The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-11-14
LITTLE MISS TURPIN's FATE.

He Was a Stranger and She Took Him
In.
A little conversation took place one
morning, on the top floor of a dingy old
lodging house in the metropolis, that led
to strange results. 1t was in the front
room, but made its way very readily
through the chinks and crannieS in the
mortar to the neighborIng apartment,
where little Miss T1rpin was preparing
her frugal breakfast. The toasting fork
nearly fell from her hand, and her dimity
apron narrowly escaped being reduced
to ashes by the sumptuous flame from
the crate, when the harsh, gruff voice of
her land lord fell upon her ear.
Il want my money said Mr.. Shad-
rack.
$50 do l." replied the young doctor,
land more. He that wants money,
means and content, is without three good
friends"
Can have my money to-night?"
81 think not.''
Tomorrow 90
at is extremely doubtful"
'Then you must get out of here. 1
want my room"
when do you want it?"
'As soon as possible"
"Will tomorrow do"
Eyes"
"Hhen leave me, friend; the room shall
be yours tomorrow morning."
The young medical student was man
of spirit, and would have vacated these
not very alluring premises at once, but
he had not where to lay his head, and
there seemed a vital necessity just then
for some such proceeding on his part.
He had discovered two days before that
the faltering and shabby source of his
pecuniary supplies had utterly failed,
and the knowledge that he was without
money or friends in strange city, to-
gether with inability to beg. borrow or
steal, had robbed him of sleep. The loss
of this necessary rest to tired brain and
WORKOUT body, rendered him the prey of
many different sensations during Mr.
Shadrack's visit.
An iron band seemed to compass his
forehead, his eyeballs burned, his head
shook, his knees seemed at times about
to collapse beneath him as he walked
to and fro the length of the dreary apart
ment, and for lack of more nourishing
food chewing the cud of bitter fancy.
He asked himself over and over again
If this was to be the end of il all, and
why he had been such fool as to fancy
he could pursue the study of medicine
with the wretched capital of a worn-Out
body, distracted mind, and barely mon
ey enough to keep flesh upon his bones
That an indom1table spirit had prompt
ed him to go on, hoping for little des-
ultory practice by the way; that the
rose-color with which youth and expert
ence are apt to tint these fallacious
dreams, had been too vivid in his case
that these and many other excuses could
be made for his folly awaited little Just
now. a systematic course of semi-star-
walton and over-work had broken his
spirit, and turned the rose-cOlored dreams
to an exceedingly greenish-hued night
mare.
The only patient he had during his
nine months stay with Mr.. Shadrack
was poor little workwOman in the next
room, a washed-0ut, timid, wretched lit
tie creature, with scarcely enough stam-
ina about her to rally after slight at
tack of pneumonia. Her little fee had
been ready for him after his first visit-in
fact, Obtrusively ready, for it was out of
the question, OF course, to take money.
ut was merely a neighborly service"
he had said, when, upon his fifth visit he
had found her up and at work again,
and upon his departure she had STAN
mered out something about his bill.
81 am only too glad, Miss-Miss--"
"Turpin," she whispered.
TO be of service to you, and beg you
will call me in whenever my presence is
desired"
Miss Turpin faItered out her thanks.
4 burning Hush chased the pallor out of
her face, as he warmly pressed her tremb-
ling hand in his, and babe her good
night.
"Poor little devilr' he thought grim
ly. Its bad enough for a great, strong
OK like myself to face and battle with
this grim old grindstone of world, but
for miserable waif like that-phew, it's
monstrous."
He thought of her pityingly till he
crossed the threshold of the college then
gave himself up to the subject In hand,
which so engrosSed his mind that he
forthwith forgot the existence of little
Miss Turpin; but she, upon her part, re-
peated over and over again the words of
young DIR. Blake, blushing again when
she became conscious of the fact that she
really had the temeFity 10 dwell upon
| this genial but commonplace courtesy.
Miss Turpin's work was delicate and
artistic, but not soul-absorbing like the
doctors. She could tint photographs all
the better for this little episode in her
life. The vines and tendrils took tender
shapes under her def little fingers; a shy,
sweet melancholy helped to make the
shadows at least more and more perfect;
under the rOSeDuuS grew the thornS !;
but there seemed to Turk even in their
cruelty, a subtle mysterious charm. Itlwas
enough for Miss TuFpin To dream. The
physical and practical reality of the
doctors neaFness had its weight, but not
consciously so to the little woman. She
never ventnred to get up cough or a
cramp for the sake of stamping more
clearly his shape into those vague but
extravagant feats Of fancy. In truth, so
timid and afraid was she of a pulsation