The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-09-12

| time in America, Alexis, VINO was ricn
| in land and cattle, she refused as be-
fore; some quality in the girl, which the
! rest found it difficult to appreciate, ena-
| bled her again to have her own way.
That had been years before, when she
was manageable; now she was twenty
three, and no longer counted among
the girls She had never really been
counted among the girls; to dance with
her had never been SO much fun as with
those who laughed more. Only Ivan
| and Alexis had wished TO worship her
as saint. II was therefore fortunate,
perhaps, that neither had married her.
If they had continued to worship, the
other women might have become exact
ing and forgotten that it is honor
enough to work and rear children for
good man, and reward enough to re-
ceive bread in return.
But the Mennonites, like other Pro-
testants, have not yet solved the prob
lem of unmarried womanhood and they
looked with suspicion upon Marie Won
Sulevitch, who was twenty three and had
never cared for lover; not, at least,
until he had fever; for her delight and
occupation was sickness of all kinds.
AS the colony increased in size she
came to be constantly busy Babies
grew quiet as she took them in her
arms, fever became lighter at the touch
Of her cool hands and pain was easier
to bear aftetS Marie had bandaged the
wound.
Those who had been sick growled
when well that she should be INDUCED
in her whims and the whole people
came in time to consider her gifts,
which were those of good nurse, as
an especial provision for their necessi-
ties.
7 DR.. Hoyt, it CHANGED, had never be-
fore been summo aed. 1t was sight,
pitiful even to professional eyes, that
met his view as he entered the cabin.
The boy was grooming and writhing
on pile of straw in one corner; the
close, dark room was crowded with
men smoking and women chattering-
men and women alike filthy as their
surroundings. The one mitigating Cir
cumstance was the woman kneeling by
the bed, gently bathing the wounds, but
evidently ignorant of further remedy.
The Doctor recognized her as the lone
who talked for them.
''Send these people out" he said to
her. "They are killing him, using the
little air there is with their vile pipes"
''They will not CO." she answered.
" 1t is not customary with my people
to trust the worlds people"
With an ejaculation, expressive OF
disgust, Dr. Hoyt turned to his patient.
l shall not attempt diagnosis; there
were broken bones and CHASTITY wounds.
The boy was fast weakening from his
more than mortal agony.
, Chloroform, that angel of solace to
the sufferer was first administered; and
. the long bearded, men, gathered close
around the bed, watched the immedi
j ate effect of the medicine, and saw thai
the boy gasped a little, grew more
quiet and lay dead.
The enlightened reader will not fine
it easy to comprehend ignorance sucl
as theirs; but these men had only the
evidence of their senses, with no past
experience, or even knowledge. II
/, was only natural, therefore, that they
should jump to u quick conclusion,
and that hatred of the alien and
stranger, already strong enough,
should, with this added proyocation,
call forth every mans knife, with in
tent to kill.
DIR Hoyt was too taken by surprise
to be more than dismayed at first. The
threatening glances at the bed, the re-
doubled bowls of one of the women,
made plain the cause of the murderous
preparations. He turned to the girl by
the bed, whom he had thought of a
higher grade of intelligence than the
rest; but her face showed only panied
distress.
ut is chloroform. Don't you knowP''
he said, appealing to her. 'It will
make him sleep while / set the bones.
Then he will awaken. Tell them quick,
or it will be too late. y
She looked at him long before she
spoke, and the rest waited. breathless,
for her words. She noted the dexterity,
the certainty of his motions, and her
faith rose above her judgment
'.He says twill be right she said, in
Russian, "that he will sleep only till the
wounds are dressed / do not under
stand; but think he knows, See, he
works in good way. 1t is the custom
in America, perhaps. Do not kill him
yet"
The doctor worked rapidly, and the
men fell back into one corner and num-
| DAeu IOSelner. One Oh IneIn spoke
presently, gesturing a great deal and
pointing to his knife.
HE says" translated Marie, ''that
they will not kill you, if your words are
true and the boy lives. If he dies, you
will not leave us alive. That is but
just.
She spoke in tone of calm convic-
ton, and, seeing that to argue was but
to waste breath, the doctor turr ed again
to his patient, upon whose chance OF
life his own depended. He was not q
religious man; but l think he prayed as
we'll as labored during the next half
hour; for, humanity speaking, there was
every probability that some of the
many wounds were fatal, and that the
sick one would never revive.
Marie watched more intently than any
of the others. Her confidence Increased
and every few minutes she turned to the
group with an imperious nod.
''He is right; he is right" she said.
When, finally, the boy opened his
eyes, and knew pain again, the men and
women wished to bring altar gifts to lay
at the physicians feet; but Marie only
said, tearfully: