Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-03-18
delieately rounded features.

"
Pardon me" hoarsely uttered the
Major, with a little soaUeair of his old
fastened courtesy and politeness; but
I don't know who you are. =
Hush r said the young lady. gent
ly. You must not talk. | am here
to nurse you"
And then he found himself taking
draught from her practiced fingers,
and then drifting off asleep.
Il have been very i'll, haven't | 2"
said he. when the doctor came at noon,
as usual.
You have been as close to the VAL
ley of the Shadow more than once as a
man can be in this life," DIR. Delagood
answered, gravely.
The major shuddered a little
heathenish old Sybarite as he was.
The idea of death appalled, him, and
he scarcely cared to hear how near he
had been to the solution of the great
problem.
But you pulled me through" said
he, with long breath.
Yes, and your patient little nurse,
who has just gone for half an hour S
sleep"
".Who is she, doctor?" asked the
major, anxiously.
''She is the niece of one of the lady
boarders. Martin, think they call
her. Her aunt went away as soon as
the fever declared itself-in fact, it
riddled the hotel pretty nearly-but
this girl would not allow any to suffer
for want of care and nursing, so she
courageously remained to take care Of
you.
why did she do that?" asked the
major. little lump rising in his throat
Why did Florence Nightingale go
out to the Crimea? Why are all wo-
men born heroines at heart 2" retorted
the doctor.
God bless her' muttered the ma
jor.
And then he turned his head on one
side, and big drop or two plashed
down on the pillow.
Day by day he lay there in slow con-
yalescence. while the pretty young
nurse ministered to him.
my dear, said the major, one day,
Il think | am beginning to realize now
what the blessing of daughter would
have been had God given me one. |
have grown very fond of you"
The soft blue eyes beamed smilingly
down upon him as he spoke.
And | of you" answered the girl,
in low, tender accents.
Are you much attached to your
aunt ?-Mrs. Fessenden, l believe her
name is.
"Yes," said the girl, half doubtful
ly, Il suppose SO; never saw her be-
fore she asked me to spend the season
with her at Atlantic City last month"
is that all you have seen of her?
That's all. /"
Then, said the major, II shall ask
her to let me adopt you. Will you be
my daughter henceforth ?"
She threw her arms around his neck,
and sobbed upon his breast.
DO you really love me? Do you
really want me? ?" asked she.
Il am all alone, my child, said the
major. And you will be the sunshine
of my house"
But you have a SOM"
"Yes, answered the major, slightly
frowning: Poor Henry But he has
estranged himself from me"
Forever ?'
Yes, forever p sickness, you see,
had taken none Of the inherent OBJ
stinacy out of our old hero's charac-
ter)
Papa !"-she knelt beside the sat
in-pillowed invalid chair, which had
been wheeled out into the sunshine on
the broad veranda-"I am to call you
papa, am | not p
"Of course you are, dearest"
The Majors hand stroked down her
bright hair with tender touch as he
spoke.
Then, papa, tell me why you are
estranged from himY'
He married in disregard of my
wishes" the major sternly answered.
rs that such an objectionable
crime?
objectionable? See here, Mary, if
he had not made such fool, such an
idiot of himself, he might have been
your husband. You might have been
then my daughter in very truth
Stranger things have happened"
But that couldn't b."
why not?" demanded the major.
Because he is my husband alreadyl
Oh, papa, dear, dear father II am not
Mary Martin, and yet [ ami My real
name is Mary Ariel Martindale; and
Harry, away at st. Louis, is my hus-
band. only came here to stay with
Aunt Fessenden until he could make
that little home for US which we had
both hoped and dreamed of. Willyou
forgive us both, papa, for my sake 2"
Il suppose 1 shall have to, said
the major, in extreme bewilderment.
kiss me, dear. Upon the whole,
Harry isn't such fool as | believed
him to be And you knew who l was
all the while?'
"Of course | did"
And you kept it dark? Sly little
puss Well, Mary mean, Ariel"
Yes, papa.
Well telegraph to Henry to come
right back. There's only three of US.
Let's try and be happy together .
So, through Ariels blue eyes and
heaven sent face Harry Martindale was
disinherited, and through her he was
received back again into his own in
heritance.
'Own up, sir, that 1 knew what /
was about, said Harry, as he stood
there, with Ariel leaning on his arm.
You dog !" said the old gentleman,
facetiously poking him in the ribs,
you've got the prettiest little wife go
ing"
The Girl Who Tilted George Washings
ton.