The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-31

which he had been hurt by the runaway
horses. so ma am! Just think if it had
been Kitty! | should have ded-for
she's all i have in the world
+" And where is she now, Arthur"
| " have not seen her since. A woman
took her home and will take care of her
till / get well. When will my back get
well?'
" Pretty soon-I hope. Would you
| like to see her?"
" His eyes were all the answer she
needed, and before night little Kitty was
playing on his bed, and a crib near by
told that she was fixture, also. She
was not handsome like her brother,
but winsome and attractive, with
such cunning baby ways that,
Mrs. Stafford, who had never seen much
of baby life, thought her miracle of
smartness.
The servants had been forced to be-
lieve their mistress no longer insane.
but merely giving way to one of those
freaks which they had become accus-
toned to, though as Bridget, the cook,
said; who would ever imagine she'd be
guilty of turning this elegant house into
a hospital full of cripples and nurses and
the like?'
"Well, if it's her way of being happy,
| am sure we need not object It's all
the better for us, for if these children
were not here the house 'ud be thrown
open to hundreds OF gentlemen New
Years Day, and then we would have to
be in all day." said Alice. II, for one,
am mighty glad she's amused herself in
this way, for want to see my friends at
my cousins"
During these days Mrs. Stafford had
not seen the physician, who came and
went at regular hours, and who could
not quite understand why his little pa
tients were inmates of one of the palaces
of the city. The night before New
Years at last came, cold and stormy.
Mrs. Stafford had been out all day, or
dering flowers and fruits and all sorts of
gifts for her guests, and only returned
home when the gas was lighted in the
streets. Running up to her room to re-
move her wraps, her cheeks aglow with
happiness and health, she went to her
pets room, and found, not Arthur and
Kitty and the nurse merely, but a tall,
heavily-bearded man, who stood in the
center of the room, tossing Kitty like a
ball in the air. Such Growing and
laughing from Kitty! such joy and
clapping of hands from Arthur! Mrs.
Stafford stood for moment unseen and
unnoticed enjoying the scene, and feel
ing more genuine happiness than she
had known in many year. Suddenly
Kitty turned and saw her, and reaching
out her hands to be taken, sprang from
the Doctors into the arms of Isadore
Stafford, utterly regardless of the
| fact that she was queen
of society. To Kitty she was
a beautiful woman, with a loving heart,
or perhaps she was merely the persona
fication of comfort. Cuddling close to
her guardian, she turned to look at the
doctor and play coquette with him, as
babies have done since the days of Cain
Mrs. Stafford also looked up-and bowed.
He stood transfixed.
"Is it possible, Isadore, that we meet
thus-and over the gulf of years and
changes, stand face to face once morep
Little | thought that you were the Lady
Bountiful who was ministering to my
little patients the largest dose of health
they could have had. Tell me of your
self"
"Come into the library. There is lit
tie to tell. You have followed your
ideal, that is easy to see. / have lived
a useless. tedious life without aim or
profit. This freak that has brought you
to my door was only a dream that led
me to hope for happiness, by doing good
to others. All selfish, you see."
"How beautiful you are, Isadore.
How well all these elegant surroundings
become you. 1t is well you did not mar
ry me. A doctors life has little luxury
in it"
There was a tone of bitterness in his
voice as he spoke, that for the moment
blotted out all conventionalities of So
ciety, and almost defiantly she said in
reply:
''Luxuries and happiness are not syn
onimous. have never seen an hours
happiness since we parted until l brought
these children here. You have had to
work, have suffered WEAKNESS and ex-
posture, but have no doubt had happy
home to come to when the day was
gone"
"Did you suppose I would marry?
Did you fancy 1 was like womanP-
Ready to VOW to love and honor, when
l knew it was a lie?' he answered still
more bitterly. at is true l have been
happy, but it has been in the line of my
duty-at least have not been miser-
able. My home has been wherever
sickness and suffering call me, and the
years have passed quickly because so
full of cares"
"Poor Allen! Mine has been infinitely
worse. have done no good-and the
years have dragged their slow length
along, each more tedious than the last"
And so the two talked over the years
that had come and gone since they part
ed, until the clock on the mantel struck
and reminded him that others were wait
ing for him to bring comfort and relief
With long, kindly pressure of her hand
he said Good night" and shutting the
door, left her alone. How the memories
crowded. They came in at every door
and hung about every picture and corner.
They sang in her heart and danced in
her eyes They blotted out the present
and in its place painted pictures OF her
school days Beneath their power life
had suddenly become beautiful thing
and every hour blessing.