The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-13
p BRAVE GIRL.
ny ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS,
Tuop oF "rHR GATES AJAR" MADONNA
TUBS" ETcu ETC.

NAbout Atty.Esven and hall years
Wsolomon Rollinslall," said Lotto, trem'
bling, "ii you don't tell me everything
this minute sm afraid ! Bhsll cry
She sank down, and got her face on
Dash's great, warm neck. She had borne
about all she could, as long as she could,
and her relief for that moment, 80 actual
" did every nerve quiyer with it,, was
hardly to be distinguished from EoTow IT.
self.
Now, Slam had not seen his sister cry
since he was too small boy to remember
It, II had never occurred to him that
Lotto could cry any more than he him;
self, or any other fellow. He dropped
his iaCk.knlte, aud regarded her with
"o6, | say! Ho! Huml Sea here! Get
up, won't you? See here! Hum! Oh,
yes Why Of courae hos alive! He got
better this morning, He amt cut Of bad
vet, You know, nor he don't SEQ patients,
bnt mother SAYS he's better, DOn't you
see? You don't catch my father iooling
round, and dying like common people
| shouldn't wonder II he got up aud
dressed tomorrow, | expect him to-. lilo
won't let 'em fuss over him long, can
tell you. Why, they've had to take caro-
Of me all day most, you'd better believe =
"What'athe matter with you" asked
Lotto, fatally smiling, Ns ahe made ll.tle
dsbs at her face with her handkerchief,
trying to get herself into state u! to 20
into the house and be- seen by the dear,
mother!y, anxious eyes which sbo must
meet breyely. And aha had not absolute
faith in Slams impression in tho shaded
silent room upstairs,
"Oh, nothing" said SLAM carelefsly,
"only / chopped the end OF my middle
finger oil with tho Ratchet, and that last
pprsin hasn't got well sinc9 the football
match, and then, you eOe, this morning |
tumbled down lha WE'LL that's all"
Stumbled down the wellW
"Head foremost" said Slam, easily,
"Banged down. Banged up, you gee, to
Dry Tor ii. Liked to have drowned, Did,
really. Nobody heard me. HOllered aud
kicked good while, you see, aud got my
lungs full Of water, too; and so S'IeeEy-
thal'a our new giTl-S'reeny heard, and
mother heard, Rnd th0y all heard n
father wanted 10 know what was the mat.
ter, ma man going by had 10 come aud
haul mo out. My head aCheg," added
Slam pla!ntiyely: "if you were any kind
Of a sister you'd be anxious about me-"
"IheIe. there, SLAM! Kiss me now
and lot me 50, must so. must see
him"
She slips awsy, and in. Tho house i;
sill; NATURALLY still. The great clock
ticks loudly in the great hall. The vide,
comfortable rooms open widely on either
edo. How pleasant, how quiet, how dear
1t Isl Lpto looks on with swimming
eyes. II is not possible yet to dare 10
think, There Ia hin hSE GU the hAll'tree,
and tho heavy overcoat worn on night
ridep and tho ivory handled whip the
youpg lady patient gave him.
She takes her things of roiuy, tossing
hat and sack and bag upon the deep.el-
bowed hall sofa, and Glands looking puz'
2les, like q guest in strange house. How
still, how still 1t is! S'reOny, In the
Kitchen, is EOrubbing, rs ono might say,
under hsr breath. A estango Wom1u--a
nurse, perhapS-paesea over tho landing
above, velvet.iooted. She Is carrying q
dish Of something, aud GlsnCeB at Lotto
calmly aa she fits. Soft footsteps follow
the nulae there is q gentle stir, and gid.
ing down tho htNirU, pale and sweet and
cheerful, worn with watching, bright
with hope, there ct last Cornes--
!"MothGrW
here He will be SO glad. He has talked
OF you"
The daughter and mother clasp and
kigs and weep snd smile and stand .
moment holding fast to each other rs u
they stood alone even now In the world
ooh, 20 much better, Lotto Yes; thank
God! You phall eco him very soon,"
mot this minute, mammal
"Not this minute, Lotto. Ho ID very
weak. We must plan and thtuk about it,
You shall go soon. There has been great
dGnger-another OF those CongestiyO Chilla
We hRye had three doGtors here and laat
night wo thouEht-bpt never mind now
giflieW
"Ths danger Is oyer, OF course" said
Lotto, in her decided way. "There is nc
more to be feared"
"TheIe 10 everything 10 be hoped" said
Mra. Rollinstall, quietly.
Lotto Is RgtoDisiCd 10 Gee how quiet hel
mother ls. She wonders vngusly II grow,
ing old means to learn to bear trouble and
be still. In spite OF her happipeH1 and
relief che feels awed at her mothers
manner.
BY md by they call her, and take hor &c
see him, 40 he has asked, Tho room
looks unfamiliar and dark with the green
shades down. Tho BtrRngo nurse moVeE
about, but sho turns her hack IS Lotto en-
teiB. The sick man, thiCkly propped
with pillows, turns eager eyes toward his
little daughter, and smiling, lifts his head
Lotto Creeps In, aud Cr6ep8 up and slips
her own GngeIB into his quietly. She
does not try 10 kiss him, 90 a6e has been
warned that he 10 too sick for this. Like
the little woman that Bhe Is, she sitg calm.
ly, Bpli.possesssd, aud cheerful, looking
bravely at his poor, changed face.
"Well my girl, be says weakly.
"Dear papa, isn't 1t nice2'
Eyes, i am better-thiB morning. Lam
glad to SEQ you, Lotto"
II took the very first train l could,
papa. There wnBn't q night train on our
branch. / thought II WAS mean Of them,
don't you, papa? I'm glad you wanted
to sec ms, papa"
"I-mlssed you, my dear Yes, But
We wanted you to have your visit out,
I'm norry TO spoil it--this way"
III youdon't huah, papa, shall cry or
something, alter all, and then the nurse
will Bend me of. They won't lot mecom
II l don't behave"
"WaB II pleasant at the HolbrookOs, my
dear2"
"0h, jolly, pspal III Tell You ali about
II, an inch at time, while you're getting
better"
Is nolbrookO ns gray as am 2" asked
the sick man, mubinSly
"Gr0yer. Twice grAyer, papa. He
looks ten years older than you do"
"ue ia two yeSrg older. But no hasn't
lived such a dogs lie as wo country
doctors do. Pm glad you had pleasant
timo there"
"Don't talk TOO much, papa. I'm just
here, YOU know"
"Ycgj | know. I'm glad Of I'll I'm
glad Of itp
The sick man closed his eyes YEARLY
and LoIo says no moro. He does not re.
-. Ill