Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-29

iniunctions, vanished when she saw Ruth
white face on the pillow. Noiselessly sh,
placed the little table close to the bed, anS
put the cup upon it. Ruth opened he
ewes as she did so.
"Here is some tea, dearie," Hesba said
softly. 81 will put it. down here, and yol
can drink it when you feel inclined" Rutt
murmured ''Thank you" and Hesba STOPPED
over her and kissed her cheek more softly
than she had ever done before, and ther
went quietly out of the room again.
"She looks worse than I thought for
Hiram" she said, as she proceeded to helI
the little servant they kept to lay the clotf
for dinner 81 doubt she's more hurt thar
the doctor thinks. could see there wert
tears on her cheek, and Ruth was never on'
to crv, not when she was hurt ever so much
OF course, it may be because she is low ant
weak; still 1 tell you that don't like it. 1!
the doctor coming again?"
"Yes; he said he would look in again thi'
evening"
'sI don't like it." Hesba repeated, SAND
after dinner will put on my bonnet and &c
down to the doctor myself and hear what be
has got to say about her. Perhape he will
tell me more than he would ysu; he knows
what poor creatures men are. They just gel
frightened out of what wits they've got, il
you let on any ones bad; but l will get il
out of him. 1t frets me to think / wasn't
here when she was brought in instead o!
having strangers messing about her"
1t came into Hiram's mind to retort thss
her being away at that moment was spe-
cial warning against her going to Dareport,
but the low, troubled voice in which she
spoke, and the furtive passing of her hand
across her cheek to brush away a tear, ei-
fectually silenced him. 1t was all SO unu-
sual in the case of Hesba, whom, indeed,
he had never seen so soft and womsnly since
the first day she had crossed the threshold
of the door, that he was at once touched
and alarmed.
~ hope you are wrong, wife; hope you
are wrong" he said, putting his hand on
her shoulder. "I don't think the doctor
thought badly of it, but he seemed puzzled
like, 1 thought; but if there's trouble,
Hesba, we will bear it together, you and 1;
it's sent for good, we both know that. We
goes the same way, you know, wife, if we
don't go by the same road"
The woman made no answer. That mo-
ment the girl appeared with the dinner.
Hesba ate but few mouthfuls, and then
saying sharply that she had no appetite,
rose from the table, put on her bonnet and
shawl, and, without word, walked OUT
She was away longer than Hiram ex-
pected, and in the meantime he had to an
swer the questions of many of the neigh
bors, who, having heard from the woman
who had been called in OF Ruth's accident,
came to learn the particulars. When Hesbs
returned she brought bundle with her.
''The doctors coming in an hour" she
said. 81 didn't get much out Of him, e1-
cept he said it had been a shock to her sys-
TEN, and he was afraid that there might be
slight conclusion of the brain. He said if
that was so we should want some ice to put
to her head, and have been up to The
Hold and seen Miss Carne. 1 had heard
Ruth say they always have ice up there,
and she has given me some. She was just
coming down to inquire about Ruth, but OF
course l told hecouldn' talk to nobody.
That was the doctors orders. Has she
moved since have been away?"
Hiram shook his head. 81 have been up
twice, but she was just lying with her eyes
closed"
well, will 90 and sit up there" said
Hesba. ''Tell that girl if she makes any
noise, out of the house she goes; and the best
thing you can do is to take your pipe and
sit in that arbor outside, or walk up and
down if you can't keep yourself warm; and
don't let anyone come knocking at the door
and worriting her. 1t will be worse for
them if 1 has to come down."
Hiram Powlett obeyed his wife's parting
injunction and kept on guard all the after
noon, being absent from his usual place in
church for the first time for years. In the
evening there was nothing for him to do in
the house, and his wife being upstairs, he
followed his usual custom of dropping for
half an hour into the snuggery at the Carne
Arms.
"Yes, it's true" he said in answer to the
questions of his cronies, Ruth has had
bad fall, and the doctor this afternoon says
as she has got slight conclusion of the
brain. He said he hoped she would get over
it, but he looked serious like when he came
down stairs. It's a bad affair. 1 expect. But
she is in Gods hands, and better girl never
stepped, though I says it." There was
murmur of regret and consolation among
the four smokers, but they saw that Hiram
was too upset for many words, and the con-
yersation turned into other channels for
time, Hiram taking no share in it, but
smoking silently.
u
during pause in the conversation, "that
man don't know really about woman's
nature, not when he has lived with her for
years and years. Now there's my wife
Hesba, who has got tongue as sharp as
anyone in this village" A momentary
smile passed round the circle, for the sharp
ness of Hesba Powlett's tongue was notori-
Gus. sit scarce seemed to me, neighbors, as
she had got soft side to her or that she
cared more for Ruth than she did for the
house dog. She always did her duty by
her, will say that for her, and tidier
woman and better housewife there amt in
the country round. But duty is one thing
and love is another. Now you would
hardly believe it, but do think that Hesba
feels this business as much as I do. You
wouldn't have knowed her; she goes about
the house with her shoes off as quiet as
mouse, and she speaks that soft and gentle
you wouldn't know it was her. Women's
queer creatures anyway"
There was chorus of assent to the propo-
sition, and indeed the discovery that Hesba
Powlett had soft side to her nature was
For three days Ruth Powlett lay uncon-
scious, and then quiet and good nursing
and the ice on her head had their effect, and
one evening the doctor, on visiting her,
said that he thought a change had taken
place, and that she was now sleeping natu-
rally. The next morning there was con-
sciousness in her eyes when she opened
them, and she looked in surprise at the
room darkened by curtain pinned across
the window, and at Hesba, sitting by her
bedside e with huge nightesp on her head.
What is it, mother, what has happened?"
''You have been i'll, Ruth, but thank
God you are better now. Don't talk, dear,
and don't worry. 1 have got some beef-tea
by the fire; the doctor said you
were to try and drink cupwhen you woke,
and then go off to sleep again"
Ruth looked with feeble surprise after
Hesba as she left the room, missing the
sharp, decisive foot-tread. In minute she