Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1879-01-31

- iui coHSeIsatioh' inuecu, Della OIttl
thought tearfully:
"If Harry wasn't such good company
and so fond of me, wouldn't miss hin
% SO much"
:, But on this night dinner hour wa
over, the viands spelling, the servan
grumbling, and Bella uneasily wonder
ing what could have happened, when 1
hack drove rapidly to the door, and 1
moment later the door-bell was rung
with violet jerk.
Bella herself ran to the door. Two
men were lifting tall figure from the
hack; but Harry's voice re assured her
, calling:
Don't be frightened, Bella, its only
sprained ankle"
Bat, trying to stand in the hall, the
strong man tainted with excruciating
pain.
Bella was not the woman to stand
helpless or screaming. She led the
men who held her h husband to the spare
bed room opening from the parlor, and
sent the servant for a doctor, busying
herself with bathing Harry's face with
cologne water and trying to restore con-
seriousness.
"How did it happen'" she asked.
"a fall. marm," said one of the men,
touching his cap respectfully. "There
is just snow enough to be slippery, and
the gentleman twisted his ankle. Me
and this man saw him fall, and we
took him into store just handy. It
was quite spell before we found out
where he lived, and We had to 60 a
good ways for hack. Can We do any
more, marm?"
Thank you; dou't know of any
thing; hut you must let me give you
this. ! know your time is valuable"
said Bella, pressing bank note into
the hand of each one. cannot tell you
how much thank you, she added, with
look Oh her pale face that caused the
men to agree AS they walked of that
"She was plncky little trump, and
wouldn't cry, thongh she "anted to
bad enough"
The doctor pronounced the spran a
very severe one. Harry knew he must
lie prisoner in the pretty spare room
for many long day.
II was a bondage very irksome to the
active man, but Harry thought a kun
dr.d times day how much more terri
bic it would have been but for Bella.
She opened the folding doors leading to
the sitting-room, so that 1t was like one
large apartment, and moved the piano
where he could watch her as she play
I'd aud sung for him. She taught him
to find baby most amusing companion
when household duties called her away.
She played chess, dominoes and check
ers by the hour. and found all the in
teresting aud amusing bits in the news
paper for him. She read aloud, or work.
ed while lie read. As for nursing,
bathing the swollen ankle, connecting
wonderful cooling drinks; preparing
tempting repasts, language would fail
me if attempted to describe her sue
cess in that line of duty.
While Harry WAS confined to his bed
Bella seemed never to leave him. Day
and night she was watchfully atten-
tive, never firing, never ceasing her
efforts to make the time pass in pleas
ant amusement. But there was a rapid
improvement in the injured limb, and
one morning the physician gave per-
mission to his patient to limp with a
cane into the sitting room.
'You must not try to rest your
nv al ,ht Ia at ,at - la ia |
must have entire rest for several
days
There is no pain" Harry said.
"No, but the weakness remains. If
you use it too soon you may suffer for
the i,nprudence by far more serious in
jury than even the first sprain."
So Harry submitted to the imprison.
ment, with the best grace he could ,
and Bella made him comfort ;
able in a great easy chair by the win
dow, with table beside him covered /
with books, smoking paraphernalia, l
and choice foreign fruits '
and sweetmeats.
But, having made him thoroughly i
comfortable, Bella mysteriously van
jshed. Now and then she fitted in '
with cup of coffee, a luncheon, a word
of love, but pleading word of house |
away again in moment.
Harry found it rather stupid, but :
looked forward to evening for some T
music, long chat, or a chapter or two J
more of the book they were reading to- '
,ether, which seemed to have lost all
interest persued in solitude. His i
was almost ludicrous, when d
Bella, after clearing away his dinner n
able put on her hat and shawl. II
81 am only going over to Mrs. Lees a
or an hour" she said, in matter-ot- n
curse tone, Absolutely stunning in
larry's ears; "but have left you the
lew papers. baby cries call Jane"
Harry tried to demonstrate, but
ound he was talking only to himself.
lie tried to read, he smoked, he started il
new problem in chess, he yawned @
requently, and he said bad word or d
wo about innocent Mrs Lee, till II a,
clock, when he began to get uneasy. t,
In the meantime, naughty Bella had fc
rept softly up stairs to the bedroom, c
AIKEN off her bonnet and shawl, and ty
almly stitched upon an embroidered IN
loak for babes spring outfit until mid b,
light. Then she wrapt herself in out te
DOR garments, stole down to the front bt
DOR, and after much rafting of night
ey, and loud "Good- might" walked
lto the sitting room to poor yawning E,
larry. 81
Twelve o'clock" she said yawnng. III
| had no idea it was so late" III
"You must have had pleasant even Oh