The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-06-22
departed, promising to send the doctor

departed, promising to send the doctor
from Altees,
l remained at the urgent request oi
AIiLs Allison. She had learned that ]
was going to quiet little farmhouse
only few miles distant, where 1 pro.
posed to spend the hot summer months,
and she would not let me continue my
journey through the blazing noontide
sun. In the evening, when it became
cool, she drove me over in her old
fashioned gig, by shaded woodland
road leading directly from her house to
the farm, and she expressed the hope
that 1 would come often to see her
while remained in the neighborhood.
1 was glad to avail myself of this
invitation. ] had from the first liked
the bright, lively, kind hearted little
lady, and 1 liked her the better the
more I knew of her.
My first visit to her was made osten.
sibly to inquire after her patient. He
had been very ill, she told me, with a
touch of brain fever, and she was still
anxious about him. Her whole heart
seemed stirred with compassionate ten
derness as she related to me what she
had gathered concerning him. He was
poor artist who had failed in his bust
ness, and, without home, friends OF
means, was making his way on foot to
the north, in the hope of finding some
kind of an opening there. What little
money he had possessed was exhausted,
and, having been refused food or a
nights lodging by one and another on
the way who never took in "tramps," he
finally succumbed to hunger and fatigue,
and would probably have died, Miss
Priscilla said, with choking sob, if we
had not fortunately found him in time.
When again called found MIR. Ar.
thur Field so far improved as to be sit
ting up, and even moving about his
room little. Miss Allison took me in
to see him, charging me not to talk too
much. And how assiduous she was in
Ter attentions-how closely she watched
even his looks and words in her anxiety
to do all that could be done for him.
And how quietly, intensely grateful he
was.
"She is an angel p he said to me in
low voice, in reply to some remark of
mine on her goodness OF heart. 81 had
no idea that such were to be found on
EARTH"
Miss Priscilla blushed little when I
told her of this.
"He's little weak-minded still, poor
fellow" she said, lightly touching her
forehead with her knitting needle (she
was knitting him pair of socks, having
already furnished the rest of his ward
robe). "By-and-bye he will find out
that angels don't go about in calico
dresses and muslin aprons"
She was afraid that he felt it little
lonesome, she said, as he grew well.
She had written to Alethia to pay her a
visit. They both drew, and they both
liked the game books, she had discov-
cred. Alethia would make it pleasant
er for him.
After while I noticed that she
left off calling herself his mother;
and that she took pains with her
dress, and arranged her hair in a
new and becoming style which gave
her much more youthful appearance.
| even discovered the disappearance
from her temples of few gray hairs
which had before observed there, As
for Mr.. Field, he was all tender and
respectful devotion, and evidently did
really consider her as in goodness at
least something very near an angel.
Priscilla" I said one day II was
somewhat older than she, and we had
become friendly and intimately, edo You
know that I think Arthur Field more
than half in love with you ?"
"Nonsense - she answered. But she
blushed painfully Notwithstanding.
"Hasn't he told you sop" ventured.
On this she burst into tears. And
then, in e usual frank and impulsive
way, it all came out.
"I know it is perfectly ridiculous" 1"
she said; can old woman like me,
nearly forty years old, and boy such
as he, not yet fve.and-twenty. But he
insists that years make little difference
where-where true esteem and-attach.
| ment exists"
a sudden thought flashed upon me,
and spoke it out at once in my feal
for her.
"He is poor, and you have money
enough. Perhaps he is influenced by
that consideration"
"No," che answered, quite calmly
~ told him some days since, when he
was talking about leaving and looking
for work, that he must stay here and
take care of my little place. Ut needs
looking after, you know, and he'll soon
learn), and l promised to provide for
him. Alethia will have enough of he,
own, even if she don't marry. In fact,
1 told him that would look upon him
as an adopted son and make him nv
heir, and so he need not feel anxious
about the future. And then he-welr
blushihg good deal and her hands
trembling little-''he proposed that ]
should take him as a husband instead
OF a son. And he said I was still young,
that people didn't grow old at five-and.
thirty, and that for himself, after all the
terrible trials he had gone through, and
all my goodness to him, he should never
love any woman as-well as he does me.
It's boyish talk, you see.'
Despite her attempt to speak lightly
there was light in the old maids eyes
softness and tenderness in her voice,
which betrayed that to her this offer oi
youthful love-the first ever laid at hen
feet, probably-was the dearest to hel
heart of anything on earth.
If were young" she continued
and there was positive sharp pain in
her voice and expression-"if were
young and pretty as once was, I might
think Of it. And if 1 had met him then
so exactly like what 1 used to think
as the sort OF man I could love, so re-
fined and noble and handsome, SO diff
ferent from the coarse men was ac.
customed why, we might have