The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-10-18
A PAIR OF SOFT ARMS STOLE AROUND her.

PAIR OF SOFT ARMS STOLE AROUND her.
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 darkened 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 a sweet voice whispered in her ear :
~'Dear auntle, as mamma was not WELL I
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 burst of
tears.
Lillian had rare ia Guilty in sick-room /;
her steps were so noiseless, and she was
so far removed from business, and with
On 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
stlpor, and there must soon be 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. ''Uncie 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.
II 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 hardker-
chief and gently wiped it of, fearing she
might be mistaken, but no, it was true, and
in few moments it reappeared and she
knew he was better. ''Oh, God, I thank
Thee" 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"
s.My love! my darlingw she whispered
softly in bis ear.
He seemed to struggle with memory.
ffYou do love me, them" he whispered,
family.
"Better than my life, dearest love-" she
said, gently pressing her lips to his.
He smiled YEARLY, like tired child, and
with look Of inefable content dropped OF
20 sleep again, while she sat by his side in q
tumuit Of joy.
s.How is he2'' said Mrs. Montford, who
came in to relieve her watch.
ssHe is better" she whispered. "He knows
me and spoke to me-"
THANK the Lord for His mercies!' said
the good woman, fervently, and, taking Is
abel in her arms as if she had been her own
child, '.now go to bed, dearie, and sleep
like top until morning"
The sun was high when the overtaxed
wife awoke from her long and dreamless
slumber;. the slumber of sweet relief after
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 was
awake. He greeted her with smile, In
fsntile in its weakness, yet full OF love and
trust, IS she bent over him and whispered
glad words of love and thankfulness into
his ear.
slave l, then, been SO very sicka'' he
asked, feebly, as her tears Of joy fell upon
his face
II think, Uncle Harvey, you deserve a
good scolding for giving US such scare"
Lillian answered Cor her. s,If it hadn't been
for my excellent nursing there's no know
ing what would have happened to You.
Aunt Isabel and that big-eyed doctor were
glowering over you like couple of lunatics
when came to the rescue"
He was too weak to reply to her lively
sallies, but he pressed his wife's hand with
q feeble energy.
It seemed as If she could not be demon
stratire enough after the long period of
cold indecision through which she had
passed; she knew now that she had loved
him for months when she had imagined
herself grateful only. and she sighed IS
she thought how his kind and noble heart
must hare been wounded by her coldness,
and she strove to make amends by showing
him every phase of tenderness her full
heart could devise.
!: s1think must 60 home how" said Ii