The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-07-27
CHAPTER XVII.
SEVENTEEN YEARS BEFORE.


| SEVENTEEN YEARS BEFORE.
"Good-bye, Rose Goodbye, my iar-
ling, for two long. long weeks. Do you
know, ut this last moment, l am more
than half sorry that in gong upon this
expedition to the interior l have ar
ranged to leave YOU behind me? You
are looking pale; you are dropping
under this fervid sun, and unless some
of your bloom comes back by the time
1 do. l shall be tempted to leave the
railway interests of Cuba in the lurch,
and carry my Northern rose back to
her cline"
The world was seventeen years
younger when these words were spok-
en-. and Power Oliphant was taking his
first leave for any protracted time of
his young wife. A party of gentlemen,
..booted and spurred," were. waiting
him in the courtyard, the pretty Span
ish hostess of the old Spanish house
where he was leaving his wife, was
looking down upon them from the vine
wreathed balcony, and a black nurse
with chubby infant in her arms was
lettering in the background.
Goodbye, my Rose! Take care of
yourself and the little ones"
The last word was spoken, the last
kiss given, and no prescience came TO
either that this was to be an eternal
parting. Power turned in the saddle to
wave his hand to her as the little caval-
cade moved away, and tender light
came into the soft eyes which followed
him.
1t has been no hard task to learn to
love him." thought she. Then the
heavy gate changed after the party, the
clatter of hoofs died away on the mae
adamized road, and Rose fingered by
the splashing fountain to watch baby
taking her morning airing among the
flowers,
Bring her to me, nurse" The COM
mand was long coming that day. Now
that Power has gone, a dull stupor
which she had fought against these past
few hours seemed claiming her, body
and mind She shivered little in the
soft morning air, but she lifted the year
old child and carried her up the flight of
marble steps to the verandah, and on
into the pleasant, airy chamber where
the sonora was reclining on bamboo
rocker, the smoke of cigaritto curling
about her head.
''Why should you burden yourself
with the little one?" asked the latter,
reprovingly. "Let Mia take her. You
will wear yourself out with the exertion
you make, and that is never wise when
there is fever in the air.
''They have it under command in the
lower town, Power tells me. You, be-
ing a native, have no fear of it, l sup
pose?"
Not fear it? Holy mother! If it
comes into the upper town 1 shall fly,
fly, fly" responded the sonora, fervent-
ly. Let us pray that it stop where it
1t had given very little apprehension
thus far, being confined to the lower
districts and among the shipping. but
few burning days changed the aspect.
The fever overleaped the narrow bounds
which held it, and spread rapidly in all
parts of the city, and one of the first to
90 down under the devastating scourge
was poor Rose Oliphant.
There was sudden panic in the house
hold. Sonora Alverez was as good as
her word. for no sooner did she know
what had befallen her guest than she
made her hurried preparations for de-
parture.
1.-The Holy Virgin protect us now,
Amarillo. you VIII remain with the
Sonora Oliphant. Conrad, YOU will
take message to our own good doctor,
and let the padre also know. He will
not take it amiSs though she is not of
our faith."
Rapidly issuing her orders, the sonora
did not stay to See that they were put
into execution, and where the mistress
fled in direst CONSERVATION, what could
you expect of the servants? When the
physician arrived. he found the house
deserted except by the sick woman,
who was tossing and muttering in wild
delirium. His first step after admin
istering his medicines. was to cut off the
long, lovely golden hair, his next to Sc
cure a nurse and install her in the sick
room-by no means an easy thing then
to do.
81 can send you the very person."
said afellow practitioner of whom he
was making inquiry. "A New Orleans
creole who has been nursing in the low
err town ever since the fever broke out.
l have been expecting her to go down
with it-shA eeems pre-disposed to dis
ease-but if she is about yet she will