Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-11-20


both her hands, He was going away.
then! Until that moment She had not
realized the extent of such "a disaster.
She could have borne, perhaps, to have
been compelled to go away herself. be-
cause the Inevitable for her had become
long since a matter of course but to
have the iron hand ofinexorabie neces-
sity grasp this magnificent young man
was terrible. He had the flashing eyes,
the lordly mien, the exultant stepEfor
thus had little Miss Turpin been wont to
classify. the somewhat alluring personal
attractions of young Blake-he to be-
come tine prey of an adverse destiny a.,
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 extraordinary little meals for
herself. 1t was as if little sooty angel
sat up aloft In the chimney and assisted
the culinary Efforts of, the lone little
woman. Her toast was of brown the
most. golden, sfier eoffee,was of Mocha
the smost delicious, her bit of steak so
juicy and ,appetizing, that sometimes
poor Blake, in the neighborings room.
with some chunks of brown bread float
ing helplessly in a chaiky fluid before
him, finding this savory odor under his
nostrils, raised his clenched hands at the
stern wal bet tween thems in envy and
despair. = ra'sNF p
But even the little angel in the Chin
ney became impatient with the behavior
Of little Miss Turpin that morning. The
little woman, usually so practicable and
capables while straining her ear to listen
to faltering, stumbling steps in the next
room, deliberately burned the toast and
boiled the coffee, and the sooty wines
spread themselves, taking flight in dis
appointment and disgust. SF
She held her breath as the familiar
footstep passed her door, and SLOWLY one
by one went downth wormeaten stairs,
Oh. where was he going?s What would
he do? She had read sometimes of an
evening, when working hours were over,
the shaded lamp upon the table at her
side, the Goals leaping and blazing in the
refulgent CRATE, her..little slippered feet
upon the fender-she had read of people
who, having neither money, means nor
.ontent, had drifteds into a moment of
frenzy and despair, and thus leaped the
awful bar that separated the known
from the unknown, content 10 risk any
fate but that which awaited them here.
She had read thus of poor, strange un-
fortunates, and her heart had aehed in
their behalf. But nowp Well, now
her heart had almost ceased to beat.
She put away her work-of what avail
was it, all blotted and blurred by her
tears or ruined by her shaking brushP
All day she feared and trembled: at
nightfall some intuitive hope caused her
to brighten the fire. cook dainty meal.
and, placing the table opposite the door,
leave the cosy room open on the wind
swept, gloomy corridor.
Then she waited and waited. The
clock struck at midnight; then one, two,
three from a neignboring belfry. The
meal was cold, the fire bu. ned low; the
chill, gray morning had almost dawned.
when at last it came; yes-thank God
faltering and slow; but it was his foot
step; none other could quicken little
Miss Turpin's pulse.
He reached the landing, the door of
her room. Why, truly, he did pause
yes, and stagger in.
Any other woman but this, perhaps,
would have .recoiled with disgust and
horror, and, above all, with fear, for the
young man was evidently not himself.
His hair damp and disheveled, hung in
heavy disorder about his face and neck;
his eyes CLASSY and lurid, blazed upon
hers; a red flame burned in his cheeks;
a slight foam f1ecked his trembling lips.
He fell into the chair at the table, and
looked wonderfully upon the food before
him; but that which would have been
ifrantically devoured six hours before
was like the ashes of bitterness to him
now. He had not tasted food for thirty
q vi RrTf ~ 4I, -.
tortured him; it was thirst-an appall-
ing thirst. y f
He drank tbe pitcher of water from
Miss Turpln's hand and looked plead
ingly for more.
"Do not be afraid to give the patient
water" he murmured, eagerly. SIN
cases of febrile debility they sometimes
suffer-sufer. recommend, by all
means, water-water' Then he
fell bacK with groan of agony.
Miss Turpln ran out of the room and
down stairs, pounded on the door of the
German tailor below, who, with his
wife and five children, was enjoying in
sleep the only immunity granted them
from endless labor and toll, bade him
fly for the best doctor in the neighbor-
hood; ran up the stairs again like deer,
and found DR.. Blake insensible, his
head thrown back upon the chair, his
eyes half closed, his stentorious breath
ings audible in the corridor below.
The little German returned with the
best medical aid in the vicinity, even
that of the eminent DE-. Havershaw HIM
self rrfr~a "a. rF
All this fuss and confusion had aroused
Mr.. lShadrach, who followed them up
the stairs and protruded his long, hairy
chin in the doorway. m
cit is, perhaps, best that you should
know, madam said the surgeon to lit
tie Miss Turpin, that it is doubtful
case. Your husband is in very criti-
cal conditions. If this worthy man will
assist me we will get him to bed. Our
only hope will be powerful sedative,
to be given at once" er. ~
The worthy man alluded to was Mr..
Shadrach, whose eyes almost left their
sockets when he found the doctor pre-
pairing to put his young lodger in Miss
Turpin's bed.
"Why--why," he gasped, looking at
Miss Turpin, this won't do, will itp'
Miss Turpin bowed her head. She
could not speak, but it seemed to her
that her heart made all the noise that
was neces airy. Its convulsive tlirobs
moved the shawl she had thrown over
her shoulders.
"Don't chatter here" said the doctor.
thinking Mr. Chad,ucb ,woy oddro.,;,, :.