The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1886-07-15

Not long after this Florence anc
Leoline had been out for a walk and
were returning home when they were
met by one of Mrs. Leslie's servants.
.Oh. Miss Lec'ine." said the servant,
"your cousin, Miss May, is very sick,
and Mrs. Leslie sent me TO inquire il
you would assist in nursing her."
Leoline thought a moment and then
said, Tell Mrs. Leslie l will go il
mother is willing"
"Oht' exclaimed Florence, "you are
a little idiot to think of going, and l
hope mother will not permit you to 60.
The disease may be contagious, and
you will come home sick and We'll
have no end of trouble. Yes, and who
is to do all the copying while you are
gone? Let Aunt Emma hire some one.
l am sure she has enough money"
"You need not copy any more than
usual. You know 1 have a little money
which 1 saved for a rainy day, and we
will manage some way. So don look
SO cross, for l feel it my duty to 60"
DUTY! Fiddlesticks! Aunt Emma
did not think of duty when poor father
died."
By this time they had reached home
and Florence rushed in exclaiming,
Mother, May Leslie is sick and Aunt
Emma wishes Leo. to help take care of
her, and Leo. says she is going and l
know she'll catch the smallpox or
something dreadful" and Florence sat
down, out of breath, while Leoline knelt
by her mothers chair and said, MAY
is very i'll. Nav I pOp"
Mrs. Arleigh kissed the little upturn-
ed face and, for a moment, she thought
how cruelty she had been treated by
this sister-in-law, who now asked that
Leoline, sweet Leoline, whom everyone
loved, should nurse the descendant of
the Leslies. She smiled, scornfully, as
she thought, ''She shall not co." but
o o her better nature conquered and
she said quickly. "You may 60, dar-
ling, and may God bless you"
In the days that followed, May Leslie
received the best of care and the doc
tors directions were carefully followed
by Leoline who, hour after hour, sat by
the side of the sufferer and never com
| planned of WEAKNESS.
At last the crisis was passed and May
was quiet and rational and she no longer
raved as she had done when the fever
vas at its height. She was surprised
to learn that Leoline was the one whose
hand had cooled her fevered brow, and
whose soft voice had lulled her to rest,
and she begged her to stay awhile.
One day Leoline and May were sit
ting in the latter's beautiful sitting
room, May lying on a couch and Leoline
sitting in an easy chair, reading aloud
an interesting story in a late magazine.
Suddenly there vas a rap at the door,
followed by the entrance of MI. Deane,
who said, cheerily, ''Well, how is our
patient ~to-day?"
While he talked to May, Leoline
walked out quietly and, going to her
room, threw herself upon her bed and
wept bitterly. Anyone seeing her
would be surprised. for quiet Leoline
seldom shed tears. If it were Flor
ence, one would not think it strange,
for Florence often became so angry
that big tears coursed down her cheeks,
but, a moment after, she would break
out in a peal of laughter at something
which excited the visibility in her ma
ture. Florence was all clouds and sum
shine and as changeful as the wind, but
when Leoline wept it was not from
anger, it was because something serious
disturbed the serenity of her soul. The
cause of her present grief was this:
Unasked, she had given her heart to
the handsome young doctor, whose
skill had saved the life of her cousin.
"Ah." she unused, what chance have
I to win him? [, who has neither
beauty nor fortune, can inspire no love
in his breast; and even if | were as
beautiful as Helen of Troy. and pos
sessed of the virtues of Penelope, |
could not hope to win him, for | am
certain that he loves my fair cousin.
She, | know, returns his love, for when
he calls, her black eyes sparkle with
pleasure, and yesterday she told me
that her heart had passed from her
keeping and that she hoped to become
and true. [ must carefully conceal my
love for him, for mother and Florence
must not know that l have lost my
heart while under the roof of the
Leslies. Gentle mother would be more
sad than ever, and impulsive Florence
would say she knew something would
happen to me, and she would hate
cousin May, who is the innocent cause
OF my sorrow.
The next day Leoline determined to
60 home, and in spite of Mays en-
treaties, declared she must 90 that
evening; for, said she, 'You will soon
be well, and mother and Florence need
me-"
Well" said Mrs. Leslie, . If you
must 60, [ suppose we cannot keep you;
but here is a small sum as a return for
your kindness in coming to help us;''
and she passed a check to Leoline, who
laid it on 4 table, saying she could not
accept money rs payment for her SER
vices. Mrs. Leslie liked Leoline, and
she said, mentally, 1 will give her a
handsome present"
That evening Leoline returned home,
and, as she left her aunt's house. she
noticed how beautiful May looked in
her white cashmere wrapper, and she
murmured: No wonder DR.. Deane
loves her,"
When she reached home her mother
was out; but she was warmly greeted
by Florence. who waltzed around in
praot r1oo Alton oub,1a cbo coo+od how