The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-10-04

ACiludyb, nhCl was dGAlCuktu " 10
home to my mother-f r the journey to
London was too expe siye to admit of
that happiness more than once a year
there happened a great disaster to the
lie Poer family; no less than that terri
BILE scourge, typhus fever. Matilda
took it first, then Caroline, then the
mother. These three were scarcely con-
valescent when Zillah caught the fever
in her turn, and had it more dangerous
~ than any of the rest. Her life was
IN danger for many days, during which
| had the sole anxiety and responsible
ty; for Mr.. LIE Peer, on the first tidings
OF the fever, had taken flight, and been
visible at home no more. True, he
letters, and l in return kept him con-
stantly informed as to the progress of
his wife and children. When Zillah
was taken i'll, however, l did not think
it necessary to send him word concern
ing her, feeling that the poor orphans
life was precious to no one. l never
wac more surprised than when on Nh.
LIE Peers yenturing back and finding
Lillah in the crisis Of her disease, his
terror and anxiety appeared uncontroll-
able.
GOOD God!o he cried, "zillah ill?
Zillah going to die? Impossible! Why
was l not informed beforep Confound
you, madam!'n-and he turned furiously
thinkY-Are you mad-quite mad?,
/ declare Thought he was. Mrs. Le-
Poer only sobbed in silence. Mean
while the outcries of the delirious girl
were heard in the very parlor. l had
given her my room; | thought, poor
soul, she should not die in her damp
kitchen-closet.
Mr.. lie Poer turned absolutely white
with terror-he who had expressed only
mild concern when his wife and daugh-
tiers We're in peril. Miss Pryor. said
he, hoarsely, something must be done.
The girl must be saved; I'd snatch her
from the very tiend himself! Send for
advice, physicians, nurses; send to
Leeds, Liverpooi-to London even.
Poor Zillah did not die. She was
saved, for Heavens strange purposes;
tf3ugh l, in my then blindness, often
and often, while sitting by her bedside,
thought it would be better did she slip
quietly out of the bitter world in which
she seemed to be only an unsightly and
trampled weed. Mr.. lie Peers wonted
anxiety did not end with her GONZALES
cence, which was very slow. "She may
die yeti" | heard him muttering to him
sell, the first day after he saw his niece.
Miss Pryor, my wife is a fool mean
a rather undecided person. Tell me
what you think ought to be done for
1lllah's recovery?go l prescribed. but
with little hope that my advice would
be folloWed-immediate change to sea
air. 1T shall be donel" at once said
he. Mrs. lie Poer and the girls a
take care of her; or stay-she likes you
best. Miss Pryor, are you willing to
go2'
This question perfectly %confounded
me. ! had been so longingly anticipate
ing my going home-deiayed, as in COM
mon charity l could not but delay it, on
account of the fever. Now this troub-
se was over | had quite counted on my
departure. That very week | had been
preparing my small wardrobe, so as to
look as nice as possible in my mothers
eyes. She had given me a hinttod do SO,
since she and l were to spend the vaca-
ton together at Mr.. Sutherland's coun-
try-house, and old Mr.. Sutherland was
SO very particular. s.
why do you hesitate?" said MI. Lee
Poor rather sharply. "Are yon thinking
of the money! You shall have M
additional salary-s5O more, if you
choose. Upon my soul, madam, you
SHALL only | entreat you to Co."
l would not have minded Sis entreat-
les, but | was touched by those Of
ZlIlah, who seemed terrified at the idea
OF going to q strange place without me.
Then, too, the additional money not
unneeded; for Mr.. Sutherland, so kind
ly, generous in other things, had the
still rarer generosity never to offer us
that. | determined to write and tell
my mother the position of affairs. Her
good judgment would decide; or if
hers failed, she would be sure TO appeal
to Mr.. Sutherland, her trusty and only
adviser since my father died; and L
was content to abide by his decis-
ion.
lie did decide. He told my mother
that it was his earnest wish 1 should
stay "A little longer with Zillah LIE Poer,
whom he called "his ward" Her his
tory, he said, he would inform me when
we met; which must be soon, as he was
contemplating returning to India for
some years, and has something to COM
municate to me befol , he Went away.
MIR: Sutherland ret rning to Indial
And before his departG 9 he must see
me-mel 1t was very ,nple and nat
ural thing, as | felt after fard, but not
then: l did what he desir las indeed
| had long been in the habil of doing
and accompanied Zillah.
had supposed that we shoL' go to
some near wateringplace, or at all
events to the Liverpool shore. Indeed
| had polntedly recommended Tanmere
where, as ] stated to Mr.. lie Poer, there
was living an aunt of Mr.. Sutherland's
who would have taken lodgings or
done anything in her power for her
nephew's ward. To my surprise he OBJ
Jected to this plan. After staying a
night in Liverpool, instead of crossing
to the opposite shore. as 1 expected, he
put us all-that is, Zillah, the two girls
and myself-on board the Belfast boat,
across the Irish Channel!
The two Misses lie Poer were consid-
erably frightened; Zillah looked most
happy. She said it reminded her of
her voyage TO England when she was a
little child. She had never seen the sea
since. Long after we got out of sight
OF land she and | sat together on the
deck in the calm summer evening, talk
ing of this Indian voyage and What it
was like, and what people did during
the long four months from land to land.
she gave me much information to
which listened with strange interest.
! well remember, fool that ! was! sit
ting on the deck of that Belfast boat,
"Aeh piiC oo-i tiPRIlS lilC Vie STD pclpIe
us, II the moon rising on the other
side sitting and thinking what it
would be to feel ones self on the deck
of some India-bound ship. alone, OF else
in companionship that might make the
word still correct, according to its orig
inal reading-all one. An etymologic-
al notion worthy of a poor govern
ess!
The only remarkable event of our
voyage was my sudden introduction by
Mr.. LIE Poer to parsonage whom ] had
not thought existed. My son, Miss
Pryor; my eldest and only son, Lieut..
Augustus LIE Poer."
| was very considerably surprised, as
| had never heard of the yonng gentle
man. / could only conjecture what 1
afterward found to be the truth, that
this was the son of a former marriage,
and that there had been some family
quarrel. lately healed. The lieutenant
bowed to me, and / to him. Zillab, who
sat by me, had no share in the.intro-
duction. until the young man, sticking
his glass in his eye, stared at her ener-
getically, muttering to his father some
question, in which | just detected the
words, 'todd fish"
"Only Zillah,H answered Mr.. LIE Poer
careleSsly. "Child, this is your cousin