The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-03-27

carrying out his purpose. His regimen
was one of the first sent out
Hilda heard of his departure with tear
full eyes. Still she did not regret th'
course she had taken. Following tn.
noble example of Florence Nightingale
she went to one of the hospital training
schools to fit herself to follow her sol
dier, if Unnecessary, and nurse some poo
victim of the war back to life, or tt
soothe his dying moments if he was be-
yond help.
But other work was in store for her
A letter from home brought news of al
epidemic Of the most fatal type of ty
phoid fever in her own village. Tht
inhabitants were SO alarmed that they
were leaving the place, and nurses coulc
not be obtained, so great was the fear o.
the contagion. The concluding item wat
this: ..
esquire Atherton is down with it, anc
of all the indoor servants at the manor,
old Hannah, who took care of the mis-.
tress in her last sickness, is the only one
left. She declares if she leaves the mas
ter in his sore need, it'll only be fee
first. ,"
Without moments hesitation, Hilds
went to the matron, telling her she was
needed at home, and procured her dis
charge. Then, laden with her precious
newly-gained knowledge. she took the
first homeward-bound train.
| Old Hannah was seated at the masters
bedside, looking worn and weary. Al
Hilda came softly in, dressed in hel
clinging gray flannel dress, with hel
glossy hair hidden by olose-ftting mus.
lin cap, she looked to the surprised old
woman like an apparition. Hilda smiled
and held out her hand as she whispered
"Don't you know me-Hilda, OF
Deepdale farm? am here to help you.
know what to do, SO don't be afraid to
trust me. I'll watch the master faithfully
if you'll go and take a rest.
Something in the girls quiet, resolute
manner impressed the faithful old servant
that she was making no idle boast, or she
would not have yielded up her post. As
it was, weary human nature asserted its
claims, and she went gladly.
n, She soon came back with bowl of
warm soup. It tasted gratefully to the
young nurse, as she had not broken her
fast since the reception of the letter.
After this, Hilda was left alone, with
the sick man. The night wore YEARLY
away, the silence only broken by the
restless means of the sufferer, when
Hilda would straighten his pillow, and
pass her cool hand with magnetic touch
over his forehead, thus giving him a
momentary relief. : - -.
| After old Hannah was thoroughly
rested, she and Hilda divided the time
in the sick room, and bythat means kept
their strength from giving out.
1t was weary fight with death: but a
strong constitution, aided by careful
nursing, carried the squire through.
The lelirium passed away, and a deep
sleep came upon .hira. It was the crisis.
eff he awakens rational and comfort
able, he. is saved, said the doctor. "If,
on the contrary, hesfalls into state of
coma, nothing can help him"
Hours passed on. Every tick of the
silver-tongued repeater on the mantle
seemed to find an echo in the hearts of
the anxious watchers. At last the critical
moment came. - The squire awoke free
from fever, though weak as a child. He
At first Hilda kept as mucha as possible
out Of his sight, shrinking into the
shadow of the heavy damask curtains
when he was awake. But he did not
seem to notice her, and she gradually
forgot her caution.
During his long and tedious. GONZALES
cence he was often querulous and IN
tractable. Then Hilda would take a
book and read to him in her low musical
voice, and thus soothe him to sleep.
She was only waiting until her pres
ence was not absolutely needed to 60
back to her self-imposed duty at the
hospital. Z One morning she had been
reading the Times, until the squire was,
as she thought, asleep. Then the paper
dropped listlessly in her lap: Her
thoughts, unmindful of time and space,
were with him she loved 80 faithfully
self.sacrifcingy.' A'..- ...r -
A trembling voice suddenly reused her
from her reyeney:I3 ,--rir-
"Hannah tells me you are going away.
Is it necessary? Oan any other sick
person need you as much as I do?"
Hilda looked at the old man in. sur
prise. A cadence, bora of loneliness
and sorrow, in his voice, touched her
unspeakably and as she recalled the
hale, hearty squire, who often rode by
the farm in the pleasant old days, call
ing out cheerful good-morning to her
uncle in his stentorian tone, tears came
to her eyes to see what wreck of his
former self he had become.
After brief hesitation she said softly:
eff you need me I will not go away
for the present"
81 do need you very much" was the
reply. $50 that matter is settled. Now,
nurse, I want to ask you a question.
Have I ever seen you before? Somehow
your face seems familiar, but cannot
place it."
Hilda felt the blood dyeing her face,
even to the border of her cap. She
turned away, ostensibly to adjust the
folds of curtain, in reality to avoid a
reply. u i =.
Just then Hannah came in with the
mail. Important news from the army
was expected, there having been rumors
of an engagement.
"Get the paper. nurse, and run over
the war items"
Hannah caught the words and passed
on her way out. In her way she was
as much interested as the squire. Was
it not her nursling who was far away on
the battlefield strivingto win his spurs
Hilda took the paper and ran her
eyes over the columns. One painful
moan escaped her lips; the next mo-
ment she lay apparently ifeless on the
! floor. The heavy fall loosened her cap,
and her hair rolled in all it's rich lu1uri.
ance around ..her-a kindly mantle hid
her deathly face from even old Hannah's
pitying eyes.
A dash of cold water soon revived her,
and as soon as the fright occasioned by
her sudden illness had subsidized, the
squire took the paper, and saw facing
him in staring letters
! A BLOODY ENGAGEMENT.
Great loss of officers and men-Cyril
{ Atherton, of the Grays, mortally
! wounded, while endeavor-
ing to silence bat
terry.
The letters swan before his eyes. He
could read no more. He rose feebly
and dragged his shaking limbs to Hilda't