San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-06-08

landlady, who was country-woman of
his own, and in whose house he had
lodged since he had been in Ameri-
ca, and anyway, Peters heart was set
upon the poor young woman's welfare
and comfort. Hewas always in earnest
in any thing he undertook, and Peter
was never so much in earnest in his life
as in this sudden interest in the fate of
poor Patty Burr.
The landlady's heart melted to her at
once.
"I'll do what I can for you, Mr.. Rob-
inson, said good Mrs. McGlosky; "but
let us hope it's not an infectious fever
that'll drive all the folks from the
house."
The better to insure quiet and place
apart, they put Patty into one of the
garrett rooms; but it was as comforta-
BILE in its way as any in the house, and
had cozy home-look, with its dimity
curtains and patchwork quilt, and apic-
ture of Prince Charlie on one of the
slanting walls.
The doctor declared the fever free
from infection, but none the less danger
Gus on that account, so that the board
ers could give full vent to their pity and
concern without qualm for their own
safety. Mrs. McGlosky was master
hand at beef tea, broths and gruels of
various kinds, and had a magical knack
in shaking uppillows, and was the more
liberal with her own time and toll as
these were her sole expenditure in Pat
tvs behalf. The hard cash came from
Peters pocket so readily and plentifully
that when Patty was getting better, and
Mrs. McGlosky found heart to smile, her
comely face took many wrinkle Of
merriment, and she shook her head
knowingly over this sudden recklessness
of generosity on the part of the hereto
fore canny and prudent Scot.
In truth, Patty's sickness made big
hole in Peters hoard; but he found one
treasure increase as another depleted,
and never having known the nature of
true happiness, he heidi it now far above
gold, the charm of novelty being added
to all other ecstasy. Upon one day his
head was in the clouds, and it seemed to
him that he was walking upon air. He
could scarcely keep the tears from we'll
ing up into his eyes, like those of the
foolish child he had left yonder, sitting
up for the first time in stuffed chair of
Mrs. McGlosky's. They had said she
was all dressed now, and he could 60
up and see her; and he went up the
stairs, his heart getting higher and high
er into his throat with every step, till at
last, when he reached her open door,
and she held out her thin little hands,
and faultered out some words that were
quite inaudible, the speech he had count
ed upon forsook him; his heart choked
it, and he could only stand there and
look at her, and then go forward and
kneel by her side, and hold her two lit
tie hands close in his own.
ooh, my best benefactor!" faltered
Patty" my savior!'
"Tut! TUT" said Peter; " there's but
the one Savior-He that raised the
daughter of Jairus." And then Peter
could get no further.
For months he had seen the pretty
head only upon the pillow,with its shorn
silken locks all tangled about her fever
ed face, and the folks about the house
had said she'd never live to see the |
spring, and here she was up and dress
ed and out of danger before the first
tender buds had fully sprouted on the
sumac-tree at the window. Peter had
been reared Calvinist, but religion had
never before held that sweet SAVIOR of |
gratitude to him. How he thanked God |
for the sweetness of her voice, as she |
went on to tell him all about it! The |
quality and quantity of voice were
more to Peter than to most folks, he
having been cursed or blessed, as the
case might be, with laundering after
music from his infancy, and seldom had
he heard even upon the musical stage
CHS one extravaganza so sweet a ca
dence. She told him of her home in
dear old Surrey, where she had been
reared by her mothers sister, who kept
a long, low, rcd-roofed hostelry there,
and how the days went by as like one
another as two peas in pod, until
fine lady came travelling by, and took
notion that Patty would make nice
oor,,,on;o,, for har and .ar,,,oI -. ]