The Newtown bee., 1880-12-08
HIS SIDE.

least three days have not been calico to any new cases, and at last | think may safely say that the cloud is lifted which for the past few months has lain so heavily upon the people of this ill fated South.
 l write hopefully, and well I may for, together with the joy of knowing that the woe about me is abating, into my own life has dawned an overwhelm. ing and entirely unlocked for radiance. l will tell how 1t has come about.
 As one morning, a month ago, I went my rounds, in one ot the hospital wards, bending over patient, I saw new nurse.
 watched her moment unseen, when suddenly, as she slightly turned her head, l recognized one whom I had not seen for five years. Notwithstanding the stiff regulation dress and the close cap which confined the hair, knew her flor was it not 8 face which the more l had tried to forget, the more it had re. mained en yraved on the inmost tablets of my heart! I had seen it first when 8 dear friend had persuaded me to give myself short rest to recruit at his country home the health which my promising to remain 8 month, if nothing urgent recalled me. I found an ideal home, such as one reads of in books, situated in spot nature must have ere. ated with 8 smile upon her face.
 The hostess, 8 gentle, gray-haired lady, made cordially welcome--'' 8 friend of her sons was as her own," she said. There was another inmate of my friends home-his young cousin.
 A gay, radiant creature, with 8 music as of rippling brooklets in her merry voice, and face full of fun and laugh ter, but without 8 particle of earnestness underlying it's varied expressions. l could see she shrank from me at our first meeting, and I soon learned the reason. was 8 cripple, and she was one to whose exuberant health and beauty loving nature any deformity or weakness gave sensation almost of repuIsion But as we grew better acquainted, as the passing days opened out to us each others character, her manner toward me changed. Though she suspected it not, the change was dangerous one to me. seriousness of feeling; now I found my mistake. l had thought her super ticially fair. but l soon came to find beauty in her girlish face surpassing that of any other 1 had ever seen.
 The time flew by until the day eame on which I had decided to go, and it was well that it was so, for knew then that almost unconsciously an all-absorb- ing love had been growing up in my heart for the beautiful girl who was no more fitting mate for one like me than 8 dainty humming- bird would be for a grim, somber raven
 Not for such as she was work-day life like mine-even had I not been as I was-different from my tellows-a erip- pie.
 So l went away, thanking my kind entertainers, and binding with cords of iron my heart, which throbbed like a wild thing, when at parting she laid her little hand in mine and said she was sorry I was going.
 Sorry-and l, who was more than sorry, could only utter the merest com. monplaces.
 To return to where l broke away into "reminiscences
 As I stood watching her, she turned and came toward me. was not mis- taken-though gTaver and paler than of old, before me stood she whom John had playfully christened s' Midget" but who was always in my thoughts Mar garet. So addressed her now:
 Miss Margaret, how cau it be pos- sible that you are here, risking your life in this fevered atmosphereP"
 She gave me ner hand quietly, as if it had been but yesterday that we parted.
 ''I have been in the midst of the worst of it,o she said; ''for came to D." (naming city few miles dis tant) six months ago. There I have been since, until yesterday. I was sent here to take the place of a nurse who has been taken sick.h
 But your aunt, where is shePn l asked; "and my friend, your cousinp ] have had no word from him for long time."
 An expression of sadness clouded her face.
 SDid you not know" she exclaimed that both my dear aunt and my noble young cousin-all had in the world to love and be loved by-were taken from me within one short month"; Oh, it was hard was almost beside myself witt grief. Then I read of the suffering ir the South and the need of nurses, I was alone in the world-no circle would be broken by my loss-and thought thai perhaps in hard work I could be able to drown my sorrows. So came.n
 As she spoke I gazed with amazement at the brave woman before me, (fol though young in years, girP' she could be called no lOnger.)
 1.-The first month took the fever, she continued, but my perfect healtl brought me through quicklyn Truly the ways of Providence ar, mysterious! How little ever though that I should meet Margaret Hope II such 8 manner and place. After that saw her daily; saw hel kneeling in prayer by the dying, O willing away the weary hours of con valsscence by her beautiful, cheer, | presence.
 A month passed. It was coole weather now, and the fever was at an end | The time had come when my service | were no longer indispensable and coult l return to my Northern nome. I calle' l to bid Miss Hope goodbye. l l found her alone. We talked awhile and suddenly, although my reason tolt | me 1t was madness--impelled by an in 1 ward prompting I could not resist, 1 disclosed to my listener the love whicl l had been hidden in my heart all the lon, 1 years which had passed since we las met. As my passionate words fell ol her ear faint rose drift tinged the snov of her exquisite face. An, saw onl
 too clearly by the difference that existe'
 between her great loveliness and m poor, maimed body, how foolish
 was even to dare to hope, and yet I kep l on.
 Then lowing my head I awaited m
 answer. It came not in words. Sofi round arms, clasp my neck-a tender tear-wet face pressed itself to mine
 there close by my side, with eyes who's 1 Joyful light gleamed through mist ( tears. was Margaret.
 Robert, take me-" she whispered
 1T am yours. Undine has found he soul!'''