Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-01-13

steel dinner knife, folded the most delicate
napkin she had In q fanciful way aud
stuck IL up In an egg-shell tumbler, and
last touch OF all, placed tiny vase with
one half -opened rosebud In the center.
That day the food was tasted, and fro nj
that time the trays that went into the
sick-room were daintily and tastefullyi
arranged.
The invalid was doing well, and every
hope was entertained that she would re-
cover, but suddenly there was dangerous
relapse which no one could account for
The doctor looked puzzled, and Margie,
hoverin8 around to hear what they said,
heard muttered remark about tho care-t
lessness or stupidity of nurses, which led
her to infcr that they blamed the woman
In charge.
Sue walked directly into the room.
"Pleaso tell mo, DIR. Jarvis" she said
earnestly. "did understand you that 1t Is
the fault OK the nurse that this relapse has
occurredv
Now DIR. Jarvis had known Margie from
the cradle, and he looked at her for a mo-
ment.
~ don't say this nurse is not as careful
as any OF her class, but of course no hired
person can have the interest and take the
care that a friend would do. think she
would be better for little oversight
doctor, do you think-could I be of any,
useW came tremblingly from her lips.
Certainly, my dear great deal of use.
LII you only kept watch of the medicines,
and saw that orders were obeyed, you
would be OF great use; you might save her
Margie said no more, but hurried to her
room, put on soft wrapper, and when the
doctor returned he found her installed in
the sick room.
Her step-mother, so wasted and CHASTITY,
did not know her, and Margie went freely
about the room, darkening blind that
admitted light in her face, smoothing the
bed clothes, bathing the burning face and
hands. DIR. Jarvis gave his orders about
medicine and treatment to her, and from
that moment she took charge.
The first time her father came In he
started at seeing her, but as she was at the
moment engaged in attending to the pa
TENTS wants he said nothing, only looked
at her sharply TO see her object
Margie was not an experienced nurse,
but she was bright girl, and her awak-
ened conscience and remorse made her
quick to observe and very watchful. This
close care was better than technical know
ledge, under the circumstances, and the
patient improved at once. The doctor
commended her on his next visit, and be-
fore the end of a week announced the sick
woman out Of danger, thanks to the watch
full, intelligent care of Margie.
She had q talk with her father, too and
when Margie was leaving the room that
evening to eat her dinner, she met at the
door her father, who took her suddenly In
his arms and kissed her, saying, brokenly:
"My darling! Now you are like your
blessed mother. Do not remember the
hard words l said the other day. was
beside myself with pain"
80, papaw cried Margie, with emotion
served them. Do forgive me !''-and hur-
ried away to indulge in one more cry-this
time of Joy. go
In the calm way in which the very i'll
accept whatever is offered, the step mother
had accepted Margie's ministrations. If
was too weak to say so, and before she
could talk much she had seen that Margie
was won.
Perhaps, too, she had reson to know
more of her character than was suspected,
for strange and overwhelming revela-
ton came to Margie little later.
She was able to sit up. and after Margie
had helped her into pretty wrapper, and
the nurse had drawn her easy chair up to
the window that she might look out and
see the coming Of spring, In fragrant APP
yard, she asked Margie to take a key from
her drawer, and get her something out of
her desk.
The nurse had left the room, and Margie
opened the desk. There, lying open, rs il
just signed and ready to fold, lay letter,
such as she knew well. The handwriting
was familiar in every line; the name was
signed "Your Fairy Godmother."
She stood a moment, thunderstruck, the
lid of the desk in her hand. In all her
conjectures as to the author of the letters,
she had never thought of her step mother.
She looked around; she saw her discov-
cry was known. A great love and pity
and tenderness were in the face she had
nursed back to life; tears were in the eyes,
too, and the wasted arms opened earnest
ly:,o -, ,
and love mei" trembled from her lips.
A great wave of feeling rolled over Mar
gie-pride, shame, remorse, pain, love,
respect, all in one great sweep.
She hesitated-she yielded. The cover
dropped, and she was on her knees beside
her face in her lap, she sobbed and wept
and could not speak, while the gentle, thin
hands stroked her hair, and words broken
by tears fell from her lips.
500 not feel SO. my dear!-I hoped l
could make you love mel wanted it above
all things-I wanted to fill that vacant
mother-place to you'll want you for my
daughter"
Scan you ever--ever-forgive me?"
sobbed poor Margie. $50 mean-so I'M
grateful-so"-
"Do not say more, Margie," interrupted
the tender voice of her step mother, '.don't
speak of the past-that is all over. Let us
begin again on q higher basis. If 1 have
won daughters love, shall regret no
pain in the winning"
She had most completely won daugh-
ter's love. Margie gave to her who had
been the source of all her new pleasures
the tender name of Mother" and she
even had the masnanimity to confess to
the girls who had stood by her all through,
what fatal mistake she had made, and
how near she had come, through Der own
pride and folly, to throwing away the hap
piness OF her own life, and wrecking that
of her father as well-N. Y Erdminer.