Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-11

CHATTER XIII.
Continued from last week.

uHCcOIlIp MI DdlhtI VII Jut SJdlIb On6
day, but would you mind telling me
how the baby is?'
Better" said the old gentleman in
a whisper Bring your pipe and come
rup and stay with me for an hour"
Their speaking acquaintance began
from that moment, and in after days
MIR. Parker was wont to tell extraordi-
nary stories of the eccentric old gentle
mans room. They were waited upon
by Sensi, who brought them curious
liquors and rare old wines, such as he
had never believed existed out of Monte
Christie; they were served on trays of
solid gold-Mr. Parker swore to that
when doubted. There was different
glass for each liquor and wine, slender,
fragile, and exquisitely cut, and for the
last-a celestial nectar, according to
Mr.. Parker's description-they had COB
lets of pure gold, studded with gems.
This may have been the effect Of the
magnificent meerschatlm, or it may have
been true. No one believed him till
years afterwards, when tray of solid
gold and two goblets of the same prec-
ious metal, Sunderland thickly too
'ieii 't'IutpIV SNIlo, olOOi uDutl RldoS
shade in DR.. Parker's drawing-room.
He spoke of them as wedding present
from his wife's uncle, and said not a
word about Mr.. Barker.
In those early days of their acquaint-
ance while baby was i'll, the eccentric
ledger seemed to like the simple-heart-
ed, earnest-minded student. lie could
look at him very kindly through thCse
hideous blue spectacles, and speak sym
rathetically in spite of his terrible voice
and bushy grey beard. All Mr.. Parker's
secrets came out under the influence of
the magnificent pipe and the rare old
wine, and not thing was left untold
even his love for Margaret.
II KNOW" he said, nothing could be
more hopeless, and am wrong to build
up such heaven out of her kindness.
She would be sorry, and angry too"
"Why?o
~ shall have to depend entirely on
my profession, and that means many
years hard work"
80 much the better said the old
gentleman, cheerily. "If profession
is worth anything, you ought to desire
nothing better. You would hardly, if
you are the man | take you to be, care
to depend on your wife or your mother"
Certainly not"
And unless you have expectations
from grandfather who may outlive
you, dr an uncle with half-a-dozen
nephews and nieCes besides yourself,
what else would you depend uponY Be
ndependent-work and wait, and do
not forget the faint heart which never
won fair lady. Not that Miss Allen
by is fair-it is just healthy English
medium color that will wear well. She
might do worse
you refer to me sir?"
Yes sir, do. There are plenty Of
better-looking men-plenty."
Il know it" said Mr.. Parker, meekly.
And you are not genius the old
gentleman went on: but that is so
much the better. No woman in her
senses would marry a good-looking
genius. Work and wait, and win my
boy, and you may find friend in me-"
Mr.. Parker took comfort from that.
1t was promise of the vaguest kind,
but the medical student had unlimited
faith III the eccentric dodgers power;
and from this time the oddly-assorted
pair were very much together; they had
an interest in cOmmon-little Arthur's
danger. The child was i'll much longer
than he would have been in the ordinary
| course of things; for he had been over
| INDUCED, and an obstinate low fever
chung to him. Mr.. Barker had misgiv-
ings of his own, based on guilty knowl-
edge of tamarinds and preserved ginger;
but baby had been petted and spoiled
throughout the house, and there was
great rejoicing when he toddled about
| again. H. was sadly wasted and there
did not seem much of him left but gold
en- hair and large bright eyes: but he
| soon picked up
A second blow, however, and a
| heavier one fell upon the house. Mary
was taken i'll. She had been needlessly
| anxious over her boy.
Now she was stricken down. Doctor
| Hyde looked grave when Mr. Barker
asked him what was the matter with
her, and the old man said:
| There is danger?o
There is danger" was the grave re-
ply, her system is sadly shaken, and
| some latent symptoms of pulmonary
| disease have shown themselves, but the
| worst feature is fever.
"Such as the boy had?
mo, you must keep him away from
| her"
"Mercliul Heavens, man, you Will
| not tell me it is contagious?"
| mo more so than typhoid fever
| usually is" the young doctor said, with
a dryness in his voice that was not in
| his eyes.
The old man bowed his head in his
| hands with a groan.
| That is the one thing in the world |
would not have" he said, 1--WE must
save her, George; you love her | know,
| but not as do"
| Not as you do repeated DR.. Hyde,
quietly; but my future lives or dies
with her
| lie had never limited at this before,
| but Mr.. Barker understood him; he
| comprehended how difficult it would be
| for Arthur's dearest friend to under
take the guardianship of Arthur's girl
iSh widow, and retain only brotherly
| feeling as the time wore on.
/ btOlSt IiNut Hdu lllttllutu W Ndlu
| till Mary's sorrow for her young huS-
| band became memory, and left room
for new thoughts of the time to come,
but he told the eccentric ledger now
how much he had built upon winning
Marys love.
II had begun to feel, he said, that it
was only question of time, and now
| this trouble has come
This may be only question OF
time" Mr.. Barker replied. Mary is
young, and if you doubt your own skill,
or your affection renders you nervous,
have a physician; then there is the
nursing, Margaret must not run the
risk, although she would, and it is a
matter in which | am powerless."
Mrs. Allenby has offered her services,
and in the most generous spirit" said
George; "but then"
do not think of me. Would she be
| l.