The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-10-18

she became less uysLerical and able to
give some necessary in, tructi0ns 10 Mu-
riel, who at once seeing The emergency
cons tlLuted herself chief nurse.
Then came days aud nights OF unre-
nit ing care ana attention, when Flor
lenne in her hysterical tear was ouly
less nard to manage than Carroll toss
ing in fever Gellrium-lays and nights,
when size fought back the grim shadow
of death by her ceaseless watching care
and prompt, puncGual minisLfations;
when every minu est instruction OF the
physician was carried out in perfect de-
Iail-until one winter morning her re-
ward came, and Carroll Holm returned
| to reason again, and the DOCTORS Ver-
dict was tor the first time cheering.
And then, when Muriel went to tell
Florienne the blessed news, it was TO
find her hot and parched with fever, Ut
terly unable 70 appreciate her hus-
bands condition. Then MurieFs stout
| heart failed, and for the first time in all
those days Of mental strain and physic-
| al fatigue she realized her own weak
ness, and she SAT down by Florienne's
he'd and cred, until it seemed the very
| fountain OF her soul was utterly broken
| up.
Then, as she always did, she rose to
the occasion. Somebody must nurse this
child, and it must be herself, or at least
under her immediate supervision; and
| with prayer Tor strength, sne went on
| with her duty, to tell carroll Il Jlm now
| IT all stood-Carroll Holm VINO had not
vet recognized her; who. the last time
they parted, had been her lover.
| she was calm, very pale, aud cheer.
fully smiling when she walked up TO his
| bedsiue.
show thankful we all are, Carroll
that YOU nave crossed the Rubicon
Please God, you will get well now."
| And he gasped her name in a tone o.
bewilderment:
"Muriell Muriel, is 1t youp
| eyes, L came to nurse lltLe Florienne
| who has caught the injection. Dom
talk, Carroll. You want quiet and resi-
lnoW."
| And she positively forbade further
word, And then began the days OF con.
yalescenee in one room, and the com
lmeucemenGO OF the end III the other room
for, despite the double care-the des
| pefate ST. uggle ior HIe-Florienne died
and was carried away, and Murlel''
duty was done. Brave, noble Muriel
AS truly-braye ana courageous as
| though sue had deliberately laced
calnun's mouth.
All on tnS warm, languorous milt
June ar hoated the fragrance Of waxel
syriuga blossoms, for the third I'm,
since LnaJ summer night, Wnen Elorelnn
WliiiS had come Wltu her enchanting
beauty between Muriel Wallace an,
napplhess.
Slurlel stood in her favorite place
against a wisterla trellis, one thin han
toying with the dropping purple clus
lers-a thln, delicate woman, with n
trace lett OF her once royal beauty; will
ner blooming complexion lost, and
hundred deep scars ON her tranquil
patient iuce--scars OF the desperAt
battle she had waged to save two hu
man lives, and i'll which sue so nearl.
Gleu herself.
So changed outwardly. A homely
angular woman, yet instinct with Il re
cd grace w1icn nothing could disg uise
, and inwaruly, even purer, sWeetel
nobler than before.
: To-nlgut the syrlnga blossoms Wer
fairly rloliag with fragrance, and wiz
croWniug thoughts in her heart, olde
memories tn Onged around her, col
, iured by the magic OF that fragrance
with all these arould and about her
came to her, for the first time in a.
those years, Carroll Holm, hands ONE a
the hour he mad last kissed her; Win a
eager light in his eyes that leeponed t
| pIty as He lsoked ON her face, ruined fo
, ais sake; with rapture in his voice "a
ne called TO her:
"Murltll. Murle! Don't send me away
, | have come to 60 on my knees 10 be
) you to let me stay with you, my love, IL
: love, my wife p
= Is not our story doneP Think you sh
: spurned nim? Think you any foohs
4 pride rose up between her and happ
ness at last?
. And, before the fragrance OF thes
sweet syrlDgas was faced, Muriel Holm
/ mad the tulintss OF her reward.