Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-08-18

hungry, and it is so dark. and l have
been SO frightened at the strange
noises"
My fair guide has been making pre-
parations to OBTAIN light; but when
she heard the words she few to the
other side of the room, and / knew that
many warm kisses were given and re-
turned.
Excuse me-" she said, as she return
ed and lighted the little remnant of a
candle. Excuse, but had been SO
long away from Bessie"
/ answered not. Her voice had a
melody in it, now attuned by love,
that wished it to linger on my ear
unbroken, like the strains of some
songs / have heard, and which haunted
me for years.
In moment the candle shed a sickly
light around the room. Little indeed,
and unfinished to nothingness. One
scantily covered bed was all! But with
in | saw sweet wee face that made me
forget all else. approached it and laid
my hand upon the pulse of the little
sufferer.
"Who are your she asked, drawing
back in alarm.
Gle is doctor, Bessie; dear, good.
kind friend" replied her sister; and
from that moment she became perfect
ly passive in my hands.
1t did not require one learned in the
science of Muterid Medica to see what
was required. l made the proper pre-
scription, saw that it was tenderly ad-
ministered, told the eldest sister that l
would be back in few minutes, and re-
sisting all her attempts to light me
down stairs, CROPPED my way out into
the street. had noticed an eating
house at but little distance as we came
along; and statement of the case,
backed by the all-powerful king of the
world, gold, soon procured the loan OF
a couple of chairs, fuel, light, and
proper food, and in a brief halfhour
that little room wore something like an
air of comfort. Another hour and the
eyes of the child were closed in slum-
Der, and / urged her sister also to seek
repose, but in vain.
'At least lie down and let me cover
you with my cloak" | urged.
No, doctor" was the constant re.
ply, 81 cannot. | am so happy. 1t
must have been God that directed my
wandering steps to you"
And SO we sat with the night wind
roaring without, watching the almost
angelic face of the peacefully slumber-
ing child-sat and talked of what /
was more than anxious to hear. But
the conversation of those long, dark
hours, can be condensed into very
brief space.
She who would have sold her body
for the sake of giving little longer of
life to her sister, was the daughter of
at least supposed wealth. But few
years previously, she could have held
her head as high as the highest. Both
birth and education fitted her for it.
But misfortune came-a series of dis
asters upon the land and upon the sea
against which no human forethought
could guard, combined with treachery
and ingratitude OF the deepest dye
swept away all. In their footsteps fol-
lowed the death of her mother, leav-
ing an infant of but a few months old.
The fond father struggled against the
tide manfully for q brief time-then
his health gave wayne followed his
wife through the valley and beyond the
shining river, leaving the elder sister
provide for the younger.
For time," continued the poor
girl, ! was able to live comfortably by
the sale of the furniture and articles of
value possessed. Then-why should
| unbossom myself to q stranger she
asked, stopping suddenly, and looking
me full in the face.
Because" | replied with a smile, at
her earnestness; because you have
found a true heart, and one that can
feel for YOU"
eyes, may kind Heaven be thanked!
| feel that it is so. Well, / struggled
ON, no, fought were the better word, "
she continued, with the lines about her
mobile mouth becoming suddenly
hard-"I fought for life, sometimes
teaching, sometimes obtaining little
needle work; in short, doing anything
that my strength permitted, until i'll.
ness come. Still gave no way to des-
pair. Truly, was bound to the stake
"a sweet one, my darling sister. OF the
insults | received while seeking for
work, | shall not speak"
"And found no employment"
"None! Piece by piece | parted
with the little furniture l was the pos
s4ssor of, until what you see was all that
remained"
"My poor child !"
at is true"-I saw that she was nerv-
ing herself to tell me something that
was painful, very painful, and would
have stopped her, but she resolutely
contlnued-''it is true that money was
offered me by more than one man, but
| instantly and Indignantly hurled it
back in my insulter's face. Then,
great Heaven upon this bitter night,
with all of hope gone, determined to
sell my body to some surgeon"
"What in the name of Heaven could
have put such an idea into your head p
81 cont know-I cannot tell. Some
where | mad either heard or read OF
something of the kind"
You must have been very desper-
ate"
"On the verge Of distraction had
but one dream-one desire, to save
my darling even single hour of pain"
"Have you no relatives p
Sic paused and turned to smooth
the slumbering Bessie, and imprint a
kiss upon the curl-wreathed and snowy
brow; and l thought what desperate
trials one like her must have passed
through in order to bring her mind to
look calmly upon giving herself to the
knife and ribald jest of the dissecting
room. And | thought, too, of the
sterling truth of her young heart, that
could resist the allurements of gold
when so hedged by want and pain in
their terrible shape. l thought, too
but she interrupted me with:
'My kind friend-indeed, | might
say my only friend-when God raised
up to me in an hour when all was
darkness, and misery, and black death,
and n pauper's grave was staring me in
die face-my kind friend-but | am
have been keeping you from rest"
ME- A surgeons life is one that is
constantly broken in upon, and-will
you pardon mel have never had my
heart so deeply touched, or my feelings
so much interested, in all my life"
A faint rose-blush crept up from
the exquisitely nodded throat and
the soft cheeks. She took my
hand and pressed it to her lips, leaving
Il warm kiss lingering upon it.
Whnr, tho p,prpipo Goht hrDEa op,;,,