The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-04-30

cripple, and she was one to whose
exuoerant health and beauty-loving
nature any deformity or weakness
gave a sensation almost of repulsion.
but as we grew better acquainted, as
the passing days opened out to US
each others character. her manner
toNard me changed. Though she
SUSPECTED 1t not, the change was a
dangerous one to me. had thought
her incapable of any seriousness of
feelings; now / found my mistake.
| mad thought her suDerficially fair,
Duti soon came to find beauty in her
giflish face surprising that of any
toEher l had ever seen. The time flew
oy until the day came ON which had
decided TO go. and it was well that it
was so, for l knew then that almost
uI,cnnsciansly m all-absorbing love
llse; been sf'' ''ss u, III lny ieartfor
the beautIfui girl. who was no more
fitting mate for one like me than a
dainty humming bird would be for a
grim, sombre raven. Not for such
as she was a work-day life like mine,
even had not been as l was-differ-
ent from my fellOws-a cripple. So
went away, thanking my kind en-
tertainers and binding with cords of
iron my heart, which threbbed like a
wild thing when at parting she laid
her little hand in mine and said she
Was sorry l was going. Sorry-and
|, who was more than sorry, could
only utter the merest commonplaces.
To return to where l broke away into
"reminiscences. AS l stood watching
her, she turned and came toward me.
| Was not mistaken-thOugh grayer
and paler than of old, before me stood
she whom John had playfully chris
tened midget" but who was always
in my thoughts Margaret. So ad-
dressed her now:
"Miss Margaret, how can it be pos.
sible that you are here. risking your
life in this feverel atmosphere ?"
She gave me her hand quietly, as If
it had been but yesterday that We
parted.
-. have been in the midst of the
worst of it," she said "for came to
D-(naming "a city Il few miles dis
tant six months ago. There / have
been since. until yesterday. l was
sent here to take the place of nurse
who las been taken sick"
"But your aunt. wnere is she ?" /
asked land my friend. your cousin +?
have not had word from him for
long time"
An expression Of sadness cleuded
her face.
"Did you not know" she exclaim-
ed. "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 al-
most beside myself with grief. Then
l read of the suffering in the South
and the need of nurses. / was alone
in the world-nO circle would be
broken by my loss-and thought
that perhaps in hard work could be
able to drown my sorrows. So l
came"
AS she spoke gazed with amaze.
ment at the brave woman before me
(for though young in years. "girl"
she could be called no longer.)
"The first month l took the fever"
she continued. ''but my perfect health
brought me through quickly"
Truly the ways Of Providence are
mysterious How little l ever
thought that should meet Margaret
Hope in such manner and place.
After that / saw her daily :; saw her
kneeling in prayer by the dying or
Willing away the weary hours of
convalescence by her beautiful CHEEKY
presence. A month passed. 1t was
cooler weather now. and the fever was
at an end. The time had come when
my services were no longer indispen-
sable and could return to my North
ern home. / called to bid Miss Hope
good bye. 1 found her alone. We
talked awile, and suddenly, although
my reason told me it was madness
impelled by an inward prompting /
could not resist. l disclosed to my
listener the love which had been hid.
den in my heart all the long years
which had passed since we last met. AS
my passionate words tell on her ear a
fain resedrift tinged the snow of her
exquisite face. All, l saw only too
clearly by the difference that existed
between her great loveliness and my
poor. maimed body. how foolish l
was even to dare to hope, and yet !
kept on. Then bowing my head !
awaited my answer. 1t came not in