The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1875-07-31

| oulcS, OLD ballads, and those longing airs
Of "Auld Lang Sync," so seldom heard
nowadays.
The tca.bell broke in upon the pleasure,
and the light dining-roOm found Ralph
rs dignificd and Flora rs saucy rs if no
music had stirred their hearts into n new
and strange communion.
Kate heard, day after day, with pain, of
the marked coldness between Raiph and
Flora, and of her increasing Irritation
with Harry Nane.
AT last the crash cnme.
al am frcc"
| Flora threw back the door and rushed
in, with burning cheeks and flashing eyes.
81 ain free, Kate. My charming cousin
came 10 me one hour ago and asked an
apTivatc one-wlich granted,
OF course. lie informed ME that when he
graduated rs n physician, with his heart
full of the glory and responsibility of his
profession, lie had come here trusting TO
find a wife who would be his companion
and true hclpmatc i'll the arduous life be.
fore him. He had hoped that my livcli-
ness was merely youthful spirits, but
ilndlng lie heartless and frivolous he pre-
lerred poverty to marriage with a hirt,
and withdrew his claim to my hand"
"Oh, Flora such heart as you have
thrown away. In the hours hc has spent
here trying to entertain me have learned
much of the noblencss of his nature and
of his love for you. lie has so hoped
that You would let your own generous
nature show you the folly of your frivo-
lOus ways -"
~ have had one lecture, Kate, pray
spare me a second. Ralph Benedict may
seek somewhere else Il wife us cold and
ccnsoriOus rs himself"
"And your
"Oh with nervous lnugh-"lc has
kindly indicated my future for me-"
"Flora, you will not marry Harry
Fane2"
such brainlcss ilirt. Mol Though
Ralph tlattered me enough to think we
are we'll mated. All! Ralph thinks, TO
mortify me by his rejection; he shall see
how gladly I accept my freedom" And
Flora left the room rs abruptly us she had
entered il, to fly to her own chamber,
lock the door, and indulge in long and
bitter tit of weeping.
That afternoon Ralph Benedict was
riding and musing. With his own hand
hc had torn from his heart its one bright
spot. In the few glimpscs Flora had let
him see Of her generous heart, her many
secret acts of charity, her tender care of
her cousin, hc had learned to love the
bright little beauty, all the more that her
vlvncity SO strongly contrastcd with his
own rather stern nature. Ills life was
one of earnest aims and steady seeking
TOR the highest ends Of life. He had seen
i'll 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 hroad field
for the exercise Of usefulness and self
sacrifice.
His one dream of happiness he had
broken that day, because he dared not
trust the hopes Of his life in the hands of
Il triiler. Yes, he loved her, loved her as
such nature rs his loves the bright love-
Illness of gay little beauty like Flora,
md his heart achca sOrcly rs hc took his
long, lonely ride. He had promised his
uncle to finish his projected visit and re-
main some weeks longer, and he vas
ncrving himself to think of his cousin as
the wife of another, lost to him by his
own act. AS he drew his horse up Mt the
stnblc-lnor one Of the servants came run
ming to meet him.
ooh, DIR. Benedict, | nm so glad you
have come! Miss Kate, sir, is very i'll.
Will you come To her quick"
"What is il, NOral"
"Oh sir! one of those dreadful SPELLS
she used t0 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 rs she sprang
To meet him.
"Oh, Ralph, help me"
You have seen her in these attacks be-
fore" he said, gravcly; "tcll mo what
you did then, and how she has been taken
now"
Clearly and c0nciscly, while sitting at
the bedside Of the sufferer, Flora dc.
scribcd former attacks and their treat
mcnt, and the probable cause of the pres
cnt one.
Quick To decide and prompt to act,
Ralph made Flora useful ms nurse, while
Inc tried his skill with loving zcnl to cnsc
the gentle girl before them. Ills uncle
came in late in the afternoon, and, seeing
how things were, refused to send for any
other advise, nnd, thus free to net, Ralph
was busy, faithful, and mntiring, yet his
hand was not Ilrmcr, his step quicker, or
his mind clearer than those of the pnlc
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 lcvity was gone, all triiling
vanished. Sorrow and anxiety did what
llarshncss and GOODNESS could never have
donc-subducd the friynlity that was on
the surface of FlOra's nNturc, showing
the devoted love, the quiet presence of
mind, the unwcarying capacity for self
sacrifice, that dwelt under the viyacity.
at last the danger was over, and after
n fortnight Of devoted watching Kate
was pronounced c0nvalcsccnt, and her
weary little nurse consented io leave her
for long afternoons sleep in her own
! room.
"If you please, SIR" said Nora's scared
voice at l'alph's door," ""Miss Flora hus
tainted clean dead AWAY, SIR"
"Whcrcl" cried Ralph, starting up.
AIN her room, sir. She is altogether
worn out with nursing"
Worn out, indccd! Ralph thought, rs
hU raised tho little figure in his strong
nrms and looked into the pale, very palC
face. 1t WIS only the reaction from fa.
| tipuc nud nh xiciy and In "A few tnomrnfa