Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-09-18
And preposterous as It vas Size for

She was not by my side when ] need
ed her most. When the tato men were
rubbing me with salt flannel cloths and
the doctor was pouring brandy down
my threat. Oh, how / needed her IN
that painful struggle, s,hen, as they
said, - the fever turned. How TneeCl-
ed her in those hours of mortal weak
ness which succeeded. I could not ask
for her. I could not speak. I could
only think and pray for her, and look
ut 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.
g These pictures, said the dOetor.
smiling, have come in fora good deal
of brain trouble, y 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 insignifi-
can't!
But said I, doctor, all this is
very well; but what has become of
Helen, my Helen Froment, my Wife?''
The doctor laughed.
My dear boy" said he, 'sshe was
only a par6.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 fervently. She
knew, however, that you were us mad
as halter, and she will never sue YOU
| for breach of promise of marriage. She
is down with the fever herself, poor
girl.
would not believe it; I did not be-
! lieve it, and don't believe it. / would
wait and see Arthur, and ask him if it
were not a conspiracy of my enemies.
! When we two met again we were two
| perfect plumbing which had made me
i'll had reached my generous friend, and
| together we had made night hideous fol
the respectable mansion in West Blank
street.
But Arthur had not lost wife as
had done, and he got we'll 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, . that was true
My sisters governess did come home
late, after 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, l am sure. y
/ did see her later; and / agreed with
Arthur that she was not MAJ 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 I had
created that Eve [ was a demi-gOd. !
could not surrender the powerful inn
( preston to disbelieve in her. It seemed
like an infidelity to a real woman
/ What if, unknown to all the world,
some dear creature. inspired by divinest
/ pity, had deceived the nurses and the
doctor, had entered and cared for me,
had loved me and had accepted my love
in return? was pledged 10 this being.
She was mine. She should be my wife
/ should meet her again. / shall meet
her again; | am convinced of it.
+ My doctor sent for Dr. Hammond tC
come and talk to me about the brain.
Ee told me of one of his patients, who
always saw Sir Walter Raleigh if he
! tied his necktie too tight, and so on.
doctor, said I, twill you kindly
tie my necktie in such manner that
can see Helen again.
g Afraid to do it, sir!'' said the great
brain man ''Helen was born of a Sc
we're typhoid delirium, and a picture.
Your nurse-the curtain even took her
shape. She was the asthet;c untouched
side of your brain, the relief from the
tortured side; that in you which loved
music and painting and poetry, called
itself Helen. No! I am afraid you have
lost your wife. -
doctor" said l, g do these spirits
or visions paint in water colors?''
And 1 drew from a little drawer in
my table. where had seen her place
it, Helen's copy of the Rubens.
That's a pretty study" said the
| doctor, looking up at the original
''DOne by one of Arthur's sisters, /
dare say They all have artistic tai
ents. these Clarks.'
Doctor, I saw my wife paint that,
and-look in the corner for the initials,
if you will. y
Yes; H. F., . said the doctor; ''a
curious coincidence; Horace Farley,
perhaps, but certainly not Helen Fro
ment- she has been dead two hundred
years. You will get over this dream,
my dear boy, when you are stronger,
and out of this room, and away from
that picture, which reached the brain
lust as it was in an excited state. It
will pass,