The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-09-15
DEATH AND CUPID.

.-eeseAseS~
DEATH AND CUPID.
CHAPTER /.
A darkened room. nurse sat BY the
side Of the bed. Every now and then she
rose from her chair and looked at the pale
face Of the poor girl over whom she
watched.
Not much life in her, poor thing" she
murmured. I know the symptoms too
well; It's all over with her.
And then there was a gentle knock at the
door, and stald old gentleman walked in
to the room. It was the doctor. Heasked
q few questions of the woman in attendance,
and looked at the patient. Then he shook
his head and whispered:
I fear there's q change for the worse,
poor thing"
And after few directions he left the
room as he had entered it. silently and sor-
rowfully. When he had descended the
stairs he was accosted bv young man, who
waited impatiently for his verdict.
Well?''
mo hope, I fear" said the doctor. ashe
is gradually sinking; if she hasany friends
you had better communicate with them"
Is there no hope?"
am afraid none. She may linger on
for few days. She may die tonight; but
unless miracle be worked she cannot re-
| cover"
The young man sighed heavily, shook
hands with the good physician, and turned
his head away to avoid showing his tears.
There is always some hore in every
case, continued the doctor in comforting
! tone.
Still should not be doing my duty if 1
did not reveal to you my forebodings"
And thus they parted.
This young man entered the parlor. and,
throwing himself in an arm chair, buried
1 his face in kis hands and wept aloud. He
had recovered his lost love, only to see her
die, and lie unable to save her! He was
unconscious Of everything save his great
i grief.
By.and-by there was knock at the door,
and the nurse entered.
"She is awake, sir" she said, @and is cry
ing for you. Poor, dear young lady, am
supreme effort to regain his composure, and
asked:
"Dees she know where she ISL"
1 Eyes, sir. told her how you brought
her here, and how sorry we all were to see
her SO i'll, and she called out that she must
see you at once before she died."
He arose from his chair, and SILENT
~ left the room. He assembled the stairs;
he stopped for moment at the door Of tho
chamber of death, and aged to his God
to give him strength to preserve his COM
posure. Then he gently opened the door
and went in.
"Florence!"
oh, Leopold, Leopold" cried tho dying
girl in faint voice, you have come to me
at last-you have forgiven lne?"
Forgiven you, my darling-my own deer
love! What have to forgive you? Oh,
Florence! It is who must ask forgivnees!
It is I who must implore your pardon.
What right had to cross your path? What
right had to cause you moments
pain?"
And he knelt down beside the bed, and
his tear-stained face bent over the poor,
thin hand stretched out to him. So
ooh, Leopold, I've been mad-been
wicked. But God has blessed me once
. more letting me see you-oh, darling oh,
81 my lovel" And she passed her hand
Though his hair caressingIy.
Leopold answered her words with his
sobs.
i "You can forgive me, darling? You can
really forgive me now that I am dyingi
You are not angry with me now?"
ANGRY, Florence! Oh, my love, how
could be angry with you? never have
A0u OAO lAAOu6AV Va uuSuU O160 Uuuu 1OV0
darling, in my heart. Angry! Had you
killed me, darling, would have blessed you
; with my last breath.
And have killed you, my darling.
have killed you, your happiness, your hope
Killed you, oh, my darling my dear, deal
, Lowell"
, She. drew away her hands and raised
them to her eyes. and her tears fell fas
through the poor. thin fingers.
Leopold, by an almost superhuman effort
. of will, stopped weeping, and said in {
broken voice:
Ny dear child. you must not distress,
| gave me great comfort. lived only TO
} you. Your happiness was my first wish
my only care. AS for me, I have LIVED
> very happily. 1 have not felt the wount
$685.
' And here his lips trembled and he bro,
down.
!, She took his hand once more. and nov
/ she was calm, and it was he who had los
t self command.
7 Dear Leopold, want to tell you some
5 thing. It has been on my mind 70 tell yor
r over and over again. But loved you
8 darling, and was alive then-now I an
. sinking into the grave, and must soon die
r Don't cry, dear. It is better for us al
!; that 1t should be SO. Better mucl
: better.
+ And she patted his head with her hand
r as mother would have comforted suffer
!, ing child.
Il want you, darling, when am dead, ID
Q marry one who has loved you for years.
She has been SO true to You, dear-alwaye
! your friend. She it was who, in spite Of
8 the great love she bore you, tried, oh, SO
4 hard. to turn my wicked, frivolous heart to-
ward You. She it was who fought your
battles and defended you from all the at
!, tacks of your enemies. She who has
sacrificed her own happiness for mine.
!, Dear Edith, my own darling sister!'
: aEdilh!
Yes, Edith. You must marry her: you
viii soon learn to love her. everybody loves
her, and you viii be happy. Oh, shall
die SO calmly if can only believe that
leave behind me 9 legacy Of love. You
: will try to like her; will you not
! Leopold"
The young man bowed his head, and
Q then she continued: