Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-07-02
WHOLE NUMBER, $40.


ing that Lady .Loring at once returned
to Paris. Her first letter informed me
that she had felt it her duty to tell
Stella of the critical condition of Ro-
mayne's health. She expressed. her sense
of my wife 8 kindness most gratefully
and feelingly, and at once removed to
Paris, to be on the spot II her husband
expressed wish to see her. The two
ladies are now staying at the same hotel.
| have thus far been detained in London
by family affairs. But, unless I hear
of q change for the better before even-
ing, 1 follow Lady Loring to Paris by
the mail train"
1t was needless to trespass further on
Lord Loring's time. I thanked him,
and returned to Penrose. He was
sleeping when l got to the hotel
On the table in the sitting-room I
found telegram waiting for me. It
had been sent by Stella, and it contained
these lines:
az have Just returned from his bed
side, after telling him of the rescue of
Penrose. He desires to see you. There
is no positive suffering; he is sinking
under a complete prostration of the
forces of life. That is what the doctors
tell me. They said, when I spoke Of
writing to you, Send a telegram; there
is no time to lose.'"
Toward evening Penrose woke. I
showed him the telegram. Throughout
our voyage the prospect Of seeing Ro-
mayne again had been the uppermost
subject in his thoughts. In the extrem-
ity of his distress he declared that
he'would accompany me to Paris by the
right train. Remembering how severe
ly he had felt the fatigue Of the short
railway Journey from Portsmouth. en-
treated him to let me go alone. His
devotion to Romayne was not to bs
reasoned with. While we were still
vainly trying to convince each other,
Dr. Wybrow came in.
To my amazement he sided with Pen.
rose. ooh, get up by all means." he'
said; 1--WE will help you to dress" We
took him out of bed and put Oh his:
dressing gown. He thanked us. ana
saying he would complete his toilet BY
himself sat down in an easy-chair In
another moment he was asleep again
so soundly asleep that We put him back
in his bed without waking him. Doctor
Wybrow had foreseen this result; he
looked at the poor fellows pale, peaceful
face with kindly smile.
"There is the treatment" he said,
"that will set our patient on his lega
again. Sleeping, eating and drinking:
let that be his life for some weeks to
come, and he will be as good man aa
ever. If your homeward journey had
been by land Penrose would have died
on the way. I will take care Of him
while you are in Paris"
At the station / met Lord Loring. he
understood that I, too, had received bad
news, and gave me place in the coupe
carriage which had been reserved for
him. We had scarcely taken our seats
when we saw Father Benwell among the
travellers on the platform, accompanied
by gray-haired gentleman who was
stranger to both of us.
Paris, Sd May.-On our arrival at the
hotel was informed that no message
had yet been received from the embassy.
We found Lady Loring alone at the
breakfast table, when We had rested
after our night journey.
"Romayne still lives," she said. "But
his voice has sunk to whisper, and he
is unable to breathe if he tries to rest
in bed. Stella has gone to the em-
bassy. She hopes to see him to-day for
the second time"
"Only for the second time?' I ex-
claimed.
"You forget, Mr.. Winterfeld, that
Romayne is priest. He was only con-
secrated on the customary condition Of
an absolute separation from his wife.
On her side-never let her know that I
told you this-Stella signed formal
document sent from Rome, asserting
that she consented of her own FREQ will
to the separation. She was relieved
from the performance of another forna-
ality (which I need not, mention moro
particularly by a special dispensation.
Under these circumstances commune
Gated to me while Stella and have
been together in this house-the wife'S
presence at the bedside OF her dying
husband is regarded by the other priests
at the embassy as a scandal and pro-
fanation. The kind-hearted Nuncio id
blamed for having exceeded his powers,
in yielding (even under protest) to the
last wishes of dying man. He is now
in communication with Rome, waiting
for tho final instructions which are To
guide him."
"Has Romayne seen his childT I
asked.
"Stella has taken the child with her
to-day. It is doubtful in the last de-.
I. II. G~xv xxxtyA