The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-01-06
us hope, she rests in peace IL would
seem as IL that smile was the dead wo-
mans revenge, as ifshe said ;4 .i1S.

seem as IL that smile was the dead w0-
mans revenge, as ifshe said;-.- AZ.
my spirit shrunk not to sustain
The searching throes Of ceaseless pain
b@ Then let life go to him who gave.
have not quailcd to dangers blow
When high and happy; need now 2"
ii.
The next best authenticated story
comes from the records of the Franco
Prussian war.
1t seems that one of those red cross
nurses, one of those Mercy Merricks, per-
haps, with whom Wilkie Collins has
made us familiar, had among her patien
a young fellow whose nationality she
could not find out. He.was in the Prus-
sian uniform, yet not, she thought, a
Prussian. He had been struck by a spent
ball, they supposed, and was paraly zed
and specchless. Occasionally he would
open his eyes and gaze at her with a
troubled expression, and she noticed that
the eyes were very beautiful, black, and
soft as velvet. In her ministrations she
got to understand the language of those
poor eyes, and found out when he was
pleased or disappointed at what she was
doing. One day she took up his coat,
and feeling in the pocket, she found a let
ter; she looked at him and the eyes said
"read it," 1t gave her the key to the
situation, and she derived the idea that
be could hear and understand her if she
talked to him, SO she would sit and talk
and ask questions, and he would answer
with his eyes. She got at the idea that
he was a young English diplomat, who
had been sent down to the scene of the
war to protect some one; that he had
been received into the Prussian army as
q favor to facilitate his work that he
was engaged in this work when he was
struck down. She had much to do, this
Mercy Merrick, with her red cross, but
she found time every few hours to come
back to her patient, and to tell him the
story of Saarbruck, of Strasbourg, of
Sedan, and to find from the shifting Ius-
ter in his eyes if he were pleased or sad
dened. One day she took up his watch
and chain and examined the seal. The
eyes grew painfully bright and anxious; !;
the idea struck her that she would take
the impression in wax. She did so, and
found the motto and crest of we'll
known English family. Then she sat
down and wrote letter home, for she,
too, was English.
The patient fingered and listened, but
never spoke. He grew better, however,
and could smile; singular smile, bril-
liant, eloquent, and fascinating. 1t went
to the heart of the red-cross nurse. Per-
haps she had suffered, and loved, and
waited, and hoped, and had known the
anguish of hope deferred. The poor par
ally zed hand gained finally little power,
and one evening as she took IL in her
warm, energetic, generous palm it gave
feeble pressure. Sympathy is famous
physician. He has cured many otherwise
wounded.
But, alas he was not to cure the
young English diplomat. One night, as
the red-crOss nurse lay down to her we'll
earned sleep, the male attendant who had
care of the paralyzed Englishman came
and knocked at her door.
He is dying" said he, and his eyes
are very wild"
She dressed herself and went TO him,
The unspoken language between these
two had become a spiritual communica-
tion. She read his thoughts. Did he wish
to have lock of his hair cut? Yes, for
her; his watch and chain, and certain
ring on it, were to be returned when she
could find the owner, and his charge
the work which he had to do when he
was stricken down-she must find out if
it was done, and if he was known to have
been faithful to the end; yes, she would
do itall.
And he gave her one wonderful look
lob xuh inh xxyou q oo nm Ia ItHn
sunlight; his bright eyes said more graft
tude in one glance than his lips could say
in month then came a film over them,
and they went out forever.
The next Cay as the red-cross nurse
stock looking at his face an English ply
sician arrived.
II am looking for young Estcourt,"
said he, "the man of whom you have
written to England, who owned this mot
to and SEAL"
"There he is" said she quietly.
Poor fellow, poor fellow; hard
case," said the physician. "Do you
know his story? He was sent over to pro-
tect two eminent ladies, one princess,
who got caught in country house here
between the two armies. Russian COM
pl1CdViOuS duu OIL tbdt SOIb Vi tuibSs llC
behaved singularly we'll, showed enor-
nous tact, courage, and chivalry too, for
one of them fell desperately in love with
him. He was taking them toward Ber-
lin where they wished to 60, when he
was struck down by a French ball; a
party of stragglers surrounded them, set
on probably by cousin of his, who has
always been his foe"
"Did the women escape 2" said the red
cross nurse.
Eyes; and are full of anxiety to hear
of their preserver and friend" said the
doctor.
The nurse laid her hand on the dead
mans forehead. "I wish he could have
lived to hear it" said she.
And as she raid that, the dead man
smiled-that smile which she knew so
well-and strong.hearted woman though
she was, she tainted and fell on the
floor.
When she came to herself the doctor
was holding some hartshorn to her nos
trils.
"lt was not imagination p said she.
"No," said he, shaking his mead, cit
was miracle" arr7