The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-10-16

nOuSei physician was penang over
me, and at the foot of the couch stood
that glor Gus blue eyed girl M SIS Mans
field. her lovely face all earnestness.
''Oh. Mr.. Allerton, you were badly
hurt, but l hope you are feeling better.
Pm so sorry
THANK you, Miss Mansfield, said
I. Il am not seriousl; hurt, am l,
doctor?'
You will soon be all right. sir. if
| you keep quiet and cheerful" said the
phys C an; and then he bade me good
day, and after holding a ser Gus secret
| consultation with Miss Mansfield, con-
cernng myself I supposed, withdrew.
Then the blue-eyed little lady, whom,
it appeared. had voluntarily made her
self chief nurse, bathed my forehead,
and arranged some flowers near me,
all the time quietly and earnestly
| talking to me. | seemed enchanted
and for some time did not speak, but
watched her in thoughtful silence. At
length I said:
'.Miss Mansfield, you have pleasant
home, and you have been very kind to
me in caring for me during those un-
conscious hours. How strange it all
seems!"
'.lt is you, sir, that has been kind.
We owe our lives to you. What would
papa say if he knew of our narrow es-
cape! Papa is in New York now, but
will return soon. But, Oh. Mr.. Aller-
ton. we can never thank you -''
Pardon me, Miss Mansfield" said
1, ''but how came you to know my
name?"
II saw you at church yesterday,
SIR" she replied, blushing, land was
so bold as to inquire of our pastor tn S
morn ;ng who you were. You'll excuse
me, sir. for being so prying, but-but
but how came you to speak to me so
familiarity"
Il also saw you at church and asked
my cousin, Violet Rowland, your
name. You'll excuse me l trust, for [
couldn't help it. And now that L must
call you nurse, may | know your
''Ies. sir, you may call me Annie,
! and l will-but pardon me if L pre-
scribe sleep to YOU now, and when you
have rested I'll bring you some toast
and tea
And blue-eye1 Annie foated out of
the room, an angel if my eyes were re-
sponsible l almost felt glad of the ac
cident already, although it meant loss
to me by absence from business. But
(
weeks | lay in a crit: cal condition. In
all this tine there was no one who
could possibly be so kind and so sooth-
ing to me as Annie. OF course my rel
atives and friends from both far and
near came to me. But none were. so
faithful as Annie, and, in fact, d.dn' t
wish them to be. So long as Annie was
in the room, so long as l could look
into those dear blue eyes, just so long
was 1 contented and happy.
| recovered slowly, and was finally
able to st on the piazza few hours
each day. Annie was always with me,
or near at hand when not in my pres
ence. I grew passionately fold of her,
and many were the long happy chats
we en-. Dyed. Uncle Johns from the
first had urged my removal home, but
| Annie's papa on his arrival soon after
the accident refused to give me up un-
til l should fully recover.
1t was beautiful night, and the
stars twinkled in the heavens, the half
full moon smiled over the tree-tops,
and all earth and heaven seemed
peaceful as l sat alone in little arbor
in the Mansfield gardens. Twas hum
m ng one of Schuman's Impromptus,
when the familiar and beautiful figure
of Annie appeared. She was strolling
in the garden, and-well, she strolled
as usual to this quiet spot where W..
had for some time been wont to sit
and talk the evening away.
'.Well, Mr.. Allerton, you seem hap
py, and I'm glad that it is So
Now, Annie, how do you know that
1 am happy?" said I.
'Oh. YOU wouldn' be humming such
an air if you were not.
Come and sit here, Annie. Do you
remember the time I first saw your
| blue eyes-the time I sang a hymn
while the others of the choir were rem
der.ng the anthem, or something like
| that?"
..Yes: what of itp" said she.
That day 1 was a changed man.
Never till then did I ardently admire
woman. Since then, and partly, l
| suppose, through power of crcum-
To morrow, Annie. return to Uncle
home be to me without YOU. There,
there, 1 mean it-Annie, dear blue
| eyed Annie, 1 love you; aye, 1 feel that
you are all in life to me. But-but,
Annie, do 1 love in vain?"
..No, Charles" and she thoughtfully
gave me her hand, while two great
tears stood in those happy blue eyes.
We sat in silence a long time, for Cupid
is dumb as well as ''blind' believe.
At length Annie looked up and said:
81 know now why 1 couldn't sleep
one Sunday night, same evening
of the day nv dear boy couldn't singr
Imet her merry blue eyes, and as
they looked so much sweeter, even
than ever before, l couldn't refrain
from meeting her lips-Annie is mine
to-day.
Good Usage as an Authority.