San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-07-13

Even as she spoke, however, the par
son had Embossed the chain, and gone
out in his scant gown and close cap to
the coach, and lifted the poor woman
out in his strong arms. Hager fol-
lowed him and his burden up the stairs,
and as the light from her candle fell
upon tangled curls and braids, bits OF
ribbon, and long strip of embroidered
lace that hung from the head of the sick
woman, gold chain about her neck,
and other personal gewgaws that ap-
pealed to the contempt Of Hagar, she
muttered to herself that her master had
had quite enough of these miserable
tfummeries for the rest of his natural
life. p ' - ''''#....' '..'g.'
The lady's trunks had been bumped
in after her, and presently they had to
be pried open, for the lady's lips and
eyes were closed, and she could not tell
Hagar where the key lay to these fine
treasures. But Hagar went to work
with will, and before the preacher had
saddled his gray cob and started off on
his five-mile journey across the noun
tain for doctor, Hagar had put aside
the ribbons and bits of travelling adorn-
ment for long white muslin robe,
which struck the preachers heart with
chill somehow, and made him speed
the pony on his way.
The doctor had some broken bones to
set, and told Hume, frankly, that so far
as fevers and disorders of that kind went,
that black woman of his was worth
dozen ordinary practitioners, and that
he had long counted upon her in ex-
tremities of that sort; and trotting over
to Mr.. Hume's the next morning, on his
way from the setting of broken bones,
the doctor called out to the parson to
know if he was notright about the capa-
bility of Hagar. The sick lady's wrists
and ankles were bandaged up with cool:
ing herbs, and the strength of some
healing detection of Hagar's reached
the surgeons nostrils. The pupils of
the eyes were dilated q little, and
u crimson flush burned in the cheeks
of the unfortunate traveller; but the
doctor declared that Hagar was doing
well, and, with good care, in week or
so the journey could be pursued. Then,
with curious and involuntary air of
admiration, the doctor looked again at
the patient, and went upon his way; it
was not often, in region like this, one
could look at pretty woman, sick or
well, and the good surgeon could scarce
ly be blamed for that lingering glance
of his upon poor Mrs. Delplaine. As
yet the parson had been alone concern
ed for her safety; for many davs it did
not occur to him that the condition of
his guest appealed to any attribute of
his nature save pity and reverence.
Hagar, however, strongly disapproved
of feminine charms, especially when the
owner endeavored to add to them by
frivolity of dress or demeanor. The
poor lady, who felt that she owed, per-
haps, her very life to these good peo-
pies care are skill, opened her heart to
Hagar, and told her all about her long
journey from the Pacific coast, where
she had lost her husband many years
since, and had longed to come home to
the East, but dreaded, as well she might,
the weary waste of miles between.
Hagar knitted stolidly on, and listened
apparently she listened, but not with :
that active, tender, absorbed interest
that the minister gave to the story of the
..
Mrs. Delplaine was too i'll to be left
long alone, and Hagar had her house. ,
hold duties to attend to, so that the
minister was often compelled to bring
his book, and make the sick-room his
study. This chamber, which had been i.
bare and desolate, suddenly .
became glowing and warm, and made ,
a sharp contrast with the room on the
lower floor, lined with notification vol
umes, and choking with accommodating
lust. Mrs. Delplaine had begged that i
4 few sticks might be lighted on the r
hearth, and had pleaded that quantity /
If light wraps and shawls should be d
aiken from her trunks to soften the Y
glare at the windows, to add to the /
'canty covering of her bed, to throw '
,yer the grim leathern back of her i
hair, and as Mrs. Delplaine's favorite v
,olor seemed to be of the faint warm h
int of the rose, the whole atmosphere $
Il tho ,.nn,,n tnnl thi, soft nnlnr,r1r r,l