American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-07-06


know if he was not right 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 decoction of Hagar's reached
the surgeons nostrils. The pupils of
the eyes We're dilated little, and
Il crimson flush burned in the cheeks
of the unfortunate traveller; but the
doctor declared that Hagar was doing
well, and, with good care, in a 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 DAYS 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
traveller.
Mrs. Delplaine was too ill 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
somewhat bare and desolate, suddenly
| became glowing and warm, and made
a sharp contrast with the room on the
| lower floor, lined with moth-eaten vol
umes, and choking with accommodating
dust. Mrs. Delplaine had begged that
a few sticks might be lighted on the
hearth, and had pleaded that a quantity
of light wraps and shawls should be
taken from her trunks to soften the
glare at the windows, to add to the
scanty covering of her bed, to throw
over the grim leathern back of her
chair, and as Mrs. Delplaine's favorite
color seemed to be of the faint warm
tint of the rose, the whole atmosphere
of the room took this soft coloring, and
the hungry soul of the Reverend Paul
delighted therein without knowing why
He was walking just now in the big
| gloomy room below, the scant tails OF
his threadbare coat tapping in the chill
air of March, but his soul was warm
with the memory of the last hours he
had spent in that room above.
And Mrs. Delplaine, poor Mrs. Del
plaine, having nothing else to think OF
in this queer, picturesque region, being
somewhat appalled, by the big sterile
hills and the gray gloomy sky, which
her crimson shawls could not altogether
shut out, having nothing else to
think of but the tender interest that this
haggard but handsome recluse of a
person took in her misfortunes, and
feeling that if he had been as hard
hearted as his housekeeper she might
not now have been alive, and finding
life ever so sweet in her languid conval-
escenee, she was constrained to ask OF
this comely but stern negro woman
something of her master. "Was he
alone in the world? Had he no kin
dred?" Hagar looked up from her
knitting so stolidly that Mrs. Delplaine
added, 'sFather or mother, wife or chill
| dren?''
Hagar deliberately turned the heel OF
her stocking before she fully satisfied
the curiosity OF the convalescent. Then
she vouchsafed to say that he was quite
alone; no father, nor mother, nor chill N,
as far as she knowed. There used to be
a wife-a poor, sickly creetur-but she
was done gone South years ago, and
never come back.
q Did the poor lady die there?" said
Mrs. Delplaine.
Hagar hesitated minute. Then she
said, {. Yes she died there, sure enough. -
"And how many years has he lived
in this desolate region, friendless and
alone?" said Mrs. Delplaine.
Hagar reckoned it was considerable
time, but gave it as her opinion that
some peoples room was better'n their
company; and adding that Mrs. Del
PLANE was talking too much, and that
she had better go to sleep, Hagar went
out of the room.
No sooner had she gone than Mr..
Hume entered. 1t had been customary
for him to relieve Hagar's duties in the
sick-room. Unconsciously, perhaps, he
had been listening for Hagar's retreat
ing footsteps. Who can govern these
vague yearnings that sometimes beset
the strongest human heart? AS he en-
tered the room his face frightened; the
cavernous burrows in his brow seemed
to straighten out into joyous benignity
the very angles of his nature, sharpen
ed by the hopeless loneliness of his life,
became smooth, and took comfortable,
rounded shapes to themselves; and he
greeted the pale pretty woman in the
STRAIGHTFORWARD chair with peculiar
| and charming tenderness of tone and