St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-01-12


Meg called him aside and hesitatingly
| inquired whether he thought it would
| hurt the patient to be moved.
:. Um-m-m, no, don't think itwould
hurt him to be moved; in fact, am
sure it would not; but | would suggest
that you are in danger OF defeating your
own puFnose. Ii you nurse him too well,
] you know, be might recover, and that,
under the circumstances, would fall
little short Of disaster
Don't be brutal, Tom she said
q This place is ineffably dismal, and he
may as web be comfortable for the little
! time that is lett
| She took a cottage in the suburbs
near the river, with plenty of space
around it and windows that looked out
| upon an e1panse OF shining water and
/ far-blue rims of hills. It was June
about the verandas and windows hung
q mass of climbing roses that filled the
/ front room, with its wide windows and
its distant glimpses of river and green
hills beyond, went the inyalid's bed.
All day long tie fresh breeze from
the river, laden with the odor OF roses,
parted the tieecy drapery Of the win
dows and blew softly upon his face.
Everywhere reigned the delicious quiet
his tortured nerves had needed above
All things: the grateful absence OF the
sound OF wheels and other urban noises
that lad fretted his soul with their din
the only echo of these that reached
him now was the daily pilgrimage of
E'Tom Ainsleets buggy. Near him, all
1 day long, sat "Meg" in her soft white
| dress and her flowers with these light
on her brown hair, and q softer light in
Iiher great violet eyes; surroundings
which certainly invited an interest IN
terrestrial things, and. as the weeks
I passed by, John Hemingway, a man of
honor and sensitive conscience, began
| to be troubled with misgiying "a mis-
giving that after all he was not going to
1ulti3 his part of the contract He felt
that for the first time in his life he was
about to go sqHarely back on an obli-
cation. He lad entered into ) deliber-
ate contract to die within q given time,
and what amends could he make for
his uneenerous recovery? It would be
but poor return for her assiduous at
tention and tender ministrations. She
could not have been more sWeetly care
full OF his comfort If she had ssloved with
q love that was more than love, in re-
turn for which he was about to infict
upon her permanent and unmitigated
disappointment In vain he assured
himself that bad he ever dreamed of q
possible recovery be would never have
allowed her to take such q risk. This
II
pointment nor excuse his peridy.
He was thinking OF these things one
day as be lay with his face turned in
ward looking at Meg, whose eyes had
wandered from the book in her hand to
the hills beyond the river. She brought
them back presently, and they rested
for moment on the face among the
pillows. The disignring beard had
been removed and tie face was Ger
tainly better than when she had first
seen it. She supplied an imaginary
roundness of contour and decided that
nothing but health was needed to make
him very handsome man.
EtJohn, your face is certainly getting
fuller; suppose, after all. you should
get well?n
This sentence, inspired by q tender
interest. had somehow heartless ring
when uttered.
1T would certainly be ali unglateful
return for all your kindness, but ! ana
afraid | am getting better, he said,
apologeticalIy .sTn fact, Tom init
mated to-day that / might recover.
Nee also had snisgiving. She had
thought good deal about the posi-
bility Of his recovery, and wondered
whether it would make much difference
to him Whether John Hemingway,
restored to health and no longer in need
Of nursing, might not wish himself a
single man again; whether there might
not be ii all the lands he had traversed
some. one he would have preferred to
herif he could have had lis choice and
known that he was going to live, and
there was nothing reasoning in his re-
marx that he was afraid he was get
ting better. 7
Don't you want to get well, John?'
she asked. sadly, trying to scan his face
in the deepening twilight.
: Il is not the thing TO do under the
circumstances he answered. plaintiye-
ly. After 4 moments silence lie reached
down fer the hand that was resting on
his eountegpane, and asked, tremu-
lousy:
Would you he-very much disap-
pointed # | should get well?"
In aninstant she was kneeline by the
bed, with her arms around him, her
moist lashes brushing his face.
Jack, she said, : II you don't get
well Il be the Wretchedest widow that
ever sobked above the wreck Of bliss
:. Though man were dead yet shall
he live 1T such solicitation, said John,