St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-09-22
And preposterous as it was, she for

rubbing me with salt flannel cloths and
the doctor was pouring brandy dowr
my throat. Oh, how / needed her in
that painful struggle, when, as they
said, the fever turned" How need
ed her in those hours of mortal weak
ness which succeeded I could not ask
for her. I could not speak. / could
only think and pray for her, and look
at the door to see if she were coming
in. 1t was the third day, think, after
this that the doctor told me that Arthur
had the fever, upstairs; that had worn
out two trained hospital nurses, and
that had been SO delirious as to need
the attendance of two men.
"These pictures, said the doctor,
smiling. "have come in fora good deal
of brain trouble" and he pointed to the
Cenci, still covered.
He stepped to the frame and took
down the cover. How poor and pale
a copy it seemed, how utterly insigniti-
cant!
But" said I, "doctor, all this is
very well; but what has become Of
Helen, my Helen Froment, my wifepp
The doctor laughed.
My dear boy" said he, .'she was
only part Of the fever. One of your
insane dreams. That excellent Miss
Hunt-she is elderly and plain enough
for all professional purposes, but she
had to ring the bell and summon Simon,
you made love to her so feryently. She
knew, however, that you were as mad
as a halter, and she will never sue you
for breach of promise of marriage. She
is down with the fever herself, poor
girl. 2 @
NJ l would not believe it; I did not be.
lieye it, and | don't believe it. III would
wait and see Arthur, and ask him if il
were not conspiracy of my enemies.
When we two met again we were two
ghosts of long standing. The same i'm
perfect plumbing which had made me
i'll had reached my generous friend, and
together we had made night hideous for
the respectable mansion in West Blank
street.
But Arthur had not lost wife as
had done, and he got well quicker. ]
could not help asking him if there was
not some foundation for my theory OF
Helen. Had not somebody entered the
house by the balcony that dreamy, star
ry night?
:" Yes said Arthur, sthat was true.
My sisters governess did come home
late, after q railway detention. and did
get in over the balcony, and was scared
at finding YOU in the room. She was
off the next morning however, bright
and early, and you would not call her
Helen if you saw her now, I am sure. y
| did see her later; and / agreed with
Arthur that she was not npy Helen, at
least.
But the memory was too strong to be
shaken OFF. Where had gone that real,
that beautiful person who had made me
so happy? Where was that rare intel
ligence, that cool hand, that fresh, Wig
orous, untiring young girl? II had
created that Eve I was demi-god. ]
could not surrender the powerful i'm
preston to disbelieye in her. 1t seemed
like an infidelity to real woman.
What if, unknown to all the world,
some dear creature, inspired by diyinest
pity, had deceived the nurses and the
doctor, had entered and cared for me,
had loved me and had accepted my love
in return? I was pledged to this being.
She was mine. She should be my wife
[ should meet her again. / shall meet
ler again; am convinced of it.
My doctor sent for Dr.. Hammond to
come and talk to me about the brain.
Re told me of one of his patients, who
always saw Sir Walter Raleigh if he
led his necktie too tight, and so on.
ts.1 Doctor,' said /, twill you kindly
lie my necktie in such manner that ]
can see Helen again. y
g" Afraid to do it, sir!'' said the great
Drain man .sHelen was born of a Sc
1ere typhoid delirium, and a picture.
Your nurse-the curtain even took her
shape. She was the aesthetic untouched
tide of your brain, the relief. from the
iortured side; that in you which loved
music and painting and poetry, called
Itself Helen. No! I am afraid you have
ost your wife. -
doctor" said |, "do these spirits
" visions paint in water colors?''
And | drew from a little drawer in
ny table, where / had seen her place
t, Helen's copy of the Rubens.
THAT'S a pretty study said the
loctor, looking up at the original.
!. Done by one of Arthur's sisters, I
lare say. They all have artistic tai
,nts, these Clarks.
doctor, ] saw my wife paint that,
in the corner for the initials,
f you WILL
Eyes; II. F." said the doctor; "a
curious coincidence; Horace Farley,
perhaps. but certainly not Helen Fro
nent- she has been dead two hundred
ears. You will get over this dream,
ny dea9 boy, when you are stronger,
md out of this room, and away from
hat picture, which reached the brain
ust as it was in an excited state. 1t
viii pass
But it has not gone; and I still have
he little water color which has never