The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-01-06

During this time one witness remained
chained to his post Of observation it was
the second son, q boy Oils The father
had moved to pick up the poor youngest
boy, who had fallen in 6t; the aunt
was consoling the youngest child, girl,
yet to young too understand the dreadful
scene, yet destined to be haunted by it
for life; SO that their accounts of the
phenomenon were various and somewhat
contradictory. But tho second boy,
Theodore, did not take his eyes from his
mothers face. He and Augustine, the
eldest confirmed each others statements
to the doctor, and Theodore said that as
the smile died away slight shudder
seemed to pass over the face
The doctor found her to be quite dead,
and after, Of course, every prccaution
had been taken against premature inter.
ment, she was bnried in her grave, where,
let US hope, she rests in peace. It would
seem as if that smile was the dead wo-
mans revenge, Is she said:
My spirit shrunk not to sustain
The searching thores Of eeaseless pain.
= Then let life 20 to Him who gave.
have not quailed to dangers brow
When high and happy need now9
The next best authenticated story
Prussian war.
1t seems that one Of the red cross
nurses, one Of those Mercy Merricks, per-
haps with whom Wilkie Collins had made
US familiar, had among her patients .
young fellow, whose nationality she could
not find out. He was in the Prussian uni.
form, yet not, she thought, Prussian.
He had been struck by spent ball, they
supposed, and was paralyzed and speech.
less. Occasionally he would open Ills
eyes and gaze at her with troubled OK
preston, and she noticed that the eyes
were very beautiful, black, and soft as
velvet. In her ministrations she got to
understand the language of these 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 4 letter: she
looked at him ard the eyes said 'read it. I"
It gave her the key to the situation, and
she derived the idea that he could hear
and understand her If she talked to him,
so she would sit and talk and ask ques.
tions, and he would answer with his eyes.
She got at the idea that he was a young
English diplomat, who has been sent down
to the scene Of the war to protect some
one; that he had been received into the
Prussian army as 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 rcd
cross, but she found time every few hours
to come back to her patient, and to tell
him the story Of Saarbruck, Of Stras-
bourg, of Sedan, and TO find from the
shifting luster in his eyes if he was
pleased or saddcned. One day she took
up his watch 2nd chain and examined his
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 aud crest Of a
well.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. It went
to the heart of the red.cross nurse. Per.
haps she had suffered, and loved, and
waited and hoped, and had known the an.
guish Of hope deferred. The poor para.
lyzed hand gained finally little power,
and one: evening IS she took it in her
warm, energetic, generous palm it gave q
feeble pressure. Sympathy is famous
physician. He has cured many other.
wise MORALLY wounded.
But, alas! he would not cure the young
English diplomat. One night as the red.
cross nurse lay down to her well-earned
sleep, the male attendant who had care oil
the paralyzed Englisbman came and
knocked at her door.
He is d. dying'' said be- ''and his eyes
She dressed herself and went to
him. The unspoken language between
these two had become spiritual commu.
nicatien. She read his thoughts. Did
he wish to have lock of his hair cut
Yes, for her; his watch and chain, and a
certain ring on it, were to be returned
when she could find the owner, and he,
chargc-the work which he had to o
when he was stricken down-sho must
find out il it were done, and il he was
known to have been faithful to the end !;
yes, she would do it ail.
And he gave her one wonderful look:
look which was . carcss one mile,
like sunlight; his bright eyes said more
gratitude in one glance than his lips could
say in = month; then came q film over
them, and they went out forever.
The next day as tho red cross nurse
stood lookingat his face an English ply.
stefan arrived.
II am looking for young Estcourt, -
said he, 1.-THE man of whom you have
written to England, who owned this motto
and seal,''
s"There he 10 said she quietly.
"Poor fellow, poor fellow; hard case, -
said tho physician. 'Do you know his
story! Sent over to protect two eminent
ladies, one princess, who rot caught in
. country house here between the Two ar.
mics. Russian complications and al that
sort of thing. He behaved sineularlv
woll, showed enormous tact, courage, and
chivalry too, for one Of them fell desper.
ately in love with him. He was taking
them toward Berlin where they wished
to 70, when he was struck down By :,
French ball; 6 party Of stragglers sur.
rounded them, set on probably BY
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