Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1876-03-23
TINE INVALID.

NVtl.5 NfM kl
Evelyn Aossitur rat beside an open win
dow, In small cottage house, waiting To-
the return Of her iovsr, who had gone from
the village seven years before to make I'LL
P fortsns. Il was Just before sunsst, and th'
sultry heat Of an August day held ever,
loaf motionlsss, while the parched eartl
and flowers pleaded for rain. Yet Evelyr
wore . dress Of warm cashmere, aoi
wrapped about her was shawl Of hnes
Shetland wool. Her face, thin and sunksn
was dsathIy pale. save where hectic husl
stained her cheek. Her eyes large and in
tenssly blue, vsre unnaturAlly brilliant; and
her hair, soft, thiok and glossy, hung in
long ringlsts around her face. she hek
one Of these In her wasted fingers. mourn.
ingly touching 1t.
"Bsssls," shs said softly-and II her cal
. girl Of seventeen came 70 her side-''les.
sie, II wss strange vanity. was it not tliaa
Louis 70 sss me = was when he left mo.
But l only look mos ehAAtly than ever
Beside bent careeskA9ly ovss har couein,
psessiag . SpN NY6h hsr Lips qdivsrtaG
with emotion. N3 .-sT'
"Hs can hardly expect 10 hnd yen entire.
ly unchanged in seven years, Evelyn" she
said, gently; '.You will regain your beauty
with your health, now Louis has COME" >
"Nevsr, Bessie LIE has come 70 sse me
de- to bid me : long farewell. Ish fatal.
-. .lt L nothing Of the sort, said Bessie
"It In Imagination"
..Dessie, ron cannot mean that am not
sick2" ~ ~
"No. DO not mean that"
"And with consumption, the fatal dis
ease that has taken my parents, two BROTH
ers, aud only sister, ~ the church-yArd
Look Ut me. Dessie. am not twenty five,
and look fifty. Louis cannot love such a
wAaksd shadow Of his Evelyn"
"Louis will make you young again. !
prophesy it," said Bessie, brightly but
must 60 for some extras for the tsA for
Louis. He will soon be here now, dear
Hvelyn." trs ..-......
Ia "0an't Martha no 2" lD a,F
mo I Will not be long. .ra-y4
She went, ~ she spoke, into IN adjoanins
room, and pat on coqust*ish little straw
hat. s'utIf.
Her errand was soon done bus. instead
the station, where the train was nearly due,
1t came in a. she climbed the wooden steps,
md ono passenger alighted. This was Z
tall brown-headed man, about thirty, with
. handsome face, and an expression Of
ssger haste. He was rapidly strid,ng acrosa
the platform, when Bessie put little white
hand upon his arm. eI u Etssa
"Mr. Dalton" she said.
That u my name" he replied, courte.
onsly raising bis hat.
II am Bessie Roasitur," she said. ~
have outraged all the propristies by coming
TO meet you, and an sbput TO NIX you t.
outrage them with still more, by sitting
here with me few minutes"
Her earnest face belled her light words,
and LOUIS Dalton at onos followed hsr tc
the narrow wooden bsnch upon the plat
form. They were utterly alone, the station
lying . little outsids Of the village.
II have come for Evelyn's sake Bss
sic said ''If you had sent ns any I'd.
home, should have written to you. Az
could not do that, have come to meet
you. You have heard Of the terrible fatal
ity In Evelyn's house in the last seven
years.
"Yes."
"Evelyn fancies herself dying Of the
name dlsoase that left her alonein the world
want you TO save her life. You may thinl
that am but presuming child whom tel
cousin but I love her very dearly, and love
has made me watchful. l believe some
poison turks In that house. ! can feel my
self weakening every day In 1t, and knoN
that l was in psrfect health when ! wep'
there +e '.8rH 7
"But why not tell Evelyn this?" l.
~ have, again and again but depresset
10 convinced that consumption has fastened
its grasp upon her AZ upon them. "It !,
useless Tor me to argue. ! am young, and
she has . whole corps Of old women croak
ing to her every day"
'Mr. Dalton" aud Bessie's swe ct voice be
came sadly earnest, "if you let her see tha
you are shocked at the change in her-ant
she IL fearfully chAnged-if you enoourag,
her depression, you will kill her. When he
lage kept her reminded Of tho fact that sh'
bel ,nged to doomed family. You will tr,
to take her awag-wrll you not2-that il th
only way to save her life"
"Most certainly; and can never thanl
you enough for coming to meet me, re
Piled Mr.. Dalton.
"Let me hurry homo now, and you folio,
mo soon. think We had better not go to
gethsr."
Though she walked quickly, Bessie foun'
Evelyn already excited At Louis noh-ap
IL heard the whistle more than half a
l,onr ago, Boesie," she said. "Can any
thing have happened to Louis2'
"We will not think SO yet" Bessie said
"For my own part, am glad OF spar
minute or two to devote to Martha
"You will not have it. hesra step. H
has come"
The pailor of death was on Evslyn's fac
A. she rose TO her feet to greet Louis, m
he could SCARCELY suppress = cry OF horro
M the ghostly face rose him. But with
quick remembrance Of Bessie's words, h
spoke oheerfully his frst words to Evelyi
"Evelyn, darling. How glad I am
come TO you again"
The white lips quivered painfully.
"It is new life to sec you, Louis, II onl
to cay farewell" .-...
Farewell! You don't get rid Of m
again." he said, his heart sinking as h
watched the quick breathing and tremblin
agitation OF his betrothed. ~ hope 20
are all ready to be married" L
Louis You cannot wish to marry n
now"
.Not wish to marry you now! hay
wished it for seven long years. Evelyn
But am 90 changed"
"You look ~ il You had been sick. b
are my Evelyu's heavy curls, her dear bit
eyes, her httle mouth made for klss ing"
Then Bessie stole away and sstonisht
Martha by an imprOmptu fandango In q
kitchen. with ali accompaniment of-"Sl
IL better ali esdy," In an energetic ton
that was ausp ciously near tears.
'Eow, Martha" she said, lyon are not
refer to Miss Evelyn's sickness in any va
Remember"
at is flying in the face of Pfoyiden
for you to talk as you do" croaked Marth
adIsmally. minded damsel Of fifty. " All
she going the way Of all the rnt2"
''She Was going - fast ~ you cou
drive her. But have come to enter !
protest and Mr.. DAlton's, to save her lii
II you say ons word about her being sit
l'lilock yop up in the CARROT"
"TsA 10 ali ready" said Martha, with
hing the Bell, then" said Bessie, ste
ping into the dining room. You have I
no place at the tea- table for Miss Evelyr
''Itrl be certain death to her to come {
Of her room, Miss Bessie"
"She 70 coming"
Plate, CUP, and saucer were rapidly !
upon the table and leaving Martha to bri
III the dishes, Bessie fitted upstairs aga
Louis was just protesting he did not CT
for tea.
.,Dut you will take Evelyn to the table
"Evelyn Will EVELYN come down 2'
"Certaii.ly. Come, Evelyn
"Dont YOU think it will hurt me"
"Not bit. told you Louis's com
would make you WE'LL There ia no doc
like happy heart"
10 Evelyn. leaning on Louiss arm, y
downstairs for the first time IN th
months. Bessie had made the room I
feot bower, with out flowers on the tal
snowy curtains at the windows, and fr
brightness over everything. Martha
groaned as one funeral token after anot
WAs carried tenderly to the attic from |
lor and dining room. It seemed to the
servant . positive sacrifice to remove
,u.n- vuavnsDtoa ~ tho tnrrthIa fnlttv