Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-07-12

Inc tramp sat ino'IonlorS ""u
did not heed her.
"Perhaps he is too weak to
stand. Take hold of his arm and
let us lead him.
Mr.. p. complied, but as they
endeayored to raise him up he
made show of resistance, and
was released. Sinking back upon
the bench he again looked up
strangely, and said
81 am at the gate, the very gate
and III run on, on, On-till | go
in. Her eyes see me-they are
looking into mine, and | can reach
out my arm and touch her.
AS he SAID this slowly, he rose
to his feet, staring wildly into Miss
HIS face, and stretching towards
her his right hand, as If he would
clutch her. Mr.. p, advanced a
step, laid his hand on the mans
arm and gently urged him back to
the bench, where the poor fellow
bowed his head upon his knees
and so remained silent and motion
less.
Miss Ii. went hastily into the
house, and her companion hailing
a policeman, who happened to be
passing on his beat, asked him if
he knew anything about the
stranger.
NO. SAID the policeman, 81
can't say that | know much about
him. He amt been in these parts
more'n a few days, an' | guess he's
a loon O. some sort as Is come from
some other place. He's been
prowlin' round this block, though,
ever since | first noticed him, an
there's no tellin' what kind O. game
he may be after
While they continued to discuss
him Miss II. came out again and
asked if the ambulance had been
sent for. This seemed to awaken
a new interest in Mr.. P.'s mind,
and he got the policeman to 60 at
once to send IN a call.
The man was too feeble to make
much show of resistance when
they removed him, bat he hung
back and gritted his teeth in des-
peration, saying in weak, husky
voice:
"Oh, don't take me back; don't
take me back ~
Miss II. quickly told the atten-
dant that she would be responsible
for the patient and would call next
day to see him. Meanwhile he
must have every attention that
would be shown to private
patient who was expected to pay
well, for he was certainly a soldier
and for a soldier who had come to
his sad estate in the cause of his
country, nothing could be too good.
To please her Mr.. p. went 10 the
hospital that evening to see that
her orders were fully carried out,
and she was more contented when
he brought back word that the
man had taken a little nOurish.
ment, and was resting quietly.
"They have made new man of
him in appearance already" said
Mr.. p, smiling. "Pm afraid you
will not recognize your protege
when you see that any good pur-
pose can be served by your bother
ing about him.
But, Miss Ii. had a. way of
'bothering about" people whom
others deemed of no consequence,
and was at the hospital next day
as early as she could be admitted
to the wards. In strict compliance
with her wishes, the patient had
been placed in private ward
where ne was quite alone. The
mstron, who met Miss II. most
graciously in the parlor, said the
doctors had been much interested
in the poor mans case, and after
he had been cared for by the
bathman and the barber, had in
stituted an examination which
convinced them that he had been
soldier, and probably lost his rea.
son through an ugly wound on the
head. Since early in the morning
he had been fast asleep, she said,
but his case was hopeless, as by
long privatiOn and exposure his
system had become a wreck-and
he could only survive, at most, a
few days.
A nurse presently notified them
that the patient was awake and,
accompanied by the house surgeon,
to whom Miss II. was well known,
they repaired to the chamber.
AS they entered the man looked
at them from the pallet where he
lay, a peaceful smile on his care
worn face, a look of interest in his
| dim and sunken eyes.
Miss II. kept her face slightly
averted as she came In, and did
| not look at him until he had said
in a strange tone:
"Yes-I said | was at the gate.
| And it was Paradise-and 1t is
Paradise, for there is Grace y
At this mention of her own name
Miss II. turned her beautiful face
towards the stranger with mat
sweet expression about the mouth
! and in the eyes which was always
there when she was going to say
something to soothe a tortured
soul.
But in an instant that angelic
look was changed to one of horror
and dlsmsy. Clasping her hands
above her head, she seemed to
plunge headlong towards the pallet,
and fell PROSTATE beside 1t, mutter-
ing the words:
40 heaven ! Richard p