News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-08-13

/
Omaha last week, and was taken i'll in {
small tenement-house where she took
rooms do not think she has beer
conscious more than few hours at first
but she paid one weeks board and the
land-lady kept her. Mrs. Omerton found
her out in visit to the same house and
came to see me about her."
"Have you seen her ?''
81 went yesterday afternoon. She is
in wretched attic room, cold and desc
late and her clothing is of the poorest
description: She gave her natie as
Estabrook."
There Yves more talk of desultory
description, as the two ladies drove
rapidly in Mrs. Smithson's carriage to
the narrow street where both were well
known as visitors of the poor. Mrs.
Smithson was thinking of the many COM
forts two hundred dollars would procure
for the sick woman Irene was wonder
ing where Sophie was spending their
birthday.
| Was she prospecting or suffering There
was but little hope in the mour ming sis
ter's heart. Surely, if Sophia was happy
some of the crushing sorrow would leave
her. Something of sympathy of sister
love, twin love, would come to comfort
her.
| The carriage stopped at last, and the
ladies left it at the head of the courtway,
where two rows of small tenement
houses faced each other. They picked
their way through mud, decaying vege-
tables and dirty children to the last
house in the row, and entering the wide
open door ascended the dark, marrow
stairway to the sitting attic, II was d
close, murky day In September, and the
house was full of foul air.
| A slovenly woman with kindly face
met them at the door and answered Mrs.
Smithson's inquiries.
| "Well, ma'am, she not to say worse,
but she no better, and the baby's as bad
as she can be. The doctor thinks they'd
better go, ma'am, to hospital where
they'll have better air and some one to
wait on them constant I do the best l
can, but with the house full of dodgers,
ma'am, and four little ones of my own,
l can't be here all the time.
"Williel" moaned feeble voice inside
the room, "oh, Willie, come put your
hand on my head and make me we'll"
''She calls Willie, ma'am, all the
time. Pm thinking it is her husband
she means.n
'Irenen !.
Mrs. Smithson spoke the name in a
| startled cry, for Irene's face was the
color of death, her,lips rigidly clasped,
her eyes fixed In a strange stare. With
a shudder the spasm passed, and she
whispered:
"a pain in my head. 1t is gonel"
But her face was very pale as she en-
tered the little room, stopping to avoid
blow from the sharply-sfanting roof.
The sick woman tossing upon the
narrow bed, instinctively clasping the
moaning babe in her arms, fixed her
fever-hghted eyes upon the pale face
with startled stare,
Very gently Irene spoke:
81 have come to see if you will let me
help to nurse ou-and-and-"
The ashy whiteness gathered again
over lip and cheek, and conquering her
faintness by a desperate effort, Irene
gaspedi
name reached the fever-lockedL |
''Sophie9n the sufferer murnured,
Willie's Sophiel Nobody called me So
from Irene. Little Irenel They would not
let her write to me, so married Willie
and went to Omaha, Willie! Willie
Oh, put your hand on my head and make
me WELL"
"This will not do" whispered Mrs
Smithson, taking Irene's trembling form
into her own motherly arms. /" You
must not give way like this. Think
what there is to do"
"To find her like thisl To find her
only to lose her," Irene sobbed.
"The doctor thought she might be
moved to a hospital, so we may take
her home. You have no time to cry
now, Irene. We must think of how to
save the life that is SO dear to YOU
The kind words the resolute tone,
conquered the dreadful agitation that
shook Irene, and she once more ap-
preached the bed. The babe lay in a
frightful stupor, with half-open eyes,
beyond all consciousness of suffering,
but the mother tossed and moaned, talk
ing deliriously.
It was mornings work to prepare for
the removal of the invalids to the luxu-
rious home awaiting them. Irene had to go
lows and blankets, but before sunset, in
charge of an experienced nurse and un-
der the superintendent of skillful
physician, Sophie Estabrook was ten
derly carried to the home from which
she had fed years before.
For many days she lay battling for
life, sinking, rallying, keeping hope and
fear evenly balanced in the loving heart
watching her. The nurse was coaxing
life back into the babe, but Irene would
let no one but herself nurse Sophie. Day
and night she was at her post.
A fortnight Of terrible suspense
passed, and one bright October morning
Sophie wakened conscious from long,
deep slumber. Irene was watching the
wasted face eagerly, when the large blue
eyes opened slowly.
'rIrene!" said the invalid, in faint
voice; sis it indeed Irene?'
A tender kiss fell softly upon her face.
''1t is Irene. You are at home,
Sophie, never to leave me again"
''Did my baby die p was the next
faint question.
''No, indeed. She is getting WE'LL"
''Your namesake.".
81 will bring her to you"
Very pale and very thin, but certainly
recovering, the little one was brought
for caress.
"You are too weak to do more than
kiss her now," Irene said, ebut she has
the best of nurses and is in the next
room, where we can both watch over
her. Now, you must get well fast, and,
to do that, must keep very quiet"
'But, Irene, will not grandfather turn
me out 2'
Grandfather died three years ago.
The house is mine, and most surely /
will not turn you out"
Too weak to question further, Sophie
lay quietly content under her sisters
tender, caressing care. It was many
long days before she knew the history
OF those years of separation, but when
she was strong enough to talk, Irene
told her that half her grandfather's for
tune was legally made over to her.
when you are quite we'll / shall be
married, Irene told her; "but while
am my own mistress l shall make your
rights perfectly secure. 1 have signed
the necessary papers, and you are mis-
tress of the legacy that is yours by right
from our grandfather's estate"
The story Sophie told in answer had
little that was not perfectly common
place, but Irene shed many bitter tears
over it. When she left the home whose
restraints so CALLED her, Sophie had
found a situation as a milliner IN the