The Worthington advance., 1882-10-12

to read to-day; small pox has broken ont
in its worst form, and ! fear infection for
her. You will hasten back am sure to
warn her, won't your
"Of course. Dear me, how awful! /
have q dread of the terrible scourge my
self, so will turn back now"
She turned hack as she said she would ,
but instead of going by the highway and
! across the meadows--a short cut-she
took the long, pleasant path through the
woods, and arrived Mt the vickerage at
luncheon time, looking very haggard and
white. Her uncle said ut sight of her:
"Why, Lottie, what is the matter?
You look as if you had met a ghost"
~ have met something more danger
o,ls than that, uncle. have met DR..
Hastings, fresh from attending a small
p0x patient. That dreadful disease has
broken out in the parish. Where is VIZ
She must not 60 to her poor people to-
day." .-r=~
Mr.. Deering turned pale, then said:
'God will guard her. She st.rted soon
after you, hoping to catch you up, she
said. 1t is too late now to prevent l,er
paying her usual visits. l will 20 after
When Wis father met her coming
wearily through the meadows. she start
ed away from him, saying:
Papa, dear, don't touch me till have
bathed and changed my clothes. have
been where there is smallpox. am
not afraid for myself am Young and
strong-but am afraid for YOU"
A fortnight later v. fell ill Basil was
back, and had spent a pleasant week
with her. On hearing his darling was iii.
he resOlutely took up his abode in the
house, half heart-broken by his little
girls danger.
Lottie had gone back to town directly
she found her cousin was likely to take
the complaint.
Poor little vi went near to diving.
When she was past the crisis she wrote
a line to her lover, releasing him from
his engagement because, she said, she
had grown 50 awful to look upon, and
he for answer walked straight into ,hc
room she occupied and said: "Dar!ine,
DO you not know that my love does not
live on looks? You have beauty Of
heart and mind that can not die; that is
what feeds my love. leone to tell you
that shall claim my wife directly she is
strong enough to travel away to tho
beautiful lakes to grow we'll again"
Lottie heard the news Of her Cousins
marriage, and it seemed to bl the her,
for she Suddenly fell ill, and of that dis
case, which most Of all she dreaded.
Three months later, she, Scared beyond
all beauty, went down to the dear old
vlc;tragc, to get strong again, a repent
ant and almost heart broken woman,
poor, and without beauty. What was
she to make Of her life
Her uncle welcomed her kindly, and
tried to make her cOntentcd by leading
her thoughts above herself; but as the
soul awakened SO her sorrow increased.
She was morbidly sensitive about her
Disagreement, said it was 4 Judgment
upon her, and grew so fragile that her
uncle called in medical help.
DR.. Hastings heart ached at the change
III his idol, but his presence did her
good, for she unburdened all the bitter
ness Of her weak heart to him, and
gained comfort by his grave
assurance Of forgiveness from
Heaven. He was shocked by her
confession, but his love grew stronger
now he knew her need Of it, and when
the winter snow whitened the world
about them he took her to him, hum
b'ed and a better woman than she had
ever been had beauty been left her to
destroy the gentler part Of her. A year
| later she met her cousin at Il flower
show. vi had quite got back her looks:
and was tendcrly compassionate Of Lot
tic, because she imas sined herself in a
part to blame for her cousins disiigure-
| ment. Every kind word of hers struck
to Lottie's soul, and in Il repclltant mood
she told of the cruel delay on her par.
that led to Wis illness.
II could have saved you, dear, but
did not because of my cruel jealousy
can you forgive me?"
81 can, dear, AND be grateful to you.
for through my illness l knew that my
h islands love did not live on looks.
You should be grateful, too, dear, for
misfortune found 4 true heart for you.
! Here come our husbands; such love as
theirs lives unstained by all the scars OF
life. That thought should be our happi-
! ness"