The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-04-03


Mrs Delplaine was too i'll TO be left
long alone, and Hagar had her house
hold duties TO attend TO, so that the min
lister was often compelled TO bring his
book and make the sick room his study.
This chamber, which had been some
what bare and desolate. suddenly became
glowing and warm, and made sharp
contrast with the room on the lower floor,
lined with mcth-eaten volumes and chok-
ing with accommodating dust. Mrs. Del
plane had begged that few sucks might
be lighted on the hearth, and had plead
ed that a quantity OF hight wraps and
shawls should be taken from her trunks
70 soften the glare at the windows, to
add to the scanty covering OF her bed,
10 throw over the grim leathern back Of
her chair: and as Mrs. DelplaIues favor
+ lite color seemed TO be OF the FAINT warm
tint Of the rose. the whole atmosphere OF
the room took this soft cOl0ring, and the
hungry soul OF the Reverend Paul de-
lighted therein without knowing why.
He was walking just now in the big
I gloomy room below, the scant tails OF his
threadbare coat tapping IN the chill air
Of March, but his soul was warm with
the memory Of the last hours he had
spent IN that room above.
And Mrs. Delplaine, having nothing
else to think of N this queer. pictur-
+ esque region, being somewhat appalled,
by the big, sterile hills and the gray,
gloomy sky, which her crimson shawls
could not altogether shut put, having
nothing else TO think Of but the tender
! interest that tins haggard but handsome
1 recluse Of a parson took III her misfor-
tune, and feeling that ii he had been as
hard-hearted as the househeeper, she
might not now have been alive, and find
+ ing life even SO sweet in her langIld con-
i valescence, she was constrained to ask Of
+ this comely but stern negro woman
4 something OF her master. "Was he
+ alone in the world? Had he no kin
+ dred?" Hagar looked up from her knit
! ting 50 stohdly that Mrs. Delplaine
added: " Father or mother. wife or chill
/ dren?"
+ Hagar deliberately turned the heel OF
/ her stocking before she fully satisfied the
curiosity Of the convalescent. Then she
vouchsafed to say that he was quite
/ alone; no father, no mother, no children,
i as far as she knowed There used 70 be
a wife-a poor, sicklv creeter-but she
was done gone south years ago, and
+ never come back.
Did the poor lady die there said
Mrs. Delplaine.
Hagar hesitated a minute. Then she
said, . Yes, she died there sure enough.
And how many years had he lived IN
this desOlate region. friendless and
alone e" said Mrs Delplaiue.
Hagar reckoned if was considerable
time, but gave It as her opinion that
some peoples room was better than
their company, and adding that Mrs.
Delplaiue was talking too much and that
she had better 60 To sleep, Hagar left
the room.
No sooner had she gone than Mr..
Hume entered. It had been customary
for him to relieve Hagar's duties III the
sick room. Unconsciously, perhaps, he
had been listening for Hagars retreatine
footsteps. As he entered the room his
face Frightened; the cayernous sorrows
IN his brow seemed to have Strengthened
into joyous beuiguity; the very angles OF
his nature, sharpeuea by the loneliness
Of his life, took comfortable rouuaen
shapes to themselves. and he greeted the
pale pretty woman in the straight back
chair with a peculiar and charming ten
uerness OF tone and manner born of this
new experience, that would have fright
ened and astonished himself had he been
a looker-on. But Mrs. Delplaine was
neither frightened nor astonished She
WAS still 50 weak that Hagar's harsh and
abrupt replies had brought foolish tears
to her eyes which still hung upon her
lashes as she smiled upon Mr. Hume.
She gave herself up to the sweet relief
and comfort of his presence. She began
to believe that destiny had determined
this remarkable event III her life, ana
felt an irresistible desire to further the
designs Of fate She had never III her
life seen any one 80 noble and majestic,
vet so gentle and tender, rs TINS preacher.
= am 50 glad Won have come. . she
said. . have something tosavto YOU.
4 strange, wistiul, dscomforted look IN
his face disquieted her, and she added,
gently, You Will not despise little adj
vice and remOnstrance OF mIue?'
. could despise nothing with which
YOU We're associated, he said.
Then listen 10 me, she continued:
sit here by my side and listen to me-
| am getting quite strong and well.
You have saved my ife-you and your
good Hagar, and the worst OF it is that
now [ must go away Here she paused
and enjoyed the sudden wincing in his
face and resolved more and more to spare
him the pang Of parting, . am going
10 coax You away from here, she said
" Indeed, Mr.. Hume-may | call you
PAUL.
Yes, he replied, but began to turn
pale.
d" Indeed, you are quite thrown away
IN this place. 1t would be so sweet to
me to see you admired and deifed and
bowed down to, as the world out yonder
does to men like you. They love silver
tongue, 10 the people VIII you let me
manage 1t for you? [ promise you, if
you Will, our parting shall be brief. l
have considerable influence, which l Will
WELD in your behalf You have but to
be known to be appreciated. See the
good Won might DO, Paul, she added,
coaxinglv. Her face took fire as she ut
tered his name, but that Of the preacher
grew paler and paler.
u am grateful TO you, he replied;
more grateful than l can say; but [
must remain here. Believe me, it Is bet
ter that | should .
Mrs. Delplaine had somewhat foreseen
this refusal In her exalted estimate Of
his character she could scarcely hope
that her hero would step aside from the
patb ha had marked ont for himself To