Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1886-11-19
sslstf Rsabing.
A BIT OF RIBBON.

Outside. the keen, sharp winds Of
cold winter day, the PARTICLES of
snow and ice cleaning like diamonds
in the bright rays Of the sun, which
possessed no power to melt them. -
Inside, in the light, clean ward of the
IL. Hospital, warmth and bright.
ness aud comfort; rows Of neat, white
cots on either side, and nurses in white
caps aud aprons fitting to and fro, in
constant atsen lance upon the sufferers
lying there.
AT the further extremity Of the
long sarj, where the Sunshine fell
softl, over the white drsped cot, lay a
little Il of eight years, bu, so small,
so RI. and delicate, she seemed
scarce, ,ore than half that age.
An aScldent on the street, several
weeks before, had seriously injured
her, ,,nd ~ no one seemed to claim
or Co : for her, she had been brought
Gan hospital.
~ ssiii -of ,i.s 45.ess rhyyicisns
and the constant care OF skilled nurses
had, however, been able to do little
more than TO give temporary relief
from the severe pain she constantly
suffered, but her gentleuess aud pa
thence had won the hearts Of all about
her.
TODAY she lay quietly upon her cot,
twisting IN aud out over her slender
fingers a strip of bright tinse' pape-,
which she now and then held IN the
sunlight. turning it to and fro, to
catch the lustre upon its shining sur
face. Then, fol ing it coftly, she tried
to fashion = tiny bow, but the stiff,
brittle paper parted in her hands, and
fell in shining bits over the white
coyerlid. With patient sigh, she
dropped her hands and turned wear
lily upon her pillow.
DR.. Jay, one Of the visiting physl-
clans. WAS making his morning tour
Of the hospital, and had stopped for
u moment 10 watch the chill's patient
endeavors to amuse herself. The case
had been one which had interested
him deeply. Poor little Maggie. Her
patience and gentlencss had won his
sympathies.
"She seems to have peculiar love
for everything bright and pretty the
nurse said, in answer to a toned
remark from DR. Jay. "She will a.
muse herself for hours with some bit
OF paper or string"
You should petition for supply
of dolls" was the doctors humorous
rejoinder. Il think i'll this case they
would be more beneficial than medi
cine,' and with u smile and pleasant
word to the child, and few directions
to the nurse. he passed on.
The next day, in making his morn
ing round of calls, he was delayed Il
few moments by passing procession
His carriage had stop ed just in front
of the windows Of y millinery store,
and piece of bright brocsded ribbon
caught his eye.
In an instant there rose before him
the pale face of his little hospital pa.
tient, and her piece o. tinsel paper,
and the next moment he had put a
fve-dollar bill in the hand Of his colo
red coachman, rs he took the reins
from him.
"Run in there, jim, and buv me
two yards Of that lowered ribbon" he
said; and five minutes later the pro
cession had passed, and he was driv
ing down the street, with the package
of ribbon slowed away in his capacious
pockets. He seemed perfectly indif-
Ierent to the fact that Jim had return
ed but two dollars of the five, and to
theapparent absurditvoi paying three
dollars for a gi to IA child who, doubt
less, could not have told the difference
between this elegant fabric and piece
of ten cent ribbon.
But if any one had dared to hint
that hs had committed u piece Of fol-
ly, he would simply have shrugged
his shoulders inditierently, DR.. Jay
kindnesses we're never done by halves.
"There, Maggie, you can make a
bow out Of that to suit you," he said
pleasantly, as, an hour later, he stood
by the little ones cot, and unrollins
the ribbon, let it fall in lovely SHIN.
mering waves over the white coverlid
The child's large dark eyes opened
wide in surprise and delight; there
was a quick indrawing Of the breath
4 l L. L