, 1881-06-10
HIS STORY.

There is a lull in the storm-for at
least three days have not been called to
any new cases, and at last l think l may
safely say that the cloud is lifted, which
for the past month has lain so heavily
upon the people of this Inflated town.
where for so long fever and disease, bred
of foul smells and bad ventilation and
drainage, aggravated by privation-for
nearly all the mills have stopped work
on account of q strike among the en-
ployes-have held sway.
write hopefully, and we'll may, for,
together with the Joy of knowing the woe
about me is abating. into my own life
has dawned an overwhelming ard un-
looked-for radiance. I will tell how it
has come about.
AS one morning, a month ago, l went
my rounds, in one of the hospital wards,
bending over patient, saw new
nurse.
I watched her a moment unseen, when
suddenly, as she slightly turned her
head, / recognized one whom had not
seen for five years. Notwithstanding the
stiff regulation dress and the close cap
which confined the hair, / knew her
for was it not face which the more L
had tried to forget, the more it had re-
of my heart. I had seen it first when a
dear friend had persuaded me to give
myself short rest to recrnit, at his
country home, the health which my
arduous duties had impaired. 1 went,
promising to remain month, If nothing
urgent recalled me. l found an ideal
home, such as one reads of in books,
situated in q spot nature must have cre-
ated with smile upon her face.
The hostess, gentle, gray-haired
lady, made me cordially welcome.
"a friend of her sons was as her
own" she said.
There was another inmate Of my
friends home-his young cousin.
A gay, radiant creature, with q music
as of rippling brooklets in her merry
voice, and a face full of fun and laugh
ter, but without u particle of earnestness
underlying its varied expression.
could see that she shrank from me at
our first meeting, and 1 learned the rea-
son. was a cripple, and she was one
to whose exuberant health and beauty
loving nature any deformity or weak ness
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 toward me
"a dangerous one to me. had thought
her incapable of any seriousness of feel.
ing; now / found my mistake | had
thought her specifically fair. but soon
came to find beauty in her girlish face,
surprising that of any other had ever
seen.
The time flew by until the day came on
which had decided to go, and it was
well that it was SO; for knew thea that
almost unconsciously, an all-absorbing
love had been growing up In my heart
for the beautiful girl who was no more O
fitting mate for one like me than 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 /
was-a cripple.
So 1 went away, thanking my kind
entertainers, and binding with cords of
iron my heart, which throbbed like a
wild thing, when at parting she laid her
little hand in mine and said she was
sorry l was going.
Sorry-and 1, who was more than
sorry, could only utter the merest CON-
mon places.
To return to where 1 broke away into
remlnlScences-
AS SIcou Watching ucIs Sut luFHeu
and came towards me. l was not mis-
taken-enough graver and paler than of
old, before me she stood who was always
in my thoughts. So 1 addressed her
now.
"Miss Carleton, can it be possible you
are here risking your life in this fevered
atmospheric"
She gave me her hand quietly, as if it
had been but yesterday we parted.
II have been in the midst of the worst
of it." she said, ''for 1 came to D.
manning town a few miles distant) six
months ago. There L have been since,
until yesterday. I was sent here to take
the place of a nurse who has been taken
sick"
''But your aunt, where is she?" i asked,
land my friend your cousin? have had
no word from him for long time"