The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1883-09-08

uAAuSOMb u woman HS ever 4 beS-h MOSt
Like Q queen, / should say. That's n rea-
son ! picked hher out as the 2astors wife.
Is Mrs. Sherman anywhcres around here2
II you spy her, won't you point her out to
me? One always wants to see what the
wife OF o distinguished man rs like, you
know. Pears like we don't Just know what
10 think Of him until we see what kind of q
he's married"
] don't see her just now" annie was
growing sick and cowardly, ashamed TO re-
veal herself to the blunt dame. @She is,
as you have heard. plain IN appearance
very ordinary You would never single
her out In a crowd as Mr.. Sherman's wife"
Then she got herself away out of the
throng while she had strength to move;
slipped through a side door opening upon
the parsonage garden, and 50 reached her
home, deserted this afternoon, even by the
servants, and had several hours IN which to
think and TO- suffer.
The parsonage was crowded with visitors
all the evening; but Mrs. Hayward was to
the fore, and diverted general attention
from the harassed looks of the hostess who
poured our unnumbered cups OF tea and
coffee in the heated dining room, fr obedi-
ence to the orders of the young lady and
gentleman, walters moving and speaking
Inv "a Az - A4C0Ms 0AO wSAO - RASAA
hlaAk silk her hhsiir was tucked tightly be-
hind her ears, and her collar WIS crooked.
Such a foRlorn and don't carish fgureI"
muttered one school girl to another.
For once she applied her adjectives COR
rectly. Annie was forlorn, and she did
not care how she looked or what became of
her.
It wac on that night that little Bennie,
her dead fathers namesake and the moth
er's boy" Of her flock, was taken Ill with
scarlet fever. Few men are born nurses;
but some, under the teaching of love, rival
woman In this her peculiar sphere; develop
much patience, ingenuity and tenderness as
combine with their strength to make them
blessed ministrants In the chamber of suf-
fering. George was deeply attached to his
boy. He would have Topped of his right
hand without q murDur, il by the lesser loss
be could save the priceless life that was in
visible danger from the beginning of the
attack. But, unskilled II household occupa-
tons, with q natural aversion to the home
IL details Of a sick room, and the shrinking
from the contemplation of physicalanguish
common to those who are themselves fault
lessly sound in health. he was a hindrance
rather than a help to those who had the
care Of the unconscious child. The disease
a. ~ us Will bM vi
the third day after the seizure the phys
icians pronounced the case hopeless.
The verdict was given beside the dying
child and in the presence of both parents.
Bennie lay in his mothers lap, his restless
head pillowed upon her BOSOM. She did
not quail at the dread sentence, did not
weep nor move; only gazed upon her dar-
lingo tscs With an expression that awed
and Gained these who saw 1t. Her eyes
were clear and solemn, and had o forseeing
look that seemed to follow him, anticipa-
iton, into the shadowless land.
MY bonnie, bonnie boyi" she said, soft
~, forgetful that others were by, your
cross has been light; your crown has some
very soon. The dark valley is q safe and
easy road to such tiny travellers"
The family physici9n, q grave, observant
man, heard the loving murmurs as he stood
behind her chair, moved aside instinctively
to make room for the father, who had bowed
his head upsn the mantle with a heavy
groan when the truth was told him, and
now turned as if to approach his wife. He
checked himself q few passes of, started
wildly at the changed face lying rgainst the
mothers breast, and rushed from the apart
ment, The holy tranquility of Mrs. Sher-
mans eyes was troubled.
Poor papav' she said simply, "he viii
miss his boy. Doctor, viii you 90 to him,
please2 He needs comfort"
There is but one earthly friend whose
presence would be acceptable to him al this
moment, madam, was the respectful re-
ply, and that is his wife Your child will
not notice your absence; ne does not suffer;
your husband does"
She did not answer for several moments,
and her face dropped lower until it rested
on Bennie's. aYou may be right" she said
at length. Can you hold him while / am
gomez"
Her light footstep was soundless in the
carpeted hall nd library. The door OF the
inner room-George's sanctum-was shut
but not fast; it moved without sound upon
its hinges, but she did not pass the thresh-
hold. Why should she, when n glance
showed her the physicians mistake?
George sat in his study chair, one elbow
on his knee, his face hidden in his haDdker-
chief, weeping in the vehemance OF woe so
terrifying to the beholder that it shakes man
hood srom self control. Mrs. HAYWARD
knelt E1pon q hassock before him, her tears
streaming fast as his. Her left arm was
about his neck and his encircled her waist.
An affecting tableau / should not dare to
describe were not the sketch taken from
life.
Dearest Georgeln she cooed, for the
sake Of the children and friends left to
you, for the sake of your work, do notyield
to this crushing blowl Oh, If my love and
sympathy could lessen one pangl the
knowledge Of my devotion comfort you'll"
Sweet comforter my angel of mercyl
What should I do this hour without
you?"
Annie saw her husband wipe away the
grief marks from the face ~upturned to his,
and stoop to kiss it; she shut tie door as
noiselessly as she had opened it, and went
back to her boy.
The last scene was very near. Mrs.
Sherman held him all throughthe final con-
~vulsions fearless and apparently composed:
Some one suggested that Mr.. Shermsn