The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-02-09

| y
already been star-crowned.
"Then she is ill?''
dying! Dying! And 1 sitting
idly herer'
"Why did you not tell me of this
before2''
because 1 have begged so long
in vain. l had no money to pay a
doctor; and who would go forth on
such a night as this without it?''
My blood boiled so that 1 could
not answer. Could there be such
men? Alasi reason told me that
her words were but too true. With
out delay | gathered such things as
L fancied might be of service, wrap
ped the delicate form in a heavy
cloak, and with a few whispering
words of comfort we sailed out to
gether into the black night and
merciless storm and cold.
Fortunately, the distance we had
to travel was a short one. A few
houses passed, and she led me up
several flights Of dismal, creaking
stairs into room.
"Florence, is that your" | heard
asked by what my ear convinced me
was a pair of childish, almost infan-
tile lips.
eyes, my darling. Lie still for a
moment"
81 am so glad. You have been
so very, very long away, and l am
so cold and hungry, and it is so
dark, and l have been so frightened
at the strange noises"
My fair guide had been making
preparations to obtain a light; but
when she heard the words she flew
to the other side of the room, and l
knew that many warm kisses were
given and returned.
Excuse me-" she said as she re-
turned and lighted the little remnant
of the candle. Excuse, but had
been so long away frQm Ressie,"
| answered not. Her voice had
melody in it, now attuned by love
that | wished it to linger on my ear
unbroken, like the strains Of some
songs 1 have heard, and which
haunted me for years.
In moment the candle shed a
siokly light around the room. Lit
tie indeed, and unfurnished to moth
ingness. One scantily covered bed
was all! But within 1 saw a sweet
wee face that made me forget all
else. l approached it and laid my
hand upon the pulse Of the little
sufferer,
"Who are you" she asked, draw
ing back in alarm.
"He is a doctor, Bessie; a dear,
good, kind friend, replied her sister;
and from that moment she became
perfectly passive in my hands.
1t did not require one learned in
the science of materia medica to see
what was required. 1 made the
proper preparation, saw that it was
tenderly administered, told the eldest
sister that 1 would be back in a few
moments, and resisting all her at
tempts TO light me down stairs,
CROPPED my way out into the street
but a little distance as we came
along; and statement of the case
backed by that all-powerful king of
the world, gold, soon procured the
loan of a couple of chairs, fuel, light
and proper food, and in brief half
hour that little room wore some
thing like an air of comfort. An
other hour, and the eyes of the child
were closed in slumber, and / urged
her sister also to seek repose but in
vain.
"At least lie down and let me
cover you with nay cloak,p | urged.
NE, DOCTOR" was the constant
reply, 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
slumbering child-sat and talked of
what / was more than anxious to
hear. But the conversation of those
long, dark hours can be condensed
in a 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 a
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 disaster upon the land and
upon the sea-against which no
human forethought could guard,
combined with treachery and in
gratitude of the deepest dye, swept
away all. In their footsteps follow
ed the death of her mother, leaving
an infant of few months old. The
fond father struggled against the
tide manfully for brief time-then
his health gave away-he followed
his wife through the dark valley and
beyond the shining river, leaving
the elder sister to provide for the
younger.
"For a time" continued the poor
girl, 81 was able to live comfortably
by the sale of the furniture and
articles of value / possessed. Then
why should 1 unbosom myself to
a strangerf" she asked, stopping
suddenly, and looking me full in the
face.
Because" 1 replied, with a smile
at her earnestness, "because you
have found a true heart, and one
that can feel for you"
"Yes,may kind heaven be thanked :
/ feel that it is so. Well, / strug-
gled 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 OBJ
tanning little needle work, in short,
doing anything that my strength
permitted, until illness came. Still,
l gave not away to despair Truly.
was bound to the stake-a sweet
one, my darling sister. OF the in
suits l received while seeking for
work, shall not speak"
"And found no employment