The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-01-27
"FRONI TIE HOSPITAL" :"

'fHoM THE HOSPITALS"
"Yos," said tho Rev. Mr.. Dibblc. 81
know could depend upon the hospital.
ity of my flock TO entertain this excellen,
young divine, seeing that my own house.
hold is in so disorganizcd Il condition,
owing to the exigcnccs of clcanino o
house. 1t will be only for n night or
two, and VIC all know what is promised
to rhopc v'ho receive the angel un.
awarC.M
AnG ME. Dibr.o rubbed his hands and
looked smilingly around upon the mem.
hcrs of the Young Ladies' Aid Associa-
tor, while very prcccptiblc murmur
OF assent roSc up from this aggregate
collection OF curlS, bangs, frizzcd hair,
and crimpcd laccs.
Not Il damsel in the number but would
gladly have extended her gracious hos
pitality 10 the Rev. Felix Amory, who
was to preach y sermon in aid of Home
Helps and Missions at the VILLAGE
church upon the coming Sunday eve
ming.
I'm sure" said Miss Lidia Larkspur.
promptly anticipating the crisis, papa
would be most happy to receive the gen
tlcman"
While all the other ladies looked in
dignanIly first at Miss Lidia then at
each other, and whispered, BOLD
thing"
Most kind Of you to promise it, /
am sure" said Mr.. Dibble, and so the
matter was settled, not at all to the gen.
cral satisfaction.
ana Lidia Larkspur went home, and
issued orders that the parlor curtains
should be washed and ironed, and n
pound-cake of tn richest nature con-
coctcd.
While Kate Ducr, the doctors sister,
who was rs fond Of young clcrgymen as
Lidia herself, and would in no wise have
objected to varying the monotony Of her
home life with Il spice of ecclesiastical
novelty, returned to her crochet-work
with yawn and general impression
that life was bore.
1--WE are to have Young lecturer
from tho city in the church on Sunday
evening" she said to her brother when
he hustled into dinner.
"Ehp" said DR.. Ducr, swallowing his
scalding soup; ''arc we? BY the way,
Kate, there's new case of smallpox
reported among those hands on the rail-
way enbankmcnt."
Dear mc!' said Kate, who was COM
pounding n refreshing salad in carved
wooden bowl; Il hope you keep well
vaccinatcd, Hugh"
"Oh, there's no trouble about that!"
said the doctor; "only the other pa
tients in the hcsrita object to such a
case"
II should thinl; it very likely" said
Kate, with little moac
II must try to isolate him somo-
where" said DR.. Ducr thoughtfully.
'In one of those stone houses by the
river, perhaps. Old Mrs. Viggers has
had the disease, know"
And then DR.. Ducr tasted the salad
and pronounced Il first-rate.
Ptchcrvllc vas all on the gui Uire
that day when the double-shotted piece
of tidings flew, on the tongue of popular
rumor, through the town. An actual
smallpox case in their midst, and q
young minister coming all the way from
New York to appeal TO their sympathies
on behalf of home missions"
IL wonder if it is contagiousW said
old Mrs. McAdam, looking very round.
eyed through her spcctaclcs.
"Contagiousm said Mrs. Ernmons ait
ought to find its way into every home in
our village"
"WhatN' cried Mrs. McAdam; "the
smallpox"
mo; certainly not" said Mrs. En-
mons; "thc sympathetic movement in
favor of homo missions"
And then everyone laughed. Mrs.
McAdam looked puzzled, and Mrs. EN-
mons drew herself up and remarked
that sit was very irreverent TO laugh at
sacred things"
But Miss Lidia Larkspur, whose father
did not believe in vaccination, and who
hal u mortal horror of the disease
against which the famous Jenner waged
$50 successful warfare, was much trou-
ibled in her mind.
"ryc always had sort of premoni-
Sion that should fall victim to the
smallpox" sighed she. ~ only wish
pa would let me be Vaccinatcdr'
Itwas on sultry August evening, the
sky full Of lurid clouds, the air charged
with glittering arrows of electricity, and
the big drops beginning tc knock at
Miss Lidia's door--a most mysterious
tap, as she afterwards declared.
"Who's there?" said Miss Lidia, open.
ing 1t sufficiently to obtain glimpse Of
o tall pale man with pocketchandker-
chief folded turbanwise around his
head,
Excuse me-" said this apparition,
"but 1 believe have lost my way. Might
i ask shelter from the showerp l am The
young man from the hospital"
Certainly not" said Miss Lidia, clos
ing the door abruptly in his face, with
n little shrek. Good graciousl have !
stood face to face with the--small-pox
.caseP"
And then sho ran tor the servant