The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-23
A Fragment Of Two Lives.

o"o VIVA, pi"o'ei'IS uibh1 uot uh1ly
! years ago, Il stage coach nude sort of
| detour through one of the mountainous
regions of Pennsylvania. AMI stopped ut
the house of the preacher. 1t was an old
brown house ut the foot Oft sterile rock,
seemingly as remote from civilization lis
| the henrt of IN Arabian desert The Rev.
Paul Hume had already spent here, 30 fur
rs vitality went, the best years Of Lis
life. He had been of late glad to find the
old rebellious longings, the fierce ambition.
even the fretting discomfort and latent hope
for tue future, becoming more dim and
dull, and he began to believe as tile years
went by lie would be able to live out those
allotted to HIM honorably at least, anu in
measure resgnelly. He had given up the
old foolish fondness for putting fire and
fervor in long Sunday discourse. He
was quite content that some of his conere-
CATION should sleep quietly through the
sermon, and others ruminSe over what
ever heshly aggravation or JOY that was up
permost i'll their minds. Probably his sole
spiritual companion, even in the degree
suited to her capacity, was his serving.
woman, Hagar- black, traigllt-featured
stoical and reticent, but given 10 bursts Of
religious enthusiasm that in measure re-
lieved the dull monotony of the life that
they lived there alone together.
Hagar ought to have known her master
better than to believe that lie would refuse
succor to any helpless fellow creature, and
it was foolish for her to shorten the cbain
that barred the door that night in March
when the driver of the coach begged that
they would take temporary care OF sick
passenger. She had been getting worse
and worse, the driver sail, for the lust ten
miles, and ''seein there was no hotel, nor
hospital, nor nothin' handy" lie had made
bold to fetch her TO the parsons house
But Hagar shook the crimson turban on
her fine Egyptian head, and declared it
was not the parsons business to risk his
life with pestilential fevers.
Even as she spoke, however, the pars on
had unoosed the chuin and gone out in his
scant gown and close cap TO the coach and
lifted the poor woman out in his strong
arms. Hagar followed him and his burden
up the stairs, and the light from her can
die fell upon tangled curls and braids, bits
of ribbon and long strip of embroidered
lace that hung from the head of the sick
woman, gold chain about her neck, and
other personal gewgaws that appealed to
the contempt of Hagar, she muttered to
herself that her master had had quite
enough of these miserable Aummeries for
the rest of his natural life.
The lady's trunks had been bumped in
after her, and presently they had to be
pried open, for the lady's lips and eyes
were closed, and she could not tell Hagar
where the key lay to these fine treasures.
But Hagar went to work with will, and
before the preacher had sadlled his gray
cob and started off on his five e-mile journey
across the mountain for doctor, Hagal
had put aside the ribbons aud Lits of
travelling adornment for long white mus
lin robe. which struck the preachers heart
with chill somehow, and made him speed
the pony on his way.
The doctor had some broken bones tc
st, and told Mr.. Hume, frankly, that Sc
far as fevers and disorders of that kind
went, that black woman of his was worth
Il dozen ordinary practitioners, and that
he had long counted upon her in extremi
ties of that sort; and trotting over to Mr.
Hume's on the way from the setting of the
broken bones, the doctor called out to the
parson to know if he was not right about
the capabiity of Hagar. The sick lady,
wrists and ankles were bandaged up witt
, cooling herbs, and the strength of some
healing decoction of Hagars reached the
surgeons nostrls. The pupils of the eye'
were dilated little and crimson tlusl
burned in the cheeks of the unfortunat
t traveller; but the doctor declared tina
Hagar was doing well, and, with good car
in week or SO the journey could be pur
I sued. Then, with curious aud inyolun
tary air of admiration, the doctor lookeC
again at the patient, and went upon hi
way; it was not often iu region like thi
| one could look at pretty woman, sick OF
we'll, and the good surgeon could scarcel.
be blamed for that last lingering glance o
: his upon poor Mrs. Delplaine.
As yet tue parson had been alone con
cerned for her safety; for many days i
did not occur to him that the condition o
his guest appealed to any attribute of hi
nature save pity and reverence. Hagar
! however, strongly disapproved of feminiu
v charms, especially when the owner en-
e deavored to add to them by frivolty o
- dress or demeanor.
The poor lady, who felt that she owed