Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-15
..Nerer mind Tom said the doctor. 'sYo


relevantly. s'Don,t yer know he's my hus-
BAN? An the preacher said / must love,
honor an erbey an SO | hev to MN him
don't yer seer
This revelation rather startled the doctor.
1t had never occurred to him that otanard,
who had mother and sisters moving IN the
best circles of society-in which society ne
himself had mingled-could have united
himself BY marriage to this girl; ana yet the
knowledge of the fact rather raised than
lowered the man in his estimation, and at
the same time he felt that the girl, poor,
friendless, almost outcast as she was, mad
thrown herself away in marrying him.
when We're you and Ton married,
Maggie" he asked.
Nigh On to yer ago." replied Maggie.
"But, oh my! l wasn't to tell, an now I've
gone an done it." and then she began 10 cry.
'.Neyer mind" said the doctor soothingiy,
strokins her hair back from her forehead
with a gentle hand Never mind; you
have only told me, and III not tell anybody
else
"Wont yer. nowl We'll, know yer wont
eff yer say So You see, his folks moughtnt
ike it, and we didn't want no fuss. But
whar's my brother, doctor!' her eyes glanc-
ing slowly around the room.
'.He is at my house. l thought he'd better
stay there while you are sick"
Yes, l reckin he had-ef you'll let him.
The POI chile wouldn't git nothin' to eat
here"
Every well, he shall stay there. and have
plenty to eat But you had better not talk
any more now, SO l will leave you to rest a
little while''
He went to the door, and stood there look
ing across the field at a group OF pines that
had sprung up and grown apace where moth
ing else would flourish. There was mock
ing bird singing among the dark, green
plumes, It's ever varying notes ringing out
loud and joyous.
''Were there nothing beyond this life for
US, as some would have us believe" he
thought, ''it were better to be yonder bird,
which knows not pang, and whose exist
ence seems to be a never ending merry-go-
round, than the poor creature lying in there.
If life end for man with the death OF the
body, then surely he is the most miserable OF
all living things. He alone knows that long
ing for a higher, nobler stI<te, and to him
alone comes heartache, comes woes, however
fortunate he may be he cannot escape care,
and disappointment and sorrow await him at
every turn. The beast that serves him knows
none of these; its hunger and thirst APP
peased, it is content; it suffers from naught
save actual physical pain, and even that does
not make it howl and writhe as il does many
men"
When he returned to his patient he found
her lying with her eyes fixed wlstfully on
the western sky, where the sun was just go
ing down. flooding the earth and lighting up
the pale, sad face on the pillow with a glori-
Gus light. He took her hand in his and bent
over her.
Glow do you feel now, MaggieT' he asked.
'Oh my, doctori" she sighed, II feel
snoughty weak, an my foots is kinder dead
like"
Take this" he said, bringing cup from
the cupboard and holding it to her lips, while
be raised her head little on his left arm
did you ever go TO church?" he asked,
when he had laid her head gently back on the
pillowand put the cup away.
Eyes, onct in a while-when I could"
"And what did the preacher tell your"
''He telled us eff we didn't rerpent-that
means bein' sorry-he said, for all the bad
we'd did, we'd go to hell But never done
nothin' so awful bad that l knows on. 'less'n
twas marrying Tom when | knowed his
folks wouldn't like it. But he would have it
so, doctor, an l couldn't help it. l he'd to
do like he said
"Weu, never mind that; you and Tom had
q right to get married il you wanted to, and
you might have done much worse. But
didn't the preacher tell you about anything
else!'
''Oh, yes; he tol' Us bout the Lord, an
how, eff we done wat was right and rer-
pented of our sins, he'd forgive us an take
US inter a place whar ev'rythipg's purity, an
the street is made of COLE, an thar's plenty
fur all. That's when Yves dead, yer know"
Eyes, | understand"
can is it all true, doctorln
eyes, something like it.
can Is it es purity thar es thet?n lifting her
land feebly and pointing to the western sky
ali ablaze with glory.
"Much prettier; and there is no trouble,
no sorrow there, and everybody is happy"
I'm glad-to hear that" said the girl, her
eyes Frightening with a look of Joy, ''an'
thet's whar I'd like to go-fur this be a weari-
yome worl'-an one don't hev much here
TO make TEN happy"
81 believe you've been good girl, Mag
gle" said the doctor.
81 hes allers-done the best-I cud,n she
said, butt dont-know much-an-mebbe
didn't alters now-wa't-was-jis '-right"
Her voice had been growing weaker for
some time, and these last words were uttered
between short, quick gasps for breath. Now
she closed her eyes and lay quite still, and
the doctor thought she was falling asleep,
fr.+ - I-,+ 4
she started up. and, half lifting herself on
her arm, that trembled under the weight of
her body, looked eagerly toward the door.
ooh, Tom! Tom she cried, her voice all
at once clear and sweet, and singularly
strong, II know'd yerd come when they
told yer l was sick Don't go away ag'in,
an don't yer drink no mo'-now don't Yer do
it, Tom"
One moment she Kept her strained position,
gazing at the open door, and then fell back
on the pillow. She was dead.
The doctor closed her eyes and covered her
face, and then went out Of the room. Mrs.
Turner was just returning from her home,
whittier she had gone when he first cams
Maggie is dead he said to her.
MY gracious she exclaimed; 'how sud
den II Canaan l thunk she was a-mendin'
AN what's to become of her brother nowl
He amt titt!a' TO take kear Of hi'se'f."
81 viii look after bin"
"WLl yer, though! Well, now, that be
good on yer"
"You will see that the POOR girl is decently
laid out. Send 70 me for ANYTHING you need
and | viii attend TO the burial.
YES, I'll do " At KIN. said the woman,
and when the doctor mounted his horse and
rode away she stood locking after him ''Ef
thar v>cs mo like you in this WORT, she said
1--WE 20 folks w'u,dnt have sich hard time
on IL. Robert BosEs in TuEes-Democrat