The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-05-15

any SOOQ IneU III lIllS NOIlQ.
After while, | saw her in earnest
consultation with the doctor, who had
just set the broken limb.
"He is uneasy lest he should be 81
trouble to you," dbeard the doctor say,
land is anxious to be taken to his lodg-
ings, but to move him is simply impossi-
BILE rs yet"
"Of course" said Aunt Hillary,
promptly, 81 don't dream of his being q
trouble, poor man; and am sure he is
welcome to whatever / can do for him.
1t is fortunate that he is in my house, rs
! have no family to take up my time,
and so shall be able to pay him proper
attention. Just tell ME what l can do
for him, doctor"
"At present." said the doctor, in low,
grave voice, "he needs only quiet and
nourishing food"
Aunt Hillary did not take in the full
significance Of these words until few
hours later, when Ephraim returned
from Mr.. McLean's lodgings, whittier he
had voluntarily gone for certain articles
of clothing, and to see the schoolmaster's
effects properly secured during his
absence And then he told Aunt Hillary
a pathetic story of bare walls and straw
bed, chair and table; the latter with the
schoolmaster's dinner set out upon it.
"Pea-soup and n-bread, rs / live"
said Ephraim, with brown sugar and
coffee in cupboard, and no butter
And the shoemaker's wife, who cts him
the room, says he cooks his own victuals
and don't eat enough to physic q snipe,
and mends his own clothes occa sional.n y
Aunt Hillary burst into tears. She
knew, rs did everybody in the place, that
the schoolmaster was very poor; but
she had not dreamed of poverty such rs
this. And then he was stranger, with
no friends near to do him q kindness, or
to look after him in his illness. What
wonder that her tender heat was
| touched
Thereafter, despite his helpless eondi-
ton, considered Ar. Mclean a fortunate
man. Inever entered tho house without
finding in Aunt Hillary's kitchen On per-
feet model of a kitchen, by-the-bye), vari-
Gus dainty dishes, the very sight Of
which caused my schoolgirl mouth to
water.
Such fragrant tea and delicate gaffles,
served on the French china that had
been wedding-present to her rlother.
Such savory beef-tea, and fresh straw
berries and translucent jellies Such
| omelets- broiled steaks - such
white, feathery rol lis; and all so tempt
ingly arranged on the large ,jaoanned
tray, ready to be carried to the irvalid's
bedside, where stood q round table al
ways adorned with the very choicest of
Aunt Hillary's fowers-not in a big
bouquet, but simply blossom or two,
fresh and sweet, in little Dresden-china
vase that had been longer in the family
than Aunt Hillary herself,
And then, how neat and cool and
pleasant WAS the room in which the in
valid 10y. Kind neigIiD0rs supp1Ieu nm
with papers and books, and Aunt Hill
larry sometimes read to him; and more
than once heard her singing in the twi-
light in low voice, much as mother
might sing to her tired baby.
AS he grew better and could sit up in
bed. Mr.. Mclean began 10 make himself
Of use TO his hostess. lie retouched
faded crayon portrait of her father; he
repaired and renovated much-prizcd
workbox: he instructed her how to clean
gilt picture-frames' how to fix cOlors in
carpets and dress goods by chemical
combination, and, best of all, he took
charge of Jackey-the cause of this I'M
expected change in Miss IIillary'S house
hold-and. subiecting him to a course
of careful training, transformed him into
a tractable, intelligent and well-behared
member of the household.
It was wonderful, Ephraim declared,
how changed the beast had. become. and
how implicitly he obeyrd the least word
or sign from the schoomastcr, who was
the only person for whom he ever mani
tested the least respect.
Aunt Hillary did her best, by means
of feeding and petting. to win his regard,
but he appeared to look upon her with
certain coutemptuous indifference, some
times expressed in his conduct, except
when steInly rebuked by Mr.. Mclean.
And so the sweet flowery June passed;
and one day, Mr.. Mclean, with the
assistance of crutch and Squire
Sanders arm, limpcd out of Aunt Hill
lary's rose-wreathed porch to carriage
which was waiting before the door. I
saw him turn to Aunt Hillary and take
her hand, and say something in n low
voice about her goodness and his graft
tude; and T thought his eyes were moist
and his voice somewhat faltering.
And when he was gone (not to his old
lodging, but to Squire Sanders hospi-
table homc), Aunt Hillary went back into
the house and wandered about in 4 lost
kind of way. and final V sat down in Mr..
| McLpan's armchair, and then. without
| q word, began to cry.
! When | asked what allied her, sine
wiped her eyes and laughed. and said
! that she felt at loss, rs if her Uccupa-
! ton was gone-and she must get an
other pntient to attend to or 60 into 4
| hospital us nurse.
After this | used to occasionally sec
! Mr.. McLean seated in Aunt IIillary's
! front porch, or leaning on her gate, MS
she gathered rosebud for him. Once
| heard him talking about his little girl.
Lillie-he was widower-at school
somewhere away in the South, and of
! his longing to see her; and then | knew
that it was for this child-to dress her
nicely and give her good education
that the schoolmaster had saved his little
earnings, to the sacrifice # his own COM
fort.
lie did not 20 back to his little school.
Through Squire Sanders influence he
obtained the position of principal OF
C. Academy, with n good salary,
and now he began to dress well and look
so handsome that the single ladies OF
C. began to take quite an interest in
him. They invited him to society meet
ings and quilting suppers; but it was
very seldom that he accepted an invita-,
ton, and it came to be understood that
he was not marrying man, rs they ex'
pressed il.
One day. on my return home from
school, my mother desired me to dres:
myself very nicely, as she wished to takt
. me out with her. We went first TO Aun
Hillary's, whom we found attired in {
, very neat gray pongee dress and a brand
I'll, frsY \