The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-02-24

ing of the church bells, without at all
connecting them with himself. Strange
what world of dreams and shadows his
soul and brain had entered into.
But one day he came back out of the
darkness and the immensity and the
restless whirling to and fro of the waves
of life, weak and white, and helpless as
a baby.
And there, sewing by the window, sat
softeyed young girl, all in white,
with glimmering hair, long lashes, and
delicately rounded features.
Pardon me-" hoarsely uttered the
major, with little souvenir of his old
fashioned courtesy and politeness; but
I don't know who you are"
Hush I" said the young lady, gently.
You must not talk. | am here to nurse
you"
And then he found himself taking a
draught from her practiced fingers, and
then drifting off asleep.
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 Valley
of the Shadow more than once as man
can be in this life,n DR.. Delagood an
swered, gravely.
The major shuddered a little-heathen-
ish 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.
eyes and your patient little nurse,
who has just gone for half an hours
Sleep"
"Wbo is she, doctor ?" asked the ma
jor, anxiously.
s.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 one 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 Crimea1 Why are all women
born heroines at hearth" retorted the
doctor.
"God bless herp muttered the major.
And then he turned his head on one
side, and big dropor two FLASHED down
on the pillow.
Day by day he lay there in slow con-
valescence. while the pretty young nurse
ministered to him.
"My DEAR" said the major, one day,
/" / think am beginning to realize now
what the blessing of daughter would
have been had God given me one. l
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.
care you much attached to your
aunt?-Mrs. Fessendsn, 1 believe her
name is.
"Yes,n said the girl, half doubtfully,
I suppose so; never saw her before
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, 81 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.
edo you really love me? Do you
really want meT asked she.
al am all alone, my child" /" said the
major. "And you will be the sunshine
of my house."
"But you have son 2"
eyes" answered the major, slightly
frowning. "Poor Henryl But he has
estranged himself from me"
Forever?'
Yes, foreverw sickness, you see,-
had taken none of the inherent obstinacy
out of our old hero's character.)
"Papa ln-she knelt beside the satin
pillowed invalid chair, which had been
wheeled out into the sunshine on the
broad veranda-"I / am to call you papa,
am not ?"
.Of course you are, dearest"
The msjor's hand stroked down her
bright hair with tender touch as he
spoke.
"Then, papa, tell me aohy you are es-
tranged from him 7" .
"He married in disregard of my
wishes the major sternly answered.
SIS 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 be"
"Why not?" demanded the major.
Because he is my husband already |
Oh, papa, dear, dear father IL am not
Mary Martin, and yet / ami My real
name is Mary Ariel Martindale; and
Harry, away at st. Louis, is my husband.
l only came here to stay with Aunt Fes.
senden until he could make that little
home for us which we had both hoped
and dreamed of. Will you forgive us
both, papa, for ng sake f''
"I suppose l 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 / was all the while 2"
"Of course I did,"
"And you kept. it dark? Sly little
pussl Well, Mary-I mean, Ariel"
Yes, papa"
"We'i telegraph to Henry to come
right back. There's only three of us.
Let's try and be happy together"
So, through AriePs blue eyes and
heaven-sent face Harry Martindale was
disinherited, and through her he was re,
ceiyed back again into his own inherit
ance.
Gown up, sir, that l knew what was
about" said Harry, as he stood there
with Ariel leaning on his arm.
You dogw said the old gentleman
faeetiously poking him in the ribs
"you've got the prettiest little wife
going"
Worth Remembering.