The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-08-22

soming plants grew, vigorous and green,
and kept summer in the room the whole |
wear round. There was q little table |
before the open CRATE, where the warm
fire leaped and danced as if it were a
sentient thing; and enjoyed the cosiness
of the room, and on this table there
were books and papers. And he sat be-
side the fire, slippers on his feet, and
dressing gown about him, instead of a
clumsy old coverlet; and he was happy,
for close by sat the very Spirit OF Home
"A woman with sweet aud tender face,
and the face was Ruth Doane's.
1t was such q beautiful, beautiful
dream! He awoke from it with chilly
groan. and came very much near sneezing
bis head off his shoulders, and the
shepherdess off the mantel, than ever
before.
"Dear mev' growled David: "what' the
use Of working, day in and day out, and
making money to lay up and take no
good Of it2''
After which interrogat alton he sneezed
in subdued manner, by way Of post
script to his other sneezes, and conclud-
ed to 60 to bed and try to sleep off his
cold.
When he got up in the morning he
knew he wouldn't get down to the store
that day He fe.t worse than he had
when he went to bed. He built Il little
fire and told the boy, whose unfortunate
career in life had so far been among the
shoals and quicksands of Grand going
and waiting on everybody, to tell Mrs
Scraggs to send up some tea and toast he
wouldn't come down TO breakfast.
By.and-by Mrs. Scraygs knocked at
the door with the articles called for, and
acting on the supposition that the position
Of landlady made her a SORT of step
mother to her boarders, she came to find
out what the matter was, and see what
ought to be- done.
"You've got pneumony on your lungs"
announced Mrs. Spraegs. "Lcastwise,
an attack of it.. It's awful apt to break
out at some season of the year You want
camomile tea, hot,an' a brick to your feet,
hot likewise, an cf you can git good
sweat, you'll feel Dotter, guess"
Accordingly, poor David took "camo-
mile tea, hot" and disposed himself in
bed, with brick at his feet, and wrapped
up to his ears; and sweat he did. But
felt as bad after taking the treatment
prescribed by Mrs. DR.. Scraggs as he did
before.
Such long day as it was! He couldn't
stay in bed, and his bones ached so ttat
he couldn't sit still with any degree of
comfort, Notwithstanding Mrs. scraggs
sent up her most comfortable rocking
chair for his use. All the comfort he did
take was in watching for .glimpses of
Ruth Doane, and thinking OF her. He
remembered that 1t was just three months
ago thst day that she first applied at the
store for copying to do. Three months !
it seemed as If he had known her as many
years, and yet he hardly knew her at
all. Their acquaintance had gone but
little farther than a smile and bow
when they met, and occasionally a few
commonplace words. But for all that
she didn't seem at all like stranger to
David.
Poor David was in love-
If the light of Ruth Doane's love could
only shine into his life, as the light from
her window did into his room, how pleas
ant everything would seem. And then
he dreamed III wide awake fashion of
the home they would make. The light
on the wall seemed the fire on homes
hearthstone; its dancing flames made
him warm, and he fell asleep and dream
ed it all over and over.
But he didn't feel we'll by any means,
when morning came. He sent word to
the store that he couldn't come down yet
awhile; and partook sparingly of Mrs.
Scraggs' tea and toast, but utterly repudi-
ated camomile tea and bricks, when Mr..
Scraggs' in the role Of doctor, suggested
the ACCESSIBILITY of another course of
treatment similar to yesterdays. And he
wouldn't have doctor, he declared. He'd
feel better tomorrow, and doctors stuff
he didn't believe in any way.
In the afternoon, Mrs. Sraggs knocked
at his door, and said Miss Doane was in
The parlor. The store had got her to do
some writing, and the store didn't under
stand just how it ought to be, and the
store had told her to see him, and he'd
tell her all about it, as he knew what
it ought TO be, seei1' as he had charge of
It, and the store didn't. After the de.
livery OF which message, Mrs. Scraggs
waited for instructions.
Ruth Doane had come to see him That
was the first thing he thought of. Then
ne remembered that it was on business.
and that took away something of the first
pleasure OF the thought. Should he go
down or ask her up2
"Would there be anything improper in
her coming up here, if you came with
herr" he asked.
II can't see as there would" answered
Mrs. Scraggs, "bein' as you re respectable
an its business for the Store"
"You may ask her to come up then"
said David. I don't feel like stirring
about mich, for fear I'll take more cold.
tell her."
Mrs. Scraggs withdrew. David had an
object in view, in asking Miss Doane to
his room. He thought the sight of it
would awaken feeling of pity in her
tender heart. He knew, III some unex
plainable way, that her heart was tender.
He was quite sure of that
Mrs. scraggs was back presently, with
Miss Doane. How bright her face made
the room, the minute it passed the door!
1t made it so cheerful to David that he
was afraid his design in getting her there
was failure She wouldn't dream of 1ts
being bare and cherries. if it looked to
her as it did to him. "
"Mr. Graham told me you were SICK"
she said, sitting down by the window. II
got some extra work to do, in conse
quence;;" and then, while Mrs. scraggs
busted herself in putting things to rights.
she explained what her errand was: and
David instructed her in regard to the
writing to be doue; and made the ex-
PLANTATION as elaborate and minute as pos
sible, in order to keep ner there. She
began to think she had undertaken fear
fully responsible and important task be-
fore he had got through his instructions.
When she was gone, David groaned.
The mean little room secme'i more dis
NAL than it ever had before. But-she
h!d been there! and there was some
mysterious influence left to linger where