, while sitting at
the bedside of the sufferer, Flora de-
scribed former attacks and their treat
ment, and the probable cause of the
present one.
Quick to decide and prompt to act,
Ralph made Flora useful as nurse, while
he tried his skill with loving zeal to
ease the gentle girl before them. His
uncle came in late in the afternoon,
and, seeing how things were, refused to
send for any other advice, and, thus |
free to act, Ralph was busy, faithful, |
and untiring, yet his hand was not |
irmer, his step quicker, or his mind |
clearer than those of the pale, yet steady |
little nurse. For three nights and days |
she never left the sick girls side, and |
IN the whispered talks beside her when |
asleep all levity was gone, all trifing |
vanished. Sorrow and anxiety did what |
larshness or GOODNESS could never have |
lone-subdued the frivolity that was on
he surface of Flora's nature, showing
he devoted love, the quiet presence of |
mind, the unwearying capacity for self
that dwelt under the vivacity. |
At last the danger was over, and after
/ fortnight of devoted watching Kate
vas pronounced convalescent, and her
weary little nurse consented to leave
Ter for a long afternoon sleep in her
,wn room.
eff you please, SIR" said Morals
carld voice at RaIph's door" Miss
flora has tainted clean dead away,
ir."
"Where ?" cried Ralph, starting up.
6 In her room, sir. She is altogether
worm out with nursing"
Worn out, indeed Ralph thought,
s he raised the little figure in his
trong arms and looked into the pale,
cry pale face. 1t was only the reac-
ion from fatigue and anxiety, and in a
ew moments Flora opened her eyes to
ee Ralph bending over her, his face
ulI of tender, anxious love.
"Flora, poor child, you are worn
ut. l have been careless and selfish
lot to watch you more closely. Oh,
flora, can you ever forgive my imper-
inent harshness, and let me tell you
low l respect as we'll as love you ?"
"Ralph, / am a good for-nOthing
irt, but if you will trust such tor
1ent once more she will try to be a
7ife worthy of you. And as Flora
fterwards declared, "the man actually
egan to find out what his magnificent
yes were made for"
So she consented, and was from
outh to age the pride and Joy of his
aithful heart.
No NOPE NErDEn Tho bisbon of | ,