Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-05-01

A month passed away, however, and
there va no word of cheer from home
A few lines scrawled upon an expanse oil
paper ct length told her that Dora va.
unable to write, and that even the music
Lessons must Be discontinued. A kind Of
debility had seized upon Dom, Mrx Fair
Geld wrote, that took away her strength
and appetite.
Jane fumed and fretted over this bull
letin, and the forewoman of her estab.
lishment declared there was no pleasing
Miss Fairfield no how. Miss Slopkins'
evening silk fitted her to that perfection
that she looked a. If she was melted and
poured into it; but there was no pleasing
Miss Fairfield no how.
As the weeks went by, the messages
from home became nor and more lugu-
brious, and ut last there was q hint that
some of Dora's ancestors had been af.
fected similarly ut Doro's age, and that
Jane knew there was consumption in the
family.
At this dire word the letter fell from
James trembling hand. Like many
healthy, vigorous organizations, she
shuddered when the knowledge was
forced in upon her that somewhere there
was lurking a fell destroyer capable of
swooping down upon any prey, foul or
fair, that might seize his fancy. She
became enraged, Of course. with what
she called her mothers imbecility, and
wrote back to her never to dare mention
that word again, that If it ever had been
in the family, it was the old-fashioned
kind that people thr0ve upon and lived
with to q ridiculous old age.
Jane said cit" all through the letter.
then became 20 terrified with this little
monosyllable that she tore the paper into
fragments, sent q telegram to her fore
woman, and started in the afternoon
train for home.
Dora looked 20 beautiful to Jane that
she could not persuade herself she was
At all out of health. Her eyes shOne
like sapphires, and her cheeks wore 20
brilliant . glow that Jane took courage,
and began to believe that all would yet
be we'll.
For q week or two Dora seemed to gain
strength again. James sharp yet genial
company was like . tonic to the failing
health Of the child, and she was even
able to 60 to church once more. But
her step was ~faltering and slow, and the
powerful, imperious notes that had once
filed the church with rare rich melody
were lost in q faint sweet shadow of their
former selves. Tremblingly and low they
fell upon James listening ear, and smote
upon her heart till il was like to burst.
Then the plying Chances of the good
country folks, the dainties showered in
upon her day by day for her fainting ap-
petite, above all, the unearthly beauty
that seemed to shape itself about Dora
before James terrified eyes-all these
drove the poor woman to desperation,
and she found herself praying for relief
in any shape. She wished from the bot
tom of her heart that this man Van Dorm
loved Dora, as the poor child was foolish
enough to become q prey to a hereditary
malady simply because this n strong
element of her life Wa thwarted.
But Jane could find no proof of this
either in the past or the present. He
had simply been civil, perhaps kinder
to Dora at times than to Others, because
nobody could help being kind to her.
But how to inveigle this fellow to
Dora's feet? 1t wa a most unpromising
and hateful task. What an aggravation
to misery to plot and plan for a result
that will only be bearable az a means of
saving life. As far a all those bright
dreams of James went, it would snuff
them ont like the extinguisher of a can
die. But life, sweet life, must be saved
from the wreck. If that were overcast
for Dora, then would it be worse than
worthless to Jane.
OF course the instrument must be
money. This was the lever that moved
the world. Miles Van Dorm was ambi-
tiOus; he was also poor, struggling,
hemmed in with difficulties on ali sides.
Jane could afford to pay well for the
overthrow of her own ambition, and thus
foster that Of Miles Van Dorm.
She went to town, and from thence
drove out to the parsonage of Ralph
Peyton, which was a short distance from
the metropolis.
Entering the snug little study, it gave
her . singular shock to see the shapely
form of Miles Van Dorm bent over a huge
volume of legal lore. She expected to
see him, and really chose the evening tor
her visit to favor this presumption but,
nevertheless, to have thus before her
this 1eshly agent the fates had chosen
for her discontinue, gave her a shock of
dismay.
Calm and cold, always seemingly we'll
dressed, whatever the material or cut Of
his apparel, Jane vaguely approved of
his personal appearance. 1t was credita-
BILE, amazingly so, for a Van Dorm! He
seemed politely DESTROYS of news from
his late abiding-place, but kept his long
front finger on the page af his book, and
glanced longingly thither from time to
time. At last Ralph's step was heard in
the hall, and Immediately upon the
young minister's entrance he turned
again to legal study. He bowed politely
when Jane left, but looked to Ralph to
do the honors of her departure.
Ralph" she said, II came here with
q purpose, but my heart failed me. Tth
fact ia, this is q terrible blow to me-"
"What is 4 terrible blow, Janer"
"Why, this foolish madness of Dora's.
! don't believe, mind you, she's dying for
rOVe, uut sue NATURALLY Ocllc6te, and
has been spoiled all her life. Whatever
it ID, she's wasting away, Ralph, and l
can't bear IL; it kills me. You know,
don't you, Ralph" said Jane, with her
foot on the step of the carriage, "that
all l have will be hers sometime; and
it's no pGltry trife, / can tell you.
Then she drove away, leaving Ralph
gazing after her with almost q ludicrous
air of bewilderment. He walked with 4
slow, hating step to the study, and sank
into . chair with . heavy sigh.
Shave you heard anything to disturb
your" he said. s
eyes, Miles," replied Ralph, impa-
tientiy. EDO put BY that Flooding Of
yours, and give me some advice. You
know l boarded IN the school-master's
family when I preached out there"
Miles nodded.
"Well, you also know what an impul-
sive fellow ] am. Oh, Miles, il l only
had your GOODNESS and reserve! Pm
afraid I've unconsciously gained the af.
of the scho,1 moefor's douch%o,