The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-09-23
Had any experience in the bust

"Nop
"Oh, then, the idea,is quite imprac-
ticable," said Mr.. Makemoney. I'VE
don't take apprentices here"
And he civilly bowed Miss Seyton
out of his little sanctum.
Sophie applied at neighboring EN-.
porium for fine silk embroidery. She
worked q week at a child's cashmere
cloak, and was paid-fifty cents!
but this is very little" said Sophie,
piteously, regarding the silver piece.
"Our usual rates." said the FORE
woman, frigidly. "If you are not
suited with them, you need not come
again. We have plenty of hands"
Miss Seyton crept home in the frozen,
winter twilight, crying softly behind
her veil as she went. And, her eyes
being blurred with tears, she did not
see an evil-omened piece of orange peel
on the pavement, but slipped and fell,
breaking her ankle, and losing con.
sciousness, through the intensity of the
pain.
When she came to her senses she Law
in little white bed, No. 6l9, of great
airy, sweet-smelling hospital, with a
white-capped nurse bending over her
woman whom she had known in
former days as a gay young girl.
"Why am I hereP" She asked, in
vague wonder.
You fell, my dear, and broke your
leg," said Nurse Eudora. cit was not
convenient for your Aunt Moore to re-
ceive you, so they brought you here. /
recognized you at once, and requested
permission to nurse you"
"And why are you hereP persisted
Sophie, still only half. conscious.
"For two reasons" said Nurse Eu-
dora, sprinkling scented water over tie
little white pillow. "One is, that it
was necessary for me to cam my living
in some way; another was that l could
do some good to my suffering fello W
creatures here"
Sophie made no comment, but she
pondered over that matter; and when
she recovered she also assumed the
white cap and black serge dress, and
took the name of Nurse Sophie.
GAS a hospital nurse" she said to
herself, 81 can at least be sure of good
home, a small salary, and the privilege
Of being OF some use in the world"
Sophie became one of the most popu-
lar and efficient of the whole corps OF
nurses. Her head was cool, her nerves
strong, her self possession perfectly i'm
dismayed her-the groans of pain only
excited her gentle sympathies, instead OF
chilling her nerves; and it came to pass
that whenever Doctor Oxley, the head
surgeon, needed an especially self-reliant
and able nurse, the edict went forth,
"Send for Nurse Sophie.
One day there was a terrible accident
brought in. A team of fiery horses had
run away, the carriage was all splint-
cred in pieces, its occupant had been
flung out upon the pavement, until all
semblancc of life seemed to be crushed
out of him.
"Will he die, doctor?" Sophie asked,
with u very pale face.
ITO all intents and purposes, my DEAR"
the physician answered, he is a dead
man already"
81 knew him once" said the hospital
nurse, in low tone.
Every one knows him, believe"
said Doctor Oxley. sit is the million
aire, Colonel Moody. But all the gold
that ever was coined can't buy him a
rcprieve now"
And Doctor Oxley hustled into the
next ward, leaving the white capped
nurse to keep lIer solitary vigil at the
tedside of the man who was slowly,
At midnight he reused up as from q
dream.
"Am dyingP" he asked.
The doctor answered:
Yes
How much time have / left?"
Perhaps three hours-perhaps SIX"
was the answer.
Send for my lawyer" he said. :"
am in the full possession of my senses
| tell you cannot die until l have
made my peace with heaven!'
81 can call the chaplain in minute, y
suggested Doctor Oxley.
Il tell you l want my lawyer" per.
sisted Colonel Moody.
The lawyer was reused out of his
midnight slumbers, and came at once
and there, in the hospital ward, Abra'
ham Moody made his will, leaving al
he had in the world to Sophie Seyton
~ have defrauded her cruelty" he
said. 81 used her money co aggrandize
myself, and let her think it was lost ir
mining speculations. l have been AZ
unjust steward, but it is not yet too late
to make some sort of reparation."
"Seytonp SeytonP" repeated the doc
tor, turning to the nurse. Surely ths
must be some relation of yoursp"
| am oOpnle Oeyton," sne SAID, qul
etly, laying aside her white-flappeC
muslin cap that overshadowed her face
The dying man lifted his glazing eye'
to hers.
"YouP Sophie SeytonP" said he
"Thank God for that! Say once, be
fore die. forgive youp"
And Sophie forgave him, freel.
and fully; and when the day brok
dimly in the east, the chained spirit wa
set free.
People could hardly credit their owl
senses when they heard that Miss Sey
ton was an heiress again.
Mrs. Mcdbury Moore was taken wit
a violent access of affection for he
"dear niece" but Sophie had learne,
the lesson of discernment.
81 have passed through an ordeal,
she says, "and l hope it has left In
wiser and more merciful toward m
suffering fe1ow-creatures But, at tn
same time, it has taught me to bewar
of friends like Aunt Medbury Moore