The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-01-21
and tho camphor-bottle, and went into


house--a picturesque cottage, overhung
with Virginia-creepers, with a little
plaster cast of Cupid in the garden, and
u great many bluehells and carnations
"a Young widow who read all the new
est books and sometimes wrote gushing
poems for the second-rate mOnthlies.
Mrs. Printemps imagined herself like
tho gifted and unfortunate Mary Queen
of Scots, and dressed up to the part, as
far as nineteenth-century prejudices
would allow her-and she was seated
| by the easement, trying to find rhyme
to suit most unaccommodating line of
poetry, when the tall pale stranger APP
peared under her window, "for all the
| world" as Mrs Printemps subsequently
| expressed it, like n troubador, or David
Rizzio himself"
"Excuse me, madame" he began,
"but am from the hospital, and"
"My goodness men' calculated Mrs.
Printemps, jumping to her feet; chow
dare you come here and tell inc that to
my face? Why don't they isolate you?"
Madame" said the surprised
| stranger.
"Go awayr' said Mrs. Printemps,
banging down her window and boiling
it noisily. "Bctsy'-to her girl run
across the meadow to Mrs. Undcrlay' S
! and tell her that the smallpox case is
rampaging all over the country, trying
to get people to let him in, and she ism t
to open the door on any account. And
| stop at DIR. Ducr's and ask him what
sort of sanitary regulation he calls this
kind of thing?n
"I'm afraid I'll meet him, mem"
said Betsy, getting behind the side
| board; "and l ain't been Vaccin%tcd fOr
seven years, and
"Nonsenscr' said Mrs PRINT, n>>S.
''H you 60 across thc pastn'c-ii.Id yD'' j
get thero full five minutes before he does.
| Make haste now"
Kate Ducr was standing in her door
| way watching the storm roll grandly
over the mountain-tops. when the weary
and bewildcred traveller opened the
gate and came hcsitatingly in.
Il beg your pardon" said he meek
| ly, "but [ think there must be some
thing singular in my appearance. Poo
| pie seem to shut their doors against me,
and shun me as if had the pcstilcncc.
And cannot find the residence Of Mr.
Dibble, the clergyman. Would it be
asking too much if / were to request
permission to rest in your porch until
the storm is over? came from the hos
pital, and---n
'Oh, l understand,' said Kate quick
ly. "You are the smallpox patient
But have been vaccinated, and am not
afraid of the disease. There is very
comfortable chamber in the second sto-
ry of the barn, and you shall be care
fully nurscd and taken care of there,
Of"
"But you are mistaken" cried the
young man: 81 am not
Hush" said Kate gently. "Do not
be afraid to contde in me. | am DIR.
Ducr's sister, and know the whole story.
Sit here and rest little, and / will
bring you some bread and milk until
my brother comes"
II am thousand times obliged to
you," said the stranger, land the broad
and milk will taste delicious after my
long walk But do not know what
! leads you to think that l am II victim
to varioloid. haVe lost my hat in the
wind, to be sure, and am compelled to
wear this Syrian-looking drapery on my
head, but never had smallpox, and
hope never TO encounter its horrors"
Kate Duer turned red first, then pale.
IHcu, Sdlu SnC, III you tIc LoI tlc
smallpox case, who are you?"
II am Felix Amory," said the young
stranger, 1.-THE chaplain of St. Lucctta' s
Hospital in New York am to preach
in aid of the home mission Oh Sunday
next"
Kate Duer burst out laughing.
"And everyone has been mistaking
you for the smallpox case" said she
''Oh, Mr. Amory, do come in. How
could we all have been SO stupid? But
you see. the minute you began to speak
of the hospital"
II dare say it was very awkward of
me" said Mr.. Amory. "But it's the
way have always mentioned myself to
strangers, st, Lnoetta's, you know
"Yes, l know" said Kate, "But to
the good folks here, there is only one
hospital in the world, and that is the
! Pitcherville Institute"
MIR. Amory enjoyed his tea, sliced
peaches, and delicate "angel cake very
much, as ho sat tetc-d-tctc. with Kate
Duer, by the soft light of the shaded
lamp, while the rain battered without.
And when the doctor came in it was
cosier yet.
THE smallpox case?" said he. ooh,
that Is safely isolated at Hopes Quarry
since this morning. And doing very
well, too, am happy to say. Upon my
word, Mr.. Amory, am sorry that you
have had such q disastrous expc-
rience."
"Alls well that ends WELL" said tho
young Clergyman, leaning back in his
snug corner with an expression of inef-
fable content on his face.
Miss Lidia Larkspur was quite indig-
nant when she heard that Mr.. Amory
was staying at DR.. Duer's residence.
Just like Kate Ducr," said she. "To
manwvre to get that poor young man
into her hands, after all. But if man
rushes around the country, telling every
body that he comes from n hospital, what
can he expcct?"
"The most awkward thing over
heard of in my life," said Mrs. Prin-
temps vindictivcly.
But this was not Mr.. Felix AmOry's
last visit to Pitchervillc. He came in
autumn when the leaves were rcd-and
then in the frozen beauty of winter,
And the last time, he asked Kate Ducr
III sho was willing to encounter the
trials of a minister's wife?" And Kate,
a n -