Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-03-18

chief folded turbanwise arorRd his head.
Excuse me" said this apparition,
ssbut I believe I have lost my way.
Might | ask shelter from the shower2 /
am the young man from the hospital Z
Certainly not, " said Miss Lydia, clos
ing the door abruptly in his face, with
a little shrek. 'sGood graciousl have
stood face to face with the smallpox
case?"
And then she rang for the servant and
the camphor bottle, and went into hys-
terics.
Mrs. Printemps lived in the house--a
picturesque cottage, overhung with Yir-
ginia creepers, with little plaster cast
Of Cupid in tia garden, and q great many
bluebells and carnations "a young widow
who read all the newest books and some
times wrote gushing poems for the sec
ond-rate monthlies.
Mrs. Pintenps imagined herself like
the gifted and unfortunate Mary Queen
of Scots, and dressed up to the part, as
far as nineteenth century prejudices al
lowed her-and she was seated by the
easement, trying to find rhyme to suit
a most accommodating line of poetry,
when the tall pale stranger appeared
under her window, for all the world, .
as Mrs. Printemps subsequently expressed
it, '1ike troabadour or David Rizzio
himself.n
Excuse me, madam, he began, 'but
| I'm from the hospital, and"
''My goodness meln CALCULATED Mrs.
Printemps, jumping to her feet; s'how
dare you come here and tell me
that to my facet Why don't they iso-
late you?"
ssMadam-" said the surprised
stranger
go awayln said Mrs. Printemps,
banging down her window and boiling
it noisily. Betsy to her girl run
across the meadow to Mrs. Udderlay's,
and tell her that the smallpox case is
rampaging all over the country, trying to
get people to let him in, and she isn't to
open the door on any account. And stop
at DR.. Duer's and ask him what sort of
sanitary regulation he calls this kind Of
thing?"
'T'm afraid I'll meet him, memi" said
Betsy, getting behind the sideboard !;
sand amt been vaccinated for seven
years, and
''Nonsense9" said Mrs. Printemps eff
you go across the pasture fields you'll
get there fully five minutes before he
does. Make haste nown
Kate Duer was standing in her door
way watching the storm roll grandly
over the mountain tops, when the weary
and bewildered traveller opened the gate
and came hesitatingly in.
Il beg your pardon +" said he, meekly
"but think there must be some
thing singular in my appearance.
People seem to shut their doors
against me, and shun me as if had the
pestilence. And Icannot find the resi-
dence of Mr. Dibble, the clergyman.
Would it be asking too much if I were
to request permission to rest in your
porch until the storm is over2 l came
from the hospital, and
''Oh, / understand" said Kate, quick
lE s'you are the smallpox patient But
/ have been vaccinated, and am not afraid
Of the disease. There is avery comfort
able chamber in the second story Of the
barn, and you shall be carefully nursed
and taken care of there, Of
"But you are mistakan,n cried the
young man; am NOT
'Hushn ssid Kate, gently. sDo not
be afraid to confde in me- am DR.. Duer's
sister, and know the whole story. Sit
here and rest alittle, and I will bring you
some bread and milk until my brother
comes"
IT am thousand times obliged to
You, said the stranger, and the bread
and milk will taste delicious after nv
long walk. But do not know whatlead
you to think that am victim to vario-
loid. I have lost my hatin the wind, to
besure, and am compelled to wear this
Syrian-looking drapery on my head, but
I never had smallpox, and hope never to
encounter its horrors"
Kate Duer turned red first, then pale.
''Then, = said she, ''if you are not the
smallpox case, who are you ~
i am Felix Amory," said the young
stranger, 'sthe chaplain of St. Lucetta' i
hospital in New York. I am to preach
in aid Of the home and mission on Sun
day next.
Kate Duer burst out laughing.
And everyone has been mistaking
you for the smallpox caseln said she.
"Oh, Mr.. Amory, do come in How
could we all have been 50 stupid But
you see, the minute you began to speak
os the hospital
II dare say it was very awkward Of
me, " said Mr.. Amory. Butts the way
| have always mentioned myself to stran-
gers. st. Lucetta's, you know I
Eyes, know said Kate. s'But to
the good folks here, there is only one
hospital in the world, and that is Pitcher.
vile Institute y
Mr.. Amory enjoyed his tea, sliced
peaches, and delicate angel cake" very
much, as he sat tets-a-tete with Kate
nuer bv the eoff lioht of the SHADED