Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-13
Albert, Pve been looking TOR you every

a seat mere DY me. ANNIE, Just u ltttit
while. L never see You alone by any
chance"
Il cannot, Albert"
mot for a dozen seconds?v
mo. you are wanted in the house."
"Ah" he exclaimed, much interested.
"Yes. told the Judge when l carried
him his breakfast that you had come, and
he says he will see You at nine, and it is
nearly that now"
Il will be punctual, of course; but, An
ME, there are still five minutes, and I'ye
something TO say to you, something about
Charlie"
II cannot wait here. will see YOU in
the house, she said, as she quietly walked
away.
''She is the stnpidest of prudes," he
thinks, watching her graceful figure down
the garden path. ''Outwitted twice, once
by child, once by a silly woman who
worships me! But, patience! day Will
come when | will be hero to bOth-alsO
a tyrant, which, with women, means much
the same thing"
This last reflection seemed to bring a lit
tie comfort, for, raising his head with his
old arrogant air, he walked back to the
house, and, little later, knocked very
gently at the door of its invalid MASTER
room. 1t was opened a very little way by
a neat-lOOking cOlOred man, and a
neryOusly:
who's there, John?"
cts Mr.. Beltham, SIR
ASK him to come in"
Without waiting further invitation the
young man entered, but stopped long
enough to shut the door with elaborate
gentleness before speaking to the sick
man.
He, sitting prOpped with pillows in an
easy chair, looked what he was, the wreck
of a once handsome and stately gentle
man. His long, gaunt figure is clad in a
soft flannel dressing wrap, and his feet,
cumbrOusly wrapped and bundled, rest on
a low chair. One glance shows them per-
pectly useless. Judge Barrett has not
walked a step in thirty days. Indeed his
emaciated figure indicates such weak
ness, hat even if he had not lost the use
of his lower limbs. whether he has
strength enough to stand upright is a
questionable matter. His face shows all
the painful peculiGTlties of long suffering.
His eyes are hOll, ~, and the skin of his
face distressingly drawn and wrinkled.
But his eyes, brilliant and piercing still,
seemed to defy disease, and asserted by
every intelligent token that there had as
yet come no diminutiOn of his intellec-
tual vigOr. He looks kindly at his Yisi-
Tor, and, extending a thin, shaking hand,
says:
"Come in, Albert. I'm almost glad to
see you"
The younger man smiled pleasantly, and
said:
sit is always pleasure to see you,
Judge, particularly looking as bright
eyed as you do to-day. | think you could
look a man through and through with the
same keen scrutiny which has so long dis
tinguished your glance. Permit me"-and
leaning down he moved the rumpled pill
lows which supported the gentleman's
shoulders ever so little, but it was "the
little" they lacked before. "There! don't
that do better?"
"Tharksl yes, it does. You are born
nurse, Albert, which few people are. My
wife is too tender, she is too sympathetic
to be completely successful, though she is
most patient and kind"
"Annie is thoroughly devoted person
/ to those she loves, Judge, and if her hand
| trembles and is, for that reason, less eff
! fectiVe, we. who know her we'll, can eX-
! cuse it for the tenderness it suggests. You
are more comfortable this mOrning?'
! ''Yes, yes; possibly a little less uncOm-
| Portable. What news do you bring? Pve
! not felt equal to the morning papers YETI
| Scan you stand having them read, and
| order me to stop when you grow tired ~
"YOu may try, Albert. Sometimes
| enjoy having things done for me, and
| Oftener my head won't stand it. Are you
! a pretty fair reader|
Il think | am" the young man replied,
| frankly, for he knew we'll that Judge Bar
rett was given to being sarcastic, and i'm
patient with anything like atfectatiOn.
The papers were read, and the reading
! proved eminently successful. Very care
fully was any article or paragraph omit
! ted which was likely to run against his
bOSt'G XVpll known DrOoliVitiQS in mattprS
civil or political, and then followed a
! short discussion of a few important cur
rent topics; and when Mr.. Beltham had
| reached the pOint OF being altogether en-
| tertaining he got up to excuse himself.
Being born with sort Of happy tact he
! knew just how to make his value felt, and
| especially anxious to demonstrate his fit
ness for a sick mans companion, he mod
estly proposed to withdraw when his so.
cIetY was above par.
Not word had been said of the gentle
mans condition-not a word of physicians
| or medicines, not hint that this was the
! last act in the drama of human life fast
nearing that final lowering of tho cur
tain which would shut out all human in
terests forever. The sick man had not
been pitied. In all the flush and energy of
full health the young man had not sug-
gested painful contrast with his invalid
and hopeless condition by wOrdy express
SiOns of sad sympathy. On the contrary,
he had acted and spoken exactly as If the
two had met on equal ground. Indeed
Mr.. Beltham had adrOitly insinuated into
| his talk certain courteous envy of the
sick man, Il sort of skillful flattery, as if
he would be glad to compound with an
| interesting invalidism which was hedged
about with such a sufliciency of honOrs,
ETC., etc, etc. The impression he made
was, of course, pleasant. A man may
know himself to be hOpelessly diseased,
may know that his days of usefulness are
over, may know that, in point of availa-
bility, he is in effect already dead. but he
feels certain sense of insult at these in
evitable conclusions being thrust too
prominently into his thoughts. He in
tinitely prefers the gross t1attery which
includes him still in the lists, still on the
roll-call of the capable and strong.
Judge Barrett felt almost a sense of
pleasure in Alberts visit. His looks, his
words, his very manner were deferentiaI,
suggesting constantly a wide difference
between host and guest, always highly
fiatIering to the former. 1t had been a
careful study, this morning visit, how
ever; certainly it seemed only the outcome
Of courteous and respectful admira-
ton.
Are you going already, Albert? 1 had
a few matters of business to talk with
you about, though, to tell the truth, 1 had
rather not touch them to-day"
Cuisines? Ont my dear, sir, that can
easily wait. | shall be here several days,
and any time will do for that. Indeed, if
L can arrange my work at home, l shall
be able to run up and see you almost any
time during the fall l won't stay now,
but l will come in this evening or tO-mor-
row and hear you again. l have been so
well entertained fear Fve tried your pa
thence. My mother says must not be too
selfish, but let you rest whenever you are
inclined"
The sick man smiled comfortably and
pleasantly.
''These women folks take too good care
of me; but believe am too tired to sit
longer. If l am sleepless tonight,
may send for you to talk little with me-"
Il shall be only too glad to come, but
you must be very certain of the sleepless-
ness before you send, for I'm too apt to
forget how the time passes in here"
AS he speaks he espies a half-closed
blind, through the top of which the sun
shoots down on the room too brilliant a
ray for delicate nerves, and softly walk
ing across the room, says to the waiting
man:
''YOu had better keep this turned
down, John. The light is so concentrated
it has hurt my eyes. The shaded light
Is moro prataflI - and with n most 70