River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-03-25

into a deep sleep and dreamed that her
wish had come to pass, The burdens
of the day seemed suddenly To have left
her She dreamed that on entering
the house Rupert called her to his bed
side, and though he was suffering in.
credibly, she felt not one pang of sor-
row or compassion. As the agonized
youth looked up into her face for the
usual expression of sympathy, which
he often said 10 himself helped him
more than all his medicines, he was
astonished at his utter insensibili-
ty.
why, Elsie' said he, sadly, ..you
are not sorry for poor Rupert to-
nightp"
Seeing she did him no good she
joined her uncle ut the lireside. She
was even gay, for she felt no grief or
sorrow, but she soon noticed that her
laughter, which had no real merri-
ment in it after all. seemed not to
please her uncle, an added look of pain
crossed his face If he said lis this
my little Elsie whose silent sympathy
these many weeks has been slowly
bringing me back to that faith in hui
man love and goodness which / thought
to me forever lostP
Next day, as usual, she went to the
fever-stricken cottages, thinking how
much work she could now do unhin-
dered by falling tears or tremulous
hands. How was it then that, though
as yesterday, she smoOthed the pillows
and bathed the aching heads, each sui
ferer seemed to notice some subtle
changer Did she not do just as usual?
Indeed was not her hand steadier and
her touch less nervousP Then why did
more than one turn and look in her
face 10 see if il were really Elsie, ana
why should one old woman say:
"Why, dearest Fraulein, you've not
a word to warm my poor heart to-
day."
But Elsie said no word, for she felt
neither sympathy nor compassion, her
heart was of stone and as unfeeling as
the great stone arch of her uncle S
gateway One after another looked
wonderingly up into her face at the
cold, blank look which took the place
of the quivering lip and moistened eve
which had been their only comfort on
many weary days, for it showed she
loved and sympathized with them.
And so it seemed to Elsie that the
whole day had been a failure though
she had faithfully performed even the
minutest talks of her self-imposed call
ing: but though her heart was of stone
she still had a conscience. She missed
the Lndertone of happiness which be-
meath all the aching of her heart had
ever been present at the thought of the
Joy which always hailed her coming
As she walked homeward at sunset she
noticed with dull feeling of sadness
that neither the beauty of the flowers
nor the gloriously tinted clouds gave
her any pleasure, although she had al
ways before been keenly alive to all the
beauties of nature. Her evening at
home was but repetition of the one
before, and the following day, of this
Before the third day was past Elise
longed as ardently as she now found
herself capable of doing that she might
again have her own Eeart and blood,
tingling with pain for evermore though
it might be. Even that seemed better
to her than the dull apathy and insen-
sibility from which she could not free
herself.
In three days hast thou learned that
one who hardens his own heart, loses
not only the power of feeling pain
but of enjoying happiness as well, and
for this nothing can be a recOmpense.
She had learned, too, that deeds of
mercy without a heart of love and
sympathy avail little.
When Elsie awoke, which must have
been some hours later, she was still
living on the moss under the oak tree.
and the moon was shining through the
branches straight down upon her. 1t
was some time before she could realise
that her three days with the stone
heart had been but dream as she lay
asleep after hard days work among
the cottagers. She hurried into the
house, thankful beyond expression that
it was not q reality, and fastened to
reassure her uncle. who was beginning
TO be alarmed at her unusual delay.
In the after-days Elsic's wealth of
loving sympathy weancd her uncle
from his moodiness, caSed poor Rupert
of his pain, and frightened the lives of
the poor folk who loved her. As she
ministered among them la the sue
ceeding years she aften shuddered at
the thought. What if the dream so
vivid had been a reality, and she had
been left forever with heart of stonei'