Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-22
Gsl.s md Skeitafs.
MISS BERTHiS VALENTINE.
lContinued from yeslerday.)

Promise me, Bertha, he begged
premise that you will never write to hat
mans son. that you will hide yourself
from him. Promise me, or shall not rest
in my grave. Promise, child. and shall
die easy, willingly. Can you refuse this
last request ?" And amidst grief and dis
traction, poor Bertha promised. And she
had kept her promise Tor twenty wears
and better. Never one word for Angus
had crossed the water To tell him whether
she lived or died, though longing thoughts
and wishes went out To him on every wind
that blew, though night after night her
pillow was wet with bitter tears, though
he had never been out of her mind, wax
ing or sleeping. Al first she had comiort-
ed herself with the belief that he would
find her out himself; hut, AS time passed,
this hope faded and died, and was
given decent burial How should be
know that she had proved true, that she
had loved him on and ou' Why should
he not suppose that she had leit him OF her
own choice, because she scorned the son
OF his talher? No doubt he had taught
himself to unlove her; had almost forgot
ten the old fOndness, the old hurt; had
married some good woman. and was hap
py bv his own fireside with his children.
She hoped he was happy "a for that good
woman, she did no: care 10 think OF her
oyermuch. But daily she pictured him in
the midst OF his family-pcured him
young and handsome. with the color in his
smooth cheek, the bronze shade in his
waving hair, the sparkle in his eyes, for
getting that twenty years had robbed him
of youth and beauty.
When her father died there had not
1orh l..st h,
lake her home to England, though Capt..
Seymour would gladly have carried her
back without it il she would have taken
him tor better or worse. Aiterward she
had parted with her trnkels Que By one
Tor her daily bread till she could earn-
with all but the shining ring that Angus
had given her, and which had now worn
quite thin, though the old Legend engraved
: within was Yet plainly legiDe:
Though he seek till he be gray,
Love will fud out the way
But 10 all these twenty years she had new
er saved enough from her nee, ssilies To
pay her homeward passage Ii per
chance she got few dollars ahead, some
poor soufs greater need appealed TO hri
and it was now fifteen years since she had
gravitaied to Great Harrington and east
dreamed that romance had ever touched
SO plain and old and commonplace ii body
as Mss Bertha, who was doubtless made
TO sew, to tend the sick, and stew grues
and broths and mustard plasters, leaving
the poetry OF life for her younger neigh.
bors.
She had been out, toward the last OF
January. watching all night, and as she
RtPnnad htI nj tn
remember that she was hungry aud drow-
sy. she suddenly encountered Dir. March
coming round corner.
''Speak OF angels and YOU hear their
wings" said he. IL was thinking OF you
Miss Bertha, this very minute
Don't turn my head, doctor"
''Well, you see, the brig Abby Jane
came In last week. She's whaer-been
off these two years. Most OF the crew
belong in Great Harrington, and the deuce
take II ii they aren't all down with the
ship-fever; came ashore as well AS YOU
are too. Now the bother Is, some have
families TO look after them. and some
haven't; and all the people as scared as
they were in the smallpox panic, and
nurses can't be found for love or moLey
at least not enough. I've been up my
sell these two nights with one poor tel
low who's wild rs a hawk, ard l'm ready
TO drop, not to speak Of my other patients
and cant lind any body willing TO look
after him; and | didn't know--I thought
TO myself, thsIe's Miss Bertha she $ AL
ways ready to do a good turn, aud she isn't
afraid OF man, The devil, or The small pox
~
And so you'd like me to 90 to him Pr
Exactly. He'll die ii YOU don't. Its
missionary work, Miss Bertha. | don't
know AS the man has sous 10 pay
nurse"
II don't want any money, if he has,"
said she.
That's lucky. Come home with me
and drink II cup OF Mrs March's coffee,
and then I'll take ynu to the Harrington
Arms. There's where our patient put up
when he came ashore. Looks as il he'd
no kith or kin in the place. and don't
remember his face in these parts"
Poor fellow, poor fellow" Miss Der
tina had forgotten that she had been up
over night and Was breaklastless
81 thought, to be sure she unused,
during the next nights vigils--"I thought
to be sure, he was a young man bat h..
is grayer than | am. | wonder il his
wife Is looking for him home soon. He
isn't weather-beaten like Ii sailor; his
hands are white and soft and we'll kept,
Ike genteman's. don't believe he
ever tarred the ropes before this. Per-
haps he is reduced IN circumstances, aud
Went whaling To seek bis fortune. | won
der II he will die" But the disease left
her little time for Idle reflections. and sur
misses the services OF the doctor. aud the
occasional assistance OF the other nurses
whose patients were convalescing, being
all the relief afforded her. Onu night as
she moved about the room, coax,ng the
hre INTO glow, stirring the Cruel in he
porringer. pouring the wine. dischargug
the nlnety-and nine little duties OF the
slck-room, it seemed to her that the pa
hent followed her with his eyes curiou,ly
those great hollow, darklng eyes, iui
OF sad questioning.
''Do you want 10 ask me ANYTHING ?''
she said, pausing beside bis pillow, aud
meeting his gaze.
Perhaps" he faltered -"perhaps-
you could tell me where am-and how
i came hereP Am | awake--or dream
ingP7
You are in the town of Great Herring