Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-18

/ Will tell Mrs. ADDOtt WuhS KEEPS nio NJ,
and she will send over somebody with
what thinre shall want" SO the doctor
| gave his orders. and being in hurry as
| he always was nowadays, took his leave,
| and patience's watch began. About an
/ hour later the medicines and a small trunk
| containing her clothes arrived. Win
kindly message from Mrs. Abbott. ana tnen
! the stiffness Of night closed round the bum
| galow, broken only bv the sick child's I'M
| patient moaning and tossing. which Pa
| tience was now powerless to stIli. All
night she watched, and all the next DAY
| she would not let her strained and weary
! ewes close for one moment lest she should
| fall asleep at her post. When the doctor
came in for the third time on that day no
! looked 80 grave that her tears were
| thoroughly aroused, and she could not
| have slept had she tried. Against such
raging fever tho child's strength could not
! hold ont much longer. aud when the doc,
/ tor looked in nj 3 o'clock on the second
| morning no was scarcely surprised 70 see
! the poor little man lying pale and exhaust
ed in his cot, with nothing but ms lalhI
breathing TO show he lived.
II fear he cannot last through the day"
said the Young man, "even If he we're 10
| take all the nourishment ! order tor him.
/ The fever mas burned the life out OF him,
poor little chap, and no ono knows where
/ bis father is. None OF my kilograms have
been answered" And the doctor was of
| once moro.
Paticnce's eyes filed with the tears that
would not be kept back when she thought
| OF Grahsm's despair. on God" she
murmured, take ne, and let little Jack
! live. Take me. and lot me he az rest, for |
have no place here. On Lord" Little
Jack opened his eyes. and when she looked
al him she knew her prayer was vain.
When the Doctor had paid his evening
/ vie M rsrQa wa town
! he met Graham hurrylng with a gray, set
| face toward his bungalow.
| rs he-alive?" be asked hoarsely.
my dear fellow he ia conscious" said
| tho Doctor. and sped on, knowing he could
say no more.
Graham stopped on the threshold TO
| take of his boots, and then softly entered
| tho nursery. Patience was seated beside
her charge. with q tiny hand clasped in one
| Of hers. while with the other she screened her
| face from the child. lest he should zee her
tears. But he was lying quite still, with
closed eyes, and it was only when era
! ham whispered, Jack, my little man,
| daddy il here" that he showed signs of
| consciousness. Then he tried 70 raise
himself from hrs pillow, but fell back on
| his fathers shoulder with SIGH and
piteous murmur of " Jack 50 tired. dad
! dy." that went through poor Greham's
! heart like a knife. lie took the child into
| his arms, and Patience relnqu'shlng the
| little hand. tried to steal away unObsorved
But Jacks Not go way, Pacie,"' brought
| her back 70 her post, and kept her there
until the end came.
From time TO time the child would swal-
| low few spoonf0ls Of food, uttering n few
words OF plaintlvo emOnstTance-cither
| lack so tired" or LET Jack alone"
| Ouce no asked "Pacie" to sing Fox
and, stcadying her voice with an effort, she
gently crooned When shepherds "atcn-
| ed Their fIOcks by Night" lie was too
weak TO say the customary adcnn when
she finished, and Jay quite motlonless TIL
! lust before his death. Then he looked mp
! into his fathers face and said, hiss Jack,
daddy. Jack goin' bye. Pacie, kiss Jack,
too.n
Five minutes later Patience knew that
her vigil wa, at an end, and She crept
noisele.sly from the room.
CHAPTER ".
Next day Patience had sickened with
smallpox, and Mrs. Abbott hastily MI
gratcd to Graham's bungalow 10 nur
her. 1t was a sharp attack, but the little
woman weathered it bravely, thanks TO her
naturally wiry constitution and her
friends careful nursing. When she was
allowed to sit up ia bed she asked for
looliug-glass. trembling exceedingly lest
one more trial might be in store for
her in the Disagreement of her poor
little face, of 10 time Of more than
paseable cOmelluess. Was IL wrong
of hel to thank God for having spared
her this further ,ailiic:ionf 1t meant
en much 10 one Of her shrink king DISPOSE
ton, whose path through life would have
become even harder had che believed her
~cif to be repulsiye object rs well rs
STUPID, dull awkward. and unwelcome
And she lad drea0cd-for was she not
woman the painful impression which her
countenancc, blurred and altered, would
have produced on her hero's mind, kindly
as he would have strlYon to conceal the
fact.
When she was considered out of quaran-
tine Graham came TO see her, and her shy
ness in receiving him was much tempered
with gentle sympathy, for shc had shared
his sorrow with him, and no longer ie!t
herself on different platform. He did
not allude4o mis- loss, hut kept the CONVEX
sation on everyday subjects, mover permit
TING IL to flag, and drawing out his COM
panion's idcas with so much tact that she
forgot 10 be nervous, and delighted him
with her quaint savings and SIMPLE,
unwOrldly wisdom. Now. Graham had
lust heard the true story OF Patience
Owen from Mrs. Abbott, and pitied her
sincerely, though he could not rid his mind
Of ihe notion that g'ri who allowed her
self without a word Of protest. 10 be put
in the unidentified position OF candidate
for marriage with n totel stranger would
hardly have the strength OF character 70
steer a straight cour'e through hte-speak-
inc the truth and shaming the devll-and
go ne propOsed 20 himself to put her to the
test. with the idea that if she came through
il triumpbantlv lC wOuld consider the adj
visibility Of asking her 10 I've his wife.
Therefore. when at lengi ha pause occurred
in their conversation, Graham, instead OF
rising 10 go. suddenly resumed his serious
manner. and remarked: We are friends,
Mis- Owen. are we not"
Yes" faltered Patience, all at once
grown shy.
~ And friends will not fall out for q
NO. indeed. "sheanswerci. Il have so
few that | cculd not afford that
"Then. VIII You tell me what brought
you out 60 Paeiri?"
Poor Patience hlushcd painfully. twisted
her fingers ~ her pOckct -napdkcrchief, and
showed every sign Of distress. Il left
home because they didn't want me-" she
sld hurricdly and with downcast eyes,
and came out TO marry one OF the ms
sionaries No one would have me, so Mrs.
Abbott took rue t. live with her"
What IL cost her To make such conics-
sion Graham dimiv guessed. bc hated
himself for his cruelty, and a great wave
o. compass on iOF Tue poor iNi i.-H Eill
-l-cpt through his hcart-cOmpassl min
gied with admiration for hey courage.
"Forgiva mo" ~ said. Poor child,
there IS o great deal of happiness owing to
YOU. Do you think l could make your life
brighter? Patience. VIII Won let me try"
81; before sAe could snsWCr hlm Mrs, Alb
bot had hustled INTO the room.
CHAPTER Y.
The directors at Pamba telegraphed for
Graham once more on the day following
his visit 10 Patience, and she made up her
mind that on his return n week later he
should not find her at Pagiri. He shall
not marry me ont Of pity" she said to her
self. lie cannot possibly love me, and
without his love | could not be his wife:
It would break my heart So with good
deal ot difficulty persuaded Mrs. Abbott
thai she had centred all her hopes on be-
coming hospital nurse, begging her TO
use her influence with the matron Of
the great hospital ut khausal so that she
might be takon on at once as q probationer.
The day before Graham returned TO
Pariri. Patience had left, and as
She was being deposited twenty-four