Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-08-10

W Wuuul snt CA plalutu llCI wishes.
Perhaps" hesitated the poor, shrink
ing Hilda, you can help me to Il sit
uation. If there should be a vacanc,
among your lady clerks
"How--ha~ said Mr. Cartwright
feeling his lank cheek thoughtfully
Had any experience in the business ?
NO
"Oh, then the idea is quite imprac
tible,' said Mr.. Cartwright "Wc
don't take apprentices here
And he civilly bowed Miss ReynoId,
out of his little sanctum.
Hilda applied at a neighboriug shoT
for fine, silk embroidery. She worked
Il week ut child's cloak, and was paid
seven shillings
q" But this is SO very little said Hill
da, piteously regarding the silver pieces.
Our usual rates said the fore
woman, frigidly. "If YOU are not sat
isfed with them, you need not come
again. We have plenty of hands
Hilda crept home in the frozen, win
ter twilight, crying softly behind her
veil as she went. And, her eyes being
blurred with tears, she did not see an
ill-omened piece Of orange peel on the
pavement but slipped and fell, breaking
her ankle and losing consciousness
through the intensity Of the pain
When she came to her senses she lay
in Il little white bed, No. GIG, of great,
airy, sweet-smelling hospital, with a
white-capped sister bending over her
a woman whom she had known in form
er days as a gay young girl
You fell, my dear, and broke your
lee" said Sister Eunice 1T was not
convenient for your Aunt Carlyon to
receive you, so they brought you here"
| recognized you at once, and requested
permission to nurse you"
And why are you here?" persisted
Hilda, still only half conscious.
For two reasons" said Sister Eunice,
sprinkling scented water over the little
white pillow.
Zone, that it was necessary for me
to earn my living in some way; another
was that | could do some good to my
suffering fellow creatures here"
Hilda made no comment, but she
pondered over that matter; and when
she recovered, she also assumed the
white cap and black surge dress, and
took the name of sister Hilda.
"As hospital nurse she said to
herself, Il can at least be sure Of
good home, a small salary, and the priv
ilege of being of some use to the world"
Sister Hilda became one of the most
popular and efficient of the whole corps
of nurses. Her head was cool, her
nerve strong, her selfpossession perfect
ly imperturbable. The sight of blood
never dismayed her-the groans of pain
only excited her gentle sympathy, in
stead of chilling her nerves, and it came
to pass that whenever DR.. Marston, the
head surgeon, needed an especially self
reliant and able nurse, the edict went
forth, Send for Sister Hilda."
One day there was Il terrible accident
brought in. A pair of fiery horses had
run away, the carriage was all splintered
in pieces, its occupant had been flung
out upon the pavement, until all sem
blance Of life seemed to be crushed out
of him.
"Will he die, DOCTOR" Sister 1ilda
asked, with Il very pale face.
ITO all intents and purposes, my
dear" the physician answered, "hc is Il
dead man already
81 knew him once" said the hospital .
nurse, in a low tone.
every one knows him, believe"
.aid Doctor Martson. at is the mil /
ionaire, Mr.. Fullerton. But all the .
gold that ever was coined can't buy him
/ reprieve now"
And Doctor Martson hustled into the
next ward, leaving the white-capped
nurse to keep her solitary vigil at the
bedside the man who was slowly, slow
y slipping out of time into eternity.
At midnight, he reused up, as If from
1 dream.
Am | dying?" 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. 81 am
N full possession of my senses. | tell
you ] cannot die until have made my
peace with heaven"
Il can call the chaplain in minute"
Doctor Marston.
81 tell you want my lawyer" per-
sisted John Fullerton.
The lawyer was reused out of his mid
night slumbers, and came at once, and
there, in the hospital ward, John Full
lerton made his will, leaving all he had
in the world to Hilda Reynolds.
Il have defrauded her cruelty" he
said. 81 used her money to aggrandise