Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-17

PAIR OF SOFT ARMS STOLE AhOUND hEhs
hired nurse there, and had shared the
young wife's vigil with unwearied devotion.
Oracle wandered through the house dis
consolately, and even Lottie's unvarying
sweetness and care could not console her
for the loss of her parents society. A tele-
gram had been sent to Mrs. Stanford at the
first and as Isabel was sitting one day in
the darksned chambers, her hands clasped
over her face in deepest detection, the door
opened and light step entered the room.
A pair of soft arms stole around her neck,
and sweet voice whispered in her ear:
''Dear auntie, as mamma was not well, l
have come to help you nurse Uncle Harvey. !"
1t was Lillian, and Isabel leaned her head
wearily on the young brides shoulder, and
commenced the acquaintance with aburst of
tears.
Lillian had rare ia Guilty in sick-room; !;
her steps were so noiseless, and she was
so far removed from fussiness, and with
an excellent memory, she could always be
depended on to carry out every direction of
the physician.
Isabel could rest, so far as her overwhelm-
ing anxiety would allow her to, with perfect
confidence that Mrs. Montford and Lillian
were doing all for him which could be done
The delirium had given way to heavy
stupor, and there must soon be a change
for the better or worse, and the change was
awaited with breathless interest.
''Do not grieve so, dear auntie," said
Lillian, gently, when Isabel, overcome by
the thought that he might die, had given
way to violent weeping. "Uncle Harvey
has such grand constitution, you know ;
why, am perfectly astonished at him for
being sick at all, it is an unprecedented
performance on his part, lean assure you"
Her gentle raillery was better in this case
than sympathy, and hope sprung up anew
in the wife's heart, and she began TO look
forward more cheerfully to the expected
turn in the disease.
It was her night to watch with him, and
she took her place by the bedside with a
more hopeful spirit than she had cherished
since he had been sick.
About midnight she noticed that he
breathed more naturally, and, going close
to him, she noticed with heart throbbing
with delight that there was faint sparkle
Of moisture on his hitherto parched and
strained forehead; she took her handker-
chief and gently wiped it OF, fearing she
might be mistaken, but no, it was true, and
in a few moments it reappeared and she
knew he was better. ''Oh, God, thank
Thee,n she cried, as she sank upon her
knees in mute thanksgiving.
Perhaps the great emotion of her heart
awoke a sympathetic chord in his, for in Q
few moments he opened his eyes, and, look
ing at her with glad recognition, whispered,
feebly: Isabel"
my lovel my darling" she whispered
softly in his ear.
II ,,,I - 5A,- rrrrlo rr-ffh ma O-r-
"You do love me, then," he whispered,
family.
''Better than my life, dearest love-" she
said, gently pressing her lips to his.
He smiled wearily, like tired child, and
with look of ineffable content dropped OF
to sleep again, while she sat by his side in q
tumult of JOY.
'How is hel" said Mrs. Montford, whC
came in to relieve her watch.
''He is better" she whispered. "He know:
me and spoke to me-"
"Thank the Lord for His merciesl !" saiC
the good woman, fervently, and, taking Is
abel in her arms as if she had been her OWL
child, "now go to bed, dearie, and sleeI
like a top until morning."
The sun was high when the overtaxeC
wife awoke from her long and dreamles!
slumber; the slumber of sweet relief aftel
long days and nights of WEAKNESS and ag
oniZing suspense, and she hurriedly dressed
herself and went into the sick-room.
Lillian was there, and her husband wa!
awake He greeted her with smile, in
fantile in its weakness, yet full Of love anC
trust, as she bent over him and whispereC
glad words Of love and thankfulness int
his ear
"Have /, then, been so very sickl" h'
ssked, feebly, as her tears Of joy fell upol
his face.
81 think, Uncle Harvey, you deserve
good scolding for giving US such scare,
Lillian answered for her. ''If it hadn't beel
for my excellent nursing there's no know
ing what would have happened to you
Aunt Isabel and that big-eyed doctor wer
glowering over you Ike couple of lunatic
when came to the rescue"
He was too weak to reply to her livel
sallies, but he pressed his wife's hand wit
feeble energy.
1t seemed as if she could not be demon
strative enough after the long period Q
cold indecision through which she ha
passed; she knew now that she had love
him for months when she had imagine
herself grateful only, and she sighed a
she thought how his kind and noble hear
must have been wounded By her coldness
and she strove to make amends by shown
him every phase Of tenderness her fu
heart could devise.
sIthink must so home how,n said Ii