The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-07-21
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A warm bright day in golden June; a
crowded park: rushing OF dainty wind soft
and pure, such ~ ono seldom feels In this
smoky London OF ours; and over MI brill
liant sun, grown drowsy now, as Il seeks its
rest, and sinks dangerously into the fond
arms OF evening
The stream Of carriages is growing thin
ner the princess has disappeared One young
man riding handsome chestnut In u some
what careless fashion, ~ though his thoughts
were elsewhere, quits the Row and turns to-
ward uhe ugliesi thing In creation. Having
reached the Albert Memorial, he passes
through the gate little hirthcron, and finds
himself presently In the midst Of n hopeless
jangle, composed Of cabs, hansoms, drags,
and 50 forth.
Something In the jangle disagrecs with the
chestnuts temper. She starts, throws up
her sleek head into the very midst of her
masters day-dreams, makes false step and
comes heavily TO the ground, illnglng her
rider, with horrible crash, right under the
wheels Of passing carriage
IL Is all done In moment There Is a cry
from the bystandcrs, u vain attempt TO make
clear space, and then a sCnsclcss form, soil
ed and disfigured with dust and blood Is
raised by half dozen rough, " kindly, hands
and conveyed 10 the nearest hospital. They
pull the bell, and the door being opened, they
enter with their CHASTITY burden, and lay II
down within the hall II is all that remains
of the careless gay young man, 10 full Of
happy life, who had left the park only
short time ago.
The housC-surgcon, passing through the
hall nj this moment, casts sharp glance nj
the unsightly object on the bench.
"What Is this?' asks he; and, coming
nearer, bends over H. His face changes.
Good heavens II Is Sir Rawdon Darew
he exclaims, IN n Mortified tone. "Send the
matron here ut once See what has happen
ed" he says presently as tall handsome
woman comes hurriedly up TO him. His tone
though low, Is agitated.
IAN ACCIDENT" says she, stooping, i'm turn
over the PROSTATE baronet
And very serious one. II Is Sir RawdOn
Dare Is there n special ward2"
Conc empty"
There is a touch Of curiosity In her glance
as she examines the dcath-lke features be-
meath her
Let him be taken there. 1t Is impossible
he can be conveyed to his own house In his
present state"
at Is chance whether he will ever be
conveyed there-allvc," says the matron,
turning away 20 give her orders.
There Is another thing" says the sur
geon, OBTAINING her. "lIc must have care
full nurse You can recommend one from
the waids?"
Certainly" says the matron, pauslng as
If to consider. There is n good deal OF kind
ly interest In her compassionate, II somewhat
austerc, face, as she gaZcs ut the poor crush
ed figure; just rs kindly, however, would
she have looked at him had he been the
veriest beggar that crawls our streets. "rhere
Is Nurse Eya," she says hastily; "she can
undertake the ease. She Is both careful and
sympathetic"
And now the wounded man, mcrcifully OBJ
livious TO his pain, Is carried by experienced
tender hands to small private ward, and
laid upon n bed. The doctors cluster round
him. A young woman In hospital cap and
apron comes quietly into the room, and
stands beside the bed. She glances earnestly
at her patient.
Surely that poor blood-bcstained creature
can have no life In hmp There is a long
pause; then one of the doctors, who has been
STOPPING over the senscless figure, lifts his
head.
ale is not dead-yct" he says. There Is
little or no hope IN his tone.
After long sleep, as II seemed to him, the
sick man woke lie lay silently gazing at
the four white walls OF the small room In
which that strange sleep had taken place,
but without wondering why he was there.
Thinking, as yet. was too great task and
so he put II from him The window was
open, and beyond, IN the outside distance,
there was u waving of green branches, and
from still further On there came to him tho
subdued roar of unsubduad p0pu,ace. In.
side there was some very curious furniture
or, at least, so he thought it, as his languid
glance travelled over it--a huge branch Of
crimson roses on small table a wicker
chair, and girl.
Tho girls head was turned from him to-
ward the window. Her body also slightly
bent In its direction. 1t occurred 10 him that
she must be lost In thought The idle way
In which her hands lay upon her lap helped
him, too, to this conclusion.
AS he watched her, little sooty sparrow
perched upon the wlndow-sill, and looked
ut her knowingly out Of his small eye. She
rose, found some bread-crumbs In funny
little cupboard and turned with them TO the
window. OF course, when she got there the
bird was gone. She seemed In nowise dis
concerted by this, but sat down and fell back
again Into her former thoughtful attitude,
and then presently not one but three little
sparrows came and carried away some Of her
donation. She had not glanced at the bed
when getting her crumbs, believing her pa
tient to be DOING; but he, watching her with
newly-opened eyes, had seen her face.
1t was a reyeationl 1t was beauty per-
fectedl lie lay quite still after he had seen
1t, dwelling with drowsy pleasure on the
remembrance of II until some minutes had
gone by, and then growing desire to see II
again took possession OF him. He felt still
so weak and tired that he shrank from CIV
ing his voice sound, 50, to attract her atten-
ton, he clutched toebly at the bedclothes,
and then made h sorry effort TO tap upon the
quilt
In a moment she was alert and eager. She
came quickly to him, and bent over him.
"Why, this is good news" she said, in a
low, exquisitely soft voice, and with smile
you are beginning to be yourself again, are
you not? No, do not answer; know what
you would say; understand you quite"
She laid her hand with soothing touch
upon his forehead; she settled his pillows,
and then, going to the door, pressed her fin
gers ON knob In the wall outside. This
brought the house-surgeon TO her In O few
minutes.
Come" said he, cheerily, noddlng at the
patient, "this is well; you are to be congratu-
lated, nurse. Our patient Is getting on, ehp
-phYp
lie said "ehp good many times in q pom
dering fashion, and then took the nurse aside
and whispered TO her In quiet and confden-
tial manner. As he did so, 1t occurred to Sir
Rawdon, in quite feeble inconsequent way
not to be accounted for, that he hated the