The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-17

ried ont her threat to destroy herself or
not, but that was the general opinion
in the nsighborhocd, and it wa shared
by Harmon, who at last driven to des-
paration by the GOODNESS of his treat
ment, joined perhaps to the pangs OF
conscience, left the place, and was, at.
ter a time, no longer even thought
about.
Two years later, upon one of the
visiting days at the hospital, a beauti
full and stately young matron accom-.
panied a party Of friends through the
wards. She herself was one of the lady
managers, and knew about all the diff
erent workings of the benefcent inst1tu-
ton.
Her guests were from out of town
two of them being a bride and groom
The latter was her cousin, who had beer
ordered to the country the year previous
to recruit after a course of exhaustive
study in his Alma Mater. He had been
captivated by the naive sweetness of S
young country maiden and had sue.
ceeded in winning her love-not, how.
ever, without some trouble. For she
had received one bitter lesson in life
which had made her doubtful of man.
kind in general. But here she was with
him, as pretty as Il rose Just bursting
into blossom, and this wa her wedding
trip.
Katharine" said Mrs. Melville, 81
am sure You will admire one of the
nurses in the - Ward. She is &
perfect picture in her nun like garb
nr,th hor l1on1- or,, o-l ,-l I'LL.
But she is SO quiet that one would think
she must have met with a shock which
had turned her into a beautiful statute
of silence"
"You are growing absolutely roman.
tic, Cousin Lizzie" said Oscar Virgin
ton laughlngly. "When did the change
take place ill you?"
"But she is as quick and efficient as
though she lived and breathed only to
give aid to the sick and dying" con-
tinued the lady, smiling at Oscar,
but paying no other heed to his words.
Here she is now But something must
have happened; she looks strangely ex-
cited"
All eyes were at once turned towards
the young woman specified by Mrs. Mel
vile.
She was indeed worthy of the enconi-
UNI which had been passed upon her.
She was tall and slight, with large,
flashing. black eyes and exquisitely cut
features, which looked all the more
sculpturesque for the plain white set
ting OF her nurses cap.
She was bending over a cot upon
which lay a mar whose life was evident
ly fast ebbing away; and, as Mrs. Nell
vile paused and spoke to her, her agi-
tated face made it apparentthat she had
been recently moved by some strong
emotion.
Mrs. Melville was about to question
her about the patients under her care,
when a suppressed cry from the young
bride attracted the attention of all.
Katharine had turned very white, and
was clinging to her husbands arm,
while her eyes were fixed upon the
death-like face upon the pillow.
ooh" she said, shudderingly, cit is
Harmon Hart!"
With a tender "Never mind, Kitty;
he is nothing to you now" her husband
was about to draw her away from the
spot; but Like a flash had come an in.
tuition OF her personality to the nurse.
She fixed her eyes upon Katharine'a
shocked face and asked gently:
Are you she who was Kitty Nash?s
"Yes."
"Then providence has brought you tc
this bedside at this moment. I am
Nettie Stanton, and the man who
wronged us both lies before us. He is
dying. I have forgiven him freely.
Will you also speed his parting soul?"
at this moment the patient opened
his eyes and turned them first upon
Nettie, then upon Kittie; but he closed
them again with a groan.
kitty is here, Harmon" said Nettie
softly, "and I have told her that / have
forgiven you. lam sure she also cherish.
es no hard feelings toward you, turn
ing her eyes upon Katharine.
But even us Nettie spoke a SILVER
passed over Harmon's white face, and
he was no more.
Then with lips as pallid as that of the
dead, Nettie bent and kissed his marble
forehead.
Harmon had been her first and only
love, and now that he was dead she
would remain his faithful mourneI
through the rest of her life.
Thetwo women who had thus strange.
~ met beside hat solemn deathbed
formed for each other a lifelong friend
ship.
Later on Nettie told Katharine how
in her despair she had attempted to
drown herself and had been rescued by
u stranger, who had taken her to his
home In an exhausted condition. How
his wife,-an earnest Christian woman
had cared for her tenderly and had
labored successfully to bring her to a
knowledge of her Savior during the
long illness which followed, and how
she had risen from her sick bed deter
mined to devote her future life to doing
good to her suffering fellow beings
choosing for her sphere of action the