Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-04-29

ana Sylvia was faSU Ueacnlng nefSelI 10
dislike this paragon cousin of hers,
although she had never seen him but
once or twice.
She was thinking not very pleasant
" about these things as she ran up
stairs to get her skates. Presently
she came down again.
"Mrs. Gerard ?" said she. "I can't
find my skates. Haveyou seen them?"
"Where should | see your skates ?"
said Mrs Gerard, GROSSLY, as she
stopped to pick up the brass-headed
poker and return it to it's place by the
fender "Do you think l want to
wear 'em?"
Sylvia went back for a second
search; but it was no more satisfac-
tory than the first had been. She
sought high and she sought low, but
still without effect.
under the light-table," said she to her
self. And now they are gone-my
beautiful new skates"
But she was not disposed entirely to
abandon hopes for a little fresh air,
even though her prospects of skating
were gone. She put on her scarlet
hood and cape, shedding a few quiet
tears as she did so, and went out for
walk in the white silence of the March
woods.
Nature may Justly be termed the
arch-consoler, and Sylvia had been
out but q short time when the sun
shine and the crisp, cold breezes Gained
the fever of her rebellious heart as with
the touch of a cooling hand. She
watched the sunset redden over the
forests; she beheld, from her vantage
ground on the mountain side, the
skaters disappear, one by one, from
Duton's pond; she felt, rather than
saw, the hush of the coming twilight,
through which, here and there, the sill
yer point of star tWinkled out, and
she sang softly to herself as she came
back to the farmhouse.
Mrs. Gerard, very pale, met her at
the door,
ooh, SyIvia!" she cried. "Where
have you been? I thought you would
never be back Chester is here-my
poor, poor boy F"
What has happened?" cried Syl-
via. "Where is he?"
con the sofa in the parlor" said
Mrs. Gerard, getting her words out in
coherently and by jerks. "And I'm
afraid he is dying! He was intending
to surprise me, and he rode over from
Hartwick on Mrs. Poyntz's black
horse, that never was fit for a Chris
tian to ride, and the brute SHE'D at a
tree-stump that showed black against
the white snow, and threw him. And
% WI 10 la
his leg broken, before he tainted dead
away. Oh, Chester--oh, my poor
boyl"
''But what can 1 do?" said Sylvia.
81 know nothing about sickness"
''You can go for the DOCTOR" said
Mrs. Gerard. "And do, for my sake,
haste! It's four full miles there, and
Chester may die from the pain before
we get his leg set. It's swelling fast,
and he goes from one swoon into an
other"
-Four miles'' repeated Sylvia.
Eyes, I'll 60, Mrs. Gerard, but four
miles If | had my skates, | could 60
directly down the river in a quarter of
the time it would take to plod along
the deep snow of the road"
Mrs. Gerard flushed deeply as she
met Sylvia's frank look. She went to
the closet, unlocked a drawer, and
taking out the missing skates, placed
them on the floor beside Sylvia.
The girl looked keenly at her.
''You found them ?' said she.
Il knew where they were all the
time, said Mrs. Gerard. "I-I hid
them. [ am very sorry"
By this time, Sylvia had looked to
the fastenings. They were all right.
''Good-by y" said She kindly Don't
fret; | will assuredly bring the doctor
back with me-"
She rushed down the steep, wooded
bank toward the the steelly glitter of
the river; and, five minutes afterward,
Mrs. Gerard, looking from her window,
saw the light, straight figure, Swimming
swiftly along, more like the arrowy
dart OF a bird than the motion of a
human being, until it was lost in the
approaching shadows of dusk.
"What would have become of me
now" she thought, eff Sylvia had not
learned to skater"
Miss Seton was fortunate enough
to find the doctor at home, and rode
back with him in his buggy; and he
could not say enough in praise of her
spirit and courage.
1t was to her that he gave all
charges and directions regarding the
patient.
''My dear madam" he said, in an
swer to Mrs. Gerard's piteous plead
ings, "this young lady is born nurse.
She has cool head, a light hand and
plenty Of nerve. She is the proper
person to take care of Mr.. Gerard
And Sylvia proved herself worthy
of his words
Chester Gerard recovered slowly,
but the time did not hang heavily on
his hands.
Sylvia was the brightest and cheer
lest of companions.
At the end of the second month, the
patiert was allowed to go out into the
budding April world of trees, and
bushes, and bright blue sky; and
while he was taking his first walk,
Sylvia came to the old lady, with
varying color.
"Dear Mrs. Gerard - said sha CT