New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-04-04
den, and made a beautiful border oil

den, and made a beautiful border oil
leaves and late flowers, filling the CEN
ter with both purple and white grapes.
with one large, yellow pear in the mid
die. 1t was very tasteful and tempt
ing, and | was we'll pleased with my
work as it stood upon my bureau
while dressed for my long, hot walk
over the dusty roads. could have
had the carriage at any time. but l
liked to fancy my offerings were more
acceptable charities if they involved
some personal sacrifice and inconven-
ience
''IJ was quite late in the forenoon
when | took up my dainty basket
and started upon my walk. As it was
not my regular visiting day, ] had on
ly Marianne Doyle's grapes to carry.
I walked along very leisurely, think
ing far more OF my unfinished en-
broidery than of the suffering girl I
was going to visit. In the vestibule OF
the hospital I met the matron, who
detained me to ask for some old linen
for two new cases in the accident
ward. and then hurried on to prepare
the operating room for the doctors.
"CllLa w UlC Io1lS Wdlu WILL III y
basket, and at the door I met Ray
Halford. There was no smile upon
his lips as he saw me; no pleasure IN
his eyes as lie glanced at my basket.
Never had seen his lace so stern; new
er had [ heard his voice so cold as he
said:
"You are too late Marianne Doyle
died half an hour ago. She expected
you yesterday
II think then that he pitied me, for
I grew dizzy and faint with hesudden
shock, and would have fallen but for
his arm. He led, or, rather, half car
ried me to the waitlng-room, and fan
ned me until l felt my strength com.
ing back.
I had no idea she was so ILL., /
said.
No; understand she was not one
| OF your favorites,' he answered, with
a stern emphasis upon the last word;
but she was q gentle, sweet girl, puri-
fed by suffering, and has gone, hope
and believe, to a happier world than
this hard one has been to her.
"He left me then, to attend to more
pressing duty than my comfort, and /
went home saddened and crushed,
knowing I hao lost the re,
spect of the man I loved,
and who had loved me. It was part
of my punishment the next time Wis.
tied the hospital to hear from the ma
iron how the dying girl had watched
for me, the grapes seeming like life-giy-
ing refreshment to her fevered longing.
And even when it was dark and the
gates closed for the night, she made
the matron promise to give orders for
my admission, saying:
"tShe has been detained, but she
will be sure to como because she prom
ised.'
"But my worst punishment lay in
Rays utter withdrawal of all conf.
dence. He was always gentle and kind
but never loving again. He left US be-
fore another spring for the West,
where he died some ten years later.
When he knew that his hold upon life
was loosening fast, he wrote to me
q tender loving letter. begging would
forgive him if he judged me too harsh
ly:
"'I left Easton,' he wrote, because
1T was torture to me to be near you,
and not to tell you how I loved you.
For, I did love you, my darling, and
Hove you still. only dared not ask
you to share my sacred duties after
you had broken a promise to dying
woman. | might have been too harsh,
and ask you to forgive me now, but /
was afraid to trust the many cares Of
C.
careless or thoughtless keeping
"And so, Daisy, through bitter re-
morse, through years OF loneliness
and unavaillng regret, I have had
stamped upon my heart for life the
proverb: Never put off till to-mor-
row what you can do to-day y
s'And I" said Daisy quickly, twill
learn from your experience and your
lips, and hold it precious in my mem
DRY, too