The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1881-08-18
A NOBLE FALsBHOOD.

A NOBLE FALsEH0OD.
"Our next-door neighbors have ar
rived, Arnold" said old Mrs. Clifton
to her son, the doctor, as he came in
from his round Of visits, with q weary
look On his pale, handsome face, never
too weary, however, to feel interest in
anything the dear mother might have
to tell him.
'Arrived, have they, mother? It
will be better than having an old empty
house for neighbOrs, you think, Ell?
Well, hope indeed it may prove So"
The old lady shook her head doubt
ingly.
"They seem to be only men and
boys, except a slip of q girl, who fitted
about here, and there, and everywhere,
giving orders as though she had my
grey head upon her young shoulder" "
The doctor laughed, but it was a
tired laugh, and the old ears, listening,
were keen to detect the sound Of wear
iness.
''You are tired, my boy" she said.
"Oh, nor' he answered. 'Not more
than usual. By-the-way, mother, had
a letter from Miriam to-day. They
talk Of coming home next summer, but
she says it is impossible to carry out
my proposition Of a marriage in June
that her fathers eyesight is falling
more and more rapidly, and that she
could not think of leaving him" "
''How long has your engagement
lasted, ArnOld2'
''Four years, - he said, despOndently.
"Four yearsl And except for Mr..
FeatherstOne's health you would have
been married long since. Why can he
not make his home with yOu?'
Il have proposed that TO Miriam,
but she viii not listen to it. She has
an absurd idea that might wake some
fine day fancying him a burden; and
all my eloquence to the contrary has
been so long wasted that [ have ceased
to exercise 1t. "
'But she still holds you to your en-
gagement?'
s.Why, motherr' and now there was
a reprOach in the young doctors face.
II ask no woman lightly to become
my wife; and once asking, I need not
to be held to my part, at least, Of the
bond"
"Well, we'll! I hope you may always
feel so; but you have not been tried
lyet, Arnold"
The summons to dinner at this mo-
ment interrupted them, and after the
daintily served meal, seated before a
blazing fire, in q loose coat and slip
pers, Arnold Clifton mentally cOngrat-
ulated himself that bis duties for the
twenty-fUur hours were ended.
But his congratulations were prema-
ture. A quick. sharp peal ut the bell
startled him from his reverie.
A lad of perhaps fourteen stood on
the threshold as the servant opened the
door.
MY father has been suddenly taken
ILL.," he said, ''and Sister Ethel told me
to ask YOU to come in at once, please.
We live next dOor-Only moved in TO-
dav."
All this poured forth in breathless,
bovish treble, which reached the ear
Of the doctor rs he sat within.
'sAll right; 1 will be there in i've
minutes, he called out.
/ Again drawing on the boots he had
been so glad to draw of, mentally
matchmaking next door neighbOrs in
general, and this case in particular, he
started on his unexpected errand.
! He had no need to ring the bell.
The boy who had come for him had
stationed himself at the opened door
and mOtiOned to him to come up the
stairs.
, At their head stood young girl. In
, that moment he thought her but {
. child, but her air of dignity, as she
held out a little, cold hand Of welcome
and simply said, "BIy father you viii
find very IN, fear" made him glance
again into her face, to see ifindesd his
mothers words were true, and OF
these slight young shoulders was no'
set grey head.
, But no! the face was young and ex-
uuisitely lovely. The great blue eye'
looked up at him piteOusly; the REQ
lips Guivered; but about her, spite o.
this, was an air Of intesse calm, a;
] though she had nerved herself to sup
press all signs Of agitation, Of grief
Silently, she led the way into tht
room where tho sick man lay. He haC
taken a heavy cold, and had been sud
denly seized with acute rheumatism, II
close proximity to the vital parts.
|, Instantly Arnold CliftOn's profession
J al eve saw that the case was wel-nigE
, hopeless. He forgot his fatigue, hii
! ANNOYANCE. as he struggled with all nj
skill to battle the grim enemy but Il
vain. As the morning sun came creep
inc into the room, a long, low wal
! welcomed it from that dimly-lighteI
q chamber where a dead mau lay.
+ The doctor lifted in his arms thu
SLIGHT. unconscious form, which haC
stood by his side so braVoly through
, these long hours, and bore it from tn
place. ,., A..
!, almost reluctantly, went TO work tC
/. bring her back 70 a sense Of the reaht.
q of her suGerin1.
Her swoon vu- .yag, but when a
> last the blue eyes uuciosed, she made
I sudden effort to rise, as though con
J. gcious that she was needed elsewhere
!, then, with q shudder, came the recOl
{ lection that her father could neYe
:, need or miss her more, and = tn a sup
I pressed cry of pain she fell '~ck on he
! pillows.
i A week passed The grave had re
ceived its dead; the house was sjlen
d and gloomy. Ethel took little note 0
g anything, save that kind, motherl
4 face was constantly beside her AM
that many times 4 day some one en-
tered her room who brought with hin
an atmosphere of strength aud rest
She grew to look for his coming, an
q to sink back into the old spsthy wheI
= be had gone; but she could not haV
. told whether he was young or old, o
dasoribad his face Oh. form. Yet IE va