The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-07-18
LOVES AWAKENING.

She had laid aside her widows bonnet
and veil. In her plain black dress, serv-
iceably unadorned, she looked very slim
and young.
Though her hands were so soft and
white, they looked capable. Mrs. Rameaux
might be inexperienced-she owned as
much herself-but she would assuredly
learn quickly and intelligensly; and her
sympathy would never be at fault.
This much the young doctors profes-
sional intuitions told him, as he saw her
softly bend over her first cot in the extern
porlzed fever hospital. Then he passed
on.
She might be a young woman, and a
beautiful one. The atmosphere OF the
countryside around had been such these
many weeks shat man watching as he
did, day and night, by the bedsdes of the
dying and the dead, could have his drift
and tension of mind scarcely such that
facts like these would bear in upon it
with any element of the exciting.
1t hau been an awful visitation. Had
been? 1t was so still. Day after day.
week after week, the fever ragged, know
ing no abatement. Those who could flee,
leaving all, did 80.
Among those who stayed, fresh victims
were marked and dropped with every new
sun. A great pail, an aWestruck fear, had
fallen over the community. The spectre
of Death among them, walking their
streets, sitting down, a familiar guest at
their very board, had given to all these
blighted faces serious expression.
When her friends, terrified at the spread
of the epidemic, had asked her why she
delayed leaving with them. Mrs. Rameaux
had let fall some words which acted
among them with the effect OF an explosive.
Il shall not go at all. Ishall stay"
''Stayr'
MANY hands will be needed--and l
may be of use. 1t is what have wanted
1t is my opportunity"
She might have said it was what she
had prayed for-the chapcc of devoting
herself, of practically renouncing the
world, of leading consecrated life.
1t had been her one wish since her hus-
band had died-she. Mt the time, scarcely
more than a child. All seemed to have
died too.
Her friends said she was morbid.
Mrs. Raneaux only smiled gently. Her
olullC III tuOoC dhJ . w as Ca00CA bAoA tCAAo
'sShe will get over it" said the friends
next.
So young, so lovely, how could it be
otherwise? This giving up, as it were, of
all her future; this monastIc simplicity of
dress; this visiting of the poor and the
sick, and dedicating of all her days to the
cutting-ouL of charity children's clothes
this was phase; it mast pass; the reac-
ton must come
There was mingling Of the sarcastic
and the impatient in these reservations.
The Impotence predominated, perhaps.
To pirate of charity and the love of ones
fellow man is q thing permissible in good
society-provided it be not carried too far.
But to have ones intimates suddenly pro-
coed to put suck theories into effect is
grievance to be looked upon as personally
offensive.
But Mrs. Rameaux's unconsciousness
and serenity under this half or wholly
expressed opposition were singularly
unwavering.
If this was ''fad, J" she failed to tire of
it as quickly as flesk and blood usually
dispose Of such.
When this last astounding announce
ment came, the Rameaux acquaintance
had an air of dismisnng the matter as now
having passed beyond comment altogether.
Lucy always was queer. said one
female voice
"Net always retorted nasculine
organ, more obviously. THAT is, she
was always rather high strung. But
well, having been married to Rameaux
might be enough ts''-then the speaker
bethought himself and stopped.
Meanwhile, the new nurse gently, with
soft football, passed on in her self-chosen
work. The weeks dragged by; still the
fever ragged.
She had held the hand of those writhing
in sightless delirium of pain, and moist
ened the lips Of the dying.
The strain had told on her. The fine
oval of her face had grown more trans
parent. About tho full brswn of her eeys
the blue circles had followed
She was bending now over the pillow of
young girl who had been lowering on
he shadowy brink for days. Tonight
the crisis had been reached.
The girl was Of singularly nervous
and sensitive temperament, and through
all her rawlings Mrs. Rameaux's low tone
and magnetic touch had had a strangely
soothing, controlling effect upon her.
Her dependence on both, her need OF
her voluntary nurse, came to constitute
on the latter one of those claims by which
all rich natures are held in bondage to
some weaker one.
AS she leaned over the glrl and noted
that the eyes were closed and the chest
lifted regularly by the inspirations of q
sound and normal sleep, she realized that
the crisis was passed and the life saved.
Mrs. Rameaux suddenly gave way, and
burying her face in her hands, she burst
into noiseless sobs.
Mrs. Rameauxp
She started up breathless, coloring with
anger at herself.
SI-dsn't think me very weak. don't
know what is the matter with mep'
DIR. Mays sudden presence, the keen
look of his gray eyes, were not to DO
borne.
sBut / know what the matter isl he