Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-07-14
81 assure YOU. Miss Grace, / consider it

and only upset your own nerves. It's all
nonsense, this idea of ladies visiting the
hospitals-what can woman who has
been accustomed to shrek at the sight of
a spider do in the midst of such dread
full scenes? Ny dear Mrs. Bryan, do per-
suade your daughter to abandon the alb
surd fancyr
Mrs. Bryan looked helplessly from her
daughter 70 the Captain and then back
Captain Lawrence is right she said
Consider, my love, what suffering you
will be compelled TO witness"
Mamma said Grace. firmly, ISIS it any
worse for me to witness than for these
brave fellows to endure? Oh, mamma
to think we have been sitting at home in
ease and luxury willie the men who per.
lied life and limb in our behalf lie per-
ishing within stones throw of our Alad-
din palaces Let me go, for it breaks my
heart to remember how selfish | have
been,''
Soft-natured Mrs. Bryan looked appeal
lngll toward the Captain. He shrugged
his shoulders
"Well, if Miss Bryan chooses to be SO
foolish, have, Of course, no right to inter
fere. Only"
"Don't trouble yourself to finish the
sentence, Captain Lawrence" said Grace.
quietly. Il need not say that have not
expected the honor of your attendance,
nor do ask for it now!''
She walked out of the room with the
air of a young queen. Laurence watched
her with glance in which vexation and
admiration were curiously blended.
"The superb little vixenn' he mutter-
ed between his teeth. What evil genius
has put that hospital idea in her head2
However, it can't make any difference;
he must be dead long ago. Only I wish
could have dissuaded her, for if
Pooh!'' he broke off suddenly, " there's
no use bothering myself with such an
exceedingly improbable supposition 1
wonder what makes me love that girl
better the more she sets me at defiance?
Why can't I scorn her as she scorns me?
ms and outs Of that throbbing, passion
ate thing that we call a heart! By all
the powers! she shall be mine if 1 peril
my own soul to win her.
The monday sunshine lay brightly on
the floor of the long barrack room, with
its wooden ceiling, and range of narrow
pallets on either side, and Grace Bryant
felt sick giddincss running through
her brain as she saw the pale, CHASTITY
faces Of the men outlined against pillows
scarcely winter than themselves-the
shattered arms, the mangled limbs bound
down to wooden stretchers-the express
sionless faces whence life and light were
drifting away into the shor,less tide,
side by side with muscles all racked an6
concerted by fierce spasms of pain This,
then, was an hospital!
'My dearest, you are fainting!'
"No, mamma, I am not" said Grace,
resolutely battling with the involuntary
recoil of her whole physical nature
''Let us go on; feel quite we'll now.''
How the sunken eyes of the sick men
frightened as the fair, slight figure bent
above them with gentle words of plying
encouragement--wh healthful remem-
berances Of absent mother and sister love
returned to them with the touch of her
long, soft curls upon their burning fore
heads--the cool contact Of her hand
against their fevered Ealms! And as she
passed on, strength and courage came
back, and the surgeon himself wondered
at her ne1ve and calmness.
They had reached the last Of the white
beds, where an attenuated figure was sup
ported among pillows, with an open book
Def, re him. Not reading however. The
heavy eyelids dropped above the hollow
cheeks, as if slumber had weighed them
down, and there was sort of weary re-
pose shadowed over the .sharpened Tea.
lures.
'He is asleep, do not disturb him p
murmured Grace, under her breath.
mo, he is not asleep" said the sur.
geon; land this is one of the cases or
which most pride myself. Just gone
when he was brought here, dreadfully
wounded at Fredericksburg, but he is il
a fair way to recover now, thanks to oul
new system. Come little nearer, he'll
be glad to see you!'
The heavy lashes were slowly lifted al
the sound OF their footsteps, disclosing
dark gray eyes full Of the strange mys
terry that only comes to those who have
stood at Deaths threshold and seer the
flow of the dark river!
''Harral! what's the matter, Sreak t.
mel" exclaimed the surgeon, in dire per
plexity IA glass of water, johnson, quicl
he's swooning again"
Where were your eyes, good, Escula
plus, to imagine that John Harral could
swoon with hose blue eyes pouring tide
of eager light into his uplifted heart
Your Pharmacopeia knows no sucl
remedies as these!
81 knew you would not leave me al
alone!' he murmured with the passiv
bliss Of child who wakes from hideou
dreams to find his face against his moth
er's bosom.
For Grace Bryan had laid her cheek OF
his pillow and breathed one whisper int,
his cara whisper that was like the pulls
ing of magnetic life through his veins.
"Tell me once more that you love me
Let me hear it over and over, dearest
he said with closed eyes. "Ah, l shall
soon be we'll now!'
1t was not until they were in the opel
air, safe beyond the hospital ward, tina
Grace Bryan fulfilled the Captains pre-
diction and tainted.
"Of course; didn't tell you it woult
be 500" triumphantly exclaimed Captain
Lawrence, twisting the fingers of hi
buoLclin orloro rnund opJ rorol C