Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-02-29


Arthur disappeared about this time.
l asked for him. and they said he had
gone away. should have missed him
more. hut Helen. Helen Troment, be-
came so devoted to he. She did not
60 back to Mrs Clark with the books.
She stayed and n1Irsed me most assidu-
ouslv. She could draw and paint very
well in water co!ors. and finding that
this quiet accomplishment amused
without wearying me. she was kind
enough to sit hv my side and let me
watch her. Then she told me quaint
stories iii German accent, and read
poetry to me. and i'll u low rccitative or
IN sort of chant she gaze my weary
ears the relief of pretty and plaintiff
ballads of her own German land. which
she sang in pure, simple ballad voice,
the best of all voices
One hot evening sic said to me, DO
you know what mig Int this is? 1t is the
eve of St. John midsummer night " hen
the spirits of men go forth to meet God
in the woods; the angels are about us" "
But | was getting too much white
about this time, and the strong white
draperv and tie sad fac, of the Cenci
began to trouble ne. ask I'd Helen to
turn that picture away, so couid not
see it. THAT | cannot do said she.
but con throw my dark shawl over
it" and >he did.
Helen Froment. EleaEtime, Ruben's
Helen, continued to smile and he ami
able. | asked the other Helen to make
me little copy of the bright face, and
to leave it where could tip it up with
my weak hand, and look at it a little
nearer. This she did, but when l tried
to grasp it | found ont how weak l was.
I found that | could not even master
that frail piece Of paper.
You must remember said Helen,
"you are still very ILL.," and she laid the
sketch away in a drawer of my little
table.
Then l began to get hettcr. l was
strong. convale cent. / re.1lrned in
thought to the world. and With me into
land of health came the patient girl
who had now become my daily com.
pan!On She did not take all the care
of me. Two men seemed to do that.
/ cOuld not exactly tell where or when
they came in, but just about with the
disappearance of Arthur, l should say
that vague, uncertain period. not far
from the time when Helen came in.
1t seemed to me that this state of
things had gone on for weeks, and that /
began to know Helen as n man ought to
know woman whom he shall love and
marry. | began to watch for fitting op-
portunitv to tell her that / loved her,
that she was the being of all others to
make me happy. owed it to Helen to
tell her So, and | felt that we must
make some excuse to our friends for
being so much together, that even the
doctor might think it strange, that per
haps Arthur yes Arthur. Where
was Arthur?
But when l was ready to frame these
sentences, Helen always evaded me
sometimes tinkling of that ridiculous
bell-and the men nurses came in
sometimes the doctor himself, never
Arthur.
The parlor began to look unlike the
parlor. The piano was covered over
with a white cloth, and bottles stood
upon it. Nothing seemed changed on
the walls, but the cloth which had
hidden the Cenci.
That had fallen, and suddenly the
figure seemed to bend ont of the frame,
and to nod to me.
"Helen!" 1 shrieked- Helen! Hide
the Cenci from me-"
Her cool hand was over my eyes in a
moment and the vision passed away.
Poor troubled BRAIN" I heard her
say. as she rubbed my forehead with
her soft hand until went to sleep.
1t would be absurd to try to follow
this love aGair. Suffice to say we got
to understand each other, and Helen
promised to marry me. We had, of
course. to wait until I should recover
my health. which was as yet uncertain.
Helen always said, Patience, dear
est. patience! all will be well. I will
wait for you. You have a long summer
before you, in which YOU must recover.
Meanwhile let us go on with the read
ing, the music, the painting" Helen
was sweet and consis ent, and obeyed
her.
And then we constructed our whole
future life. She was to be my economi-
cal helpmate; with her little savings
and mine we could afford o modest
home.
We could begin plainly and live
cheally. She would still ply her
brush and would dig away down in
Wall street. but we should he together.
We had our love as a splendid capital.
That was invested for us, and with that
we could not be poor.
1t was the third day, I think. after
this tina. the doctor told me that Ar
thur had the fever up stairs; that had
worn out two trained hospital nurses
and that l had been so delirious as to
need the attendance of two men.
"These pictures" said the doctor,
smiling, have come in for a good deal
of brain trouble" and he pointed to the
Cenci, still uncovered.
He stepped to the frame and took
down the cover. How poor and pale a
copy it seemed, how utterly insignifi-
cant!
But" said I, doctor all this is very
we'll; but what has become of Helen,
my Helen Froment, my wife,"
The doctor laughed.
My dear boy" said he, "she was
only part of the fever. One of your
insane dreams. That excellent Miss
Hunt she is elderly and plain enough
for all professional purposes, but she
had to ring the bell and summon ST.
mon, you made love to her SC fervently.
She knew. however, that YOU were as
mad as ha't,r AMI she will never sue
you for breach of promise of mar
rage. She is dowa with the fever her.
self. poor girl
| would no: believe it; / did not be-
lieve it, and ] dont lelieve it. Iwould
wa t and see Arthur, and ask him if it
were not a consp racv of my enemies.
When We two III, again we were two
ghosts of loag standing. The same
imperfect plumbing which had made me
i'll had reached my generous friend,
and together We had made night hide
ous for the respectable mansion in West
LINK stree.
Eut Arthur had not lost a wifi as
hal done, and he got well quicker. l