The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-11-28

melancholy helped to make the shadows at |
least more and more perfect under the
r,sebuds grew the thorns but there seemed |
to Turk even in their cruelty subtle, mys.
terious charm. 1t was enough for Miss
Turpin to dream. The physical and practi-
cal reality of the doctors nearness, had its
weight, but not consciously so, to the little
woman. She never ventured to get up a
cough or cramp for the sake of stamping
more clearly his shape into these vague but
extravagant. feats of fancy. In truth, so
timid and afraid was she of a pulsation of
tactical joy. that she actually stunned and
shrank from his approach. .a.
But more and more imposing, grander and
grander grew this one figure of her fancy,
around which revolved the satellites of
health and wealth, popularity and fame
all that could render life sweet or desira.
BILE. .. 're.. .r.s
Perhaps it is detrimental to my heroine to
| say that she would have been quite content
to have lived upon the fruits of her own fan
cy for the remainder of her natural life Had
circumstances compelled her to change her
abode, and had she thus lost sight of DR..
Blake, the dreams would have gone along
just the same, the fact of his dying in a
| neighboring hospital Of weakness and want,
and the quenching of all her material in
pauper's grave not interfering in the least
with Miss Turpin's airy fabric. 1t would
have been impossible to convince Miss Tur.
pin that he could reach so dire an extremi.
| ty, had not the knowledge been forced in
upon her in way that she could not re.
fuse ..,aH 700 8, ..,.
She absolutely heard the gruff voice of
Mr.. Shadrach upon the morning in question
and the low, musical, but bitterly mocking
words of the doctor in reply. .l .otJr1.-
She sat down upon the rug, and clasped
both her hands. He was going away then
Until that moment she had not realized the
extent of such a disaster. She could have
BONE, perhaps, to have been compelled to
go away herself, because the inevitable for
her had become, long since, IN utter of
course but to have the iron hand of in
exorable necessity grasp this magnificent
young man was terrible. He had the fash
ing eyes, the lordly mien, the exultant step
for thus had little Miss Turpin been wont
to classify the somewhat alluring personal
attractions of young Blake-.he to become
the prey of an adverse destiny h4. .
Miss Turpin's breakfast that morning was
a failure. BY dint of long practice and an
exceedingly gracious gift of housewifery she
had always managed to get up extraordi-
nary little meals for herself. 1t was as if
"a little, sooty angel sat up aloft in the Chin
ney and assisted the culinary efforts of the
lone little woman. Her toast was Of brown
golden, her coffee was Mocha the most de-
licious her bit of steak so juicy and appe-
tizing that sometimes poor Blake, in the
neighboring room, with some chunks of
brown bread floating helplessly in chslky
fluid before him, finding this savory odor
under his nostrils, raised his clenched hands
at the stern wall between them in envy and
despair.
But even the little angel in the chimney
became impatient with the behavior of little
Miss Turpin that morning. The little wo
man, usually SO practicable and capable
while straining her ear to listen to a fater.
ing, stumbling step In the next room, delib
erately burned the toast and boiled the cof
fee, and the sooty wings spread themselves
taking flight in disappointment and dis
gust
She held her breath as the familiar foot
| atn har nd daln 10 hxyn IN.
went down the worm.esten stairs. Oh
where was he going What would he do
She had read sometimes of an evening, ,wher
working hours were over, the shaded laml
upon the table at her side, the Goals leapiny
and blazing in the refulgent crate, her littl
slippered feet upon the fender-she had rea,
ofpeople who, having neither money, mean
nor content, had drifted into a moment O
frenzy and despair, and thus leaped the aw
full bar that separates the known from tb
unknown, content to risk any fate but tina
which awaited them here. She had rea
thus of poor, strange unfortunates, and he
u heart had ached in their behalf. But now
u Well, now her heart almost ceased to bea
= She put away her work-of what avail ws
It it, all blotted and blurred by her tears. q
ruined by her tears, or ruined by her shah
e ing brush All day she feared and tremblet
at nightfall some intuitive hope caused he
to brighten the fire, cook dainty mea
IS and placing the table opposite the doc
Z leave the tempting ,cozy room open upon th
Vt wind-swept, gloomy corridor.
l. Then she waited and waited. The clocl
i struck at midnight, then one, two, thr,
Is from neighboring belfry the meal WI
t cold, the fire burned low; the chill, grs
morning had almost dawned, when at last
70 came, yes thank God faltering and slo,
d but it was his footstep; none other cou
y quicken little Miss Turpn's pulse.
10 He reached the landing, the door of h
~ room. Why, truly, he did pause-yes, al
- stagger in.
:. Amy other woman but this, perhaps wou
70 have recoied with disgust and horror, al
- above all, with fear, for the young man W
= evidently not himself His hair, damp al
~ disheyeled, hung in heavy disorder about
NJ face and neck his eyes, CLASSY and luri
al blazed upon hers a red flame burned in
cheeks a slight foam fecked his trembli
lips.
IN lie fell into the chair at the table, a
a. looked wonderingly upon the food beft
him but that which would have been fra
A tically devoured six hours before was like
er ashes of bitterness to him now. He b
pg not tasted food for thrty-six hours. Blu
was not hunger that tortured him it ,
de thirst-an appalling thirst.
gh He drank the pitcher of water from N
nd Turpin's hand and looked pleadingly
a more.
IN. DO not be afraid to give the patient
ter he murmured, eagerly. In case