Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-28
DR.. MarY,s heart beat faster.

OCTcly euSu lOFc
as yours will be rewarded"
"They mostly change their names, don't
| theyf" questioned the woman, sadly.
"My Ella was bright, pretty creature,
fair, blue eyed and with handsome teeth.
Her smile was sunshine itself. l strug-
gIed to educate her for q teacher-she
hated Homework and sewing and factory
work. Oh, my God! do you know what it
is to be wrapped up in any one and then
to Iose-to lose" She broke down in
grief spend itself.
"Come," she said soothingly ia a short
time, Il v i'll go with you to get your mon
ey, and l promise you will leave nothing
undone to find your daughter. Be of
good cheer. We shall succeed, I am
sure"
The week passed by, and Dr.. Mary
could come upon no trace OF the lost
girl. At stated intervals Sarah Hilton
brought her sad questioning face to the
Office, only to take it away again with
the cloud uplifted.
One slushy day in February, the doctor
looked Up from her medical journal as
the Office door opened. It was girl not
over 20, with hard face-a girl dressed
all too well fer Riggs court. Her gown
of cheap silk was made in the prevailing
fashion, her rough jacket fitted her slen-
der shape stylishly, her dark, abundant
hair was crowned by velvet hat almost
covered with feathers. Rings and brace
lets adorned her ungloved hands, and
cheap earrings flashed under the heavy
coils CT hair. Her bold, black eyes met
DIR. Mary's serene hazel ones unabashed.
TO In 70
Min? She's my chum an she's carrin' on
awful. Says there's tigers in the room
waiting to carry her of. You'll get your
pay. Don't be afraid of that"
She laughed recklessly, but her glance
fell trife now before the doctors cain,
plying gaze.
DR.. Mary could diagnose the case al
most without leaving the chair. Riggs
court was noted for it's periodical delu-
slons concerning tigers, snakes, etc.
Nevertheless, she put on her hat and
sacqne, took up her medicine case and
followed the girl.
Up narrow, broken, filthy stairs on
which were nuddled groups of fighting,
tearing, swearing children--just the age
of your dainty darling, my lady, whom
you will not suffer the winds to visit
roughly.
Up this steaming stairway, with peril
to life and limb-into den where fnery
and squaIor dwelt in hideous juxta posi-
ton. Ragged corsets and petticoats hob
nobbed with dirty dresses of snowy ma
terial, trimmed with tawdry laces. Frag-
ments of meal stood on rickety table,
and on the bed lay girl whose blue eyes
were wild with the early stages of deleri-
um tremens. Her fair hair was tossed
over the pillow, her cheeks were burning,
her white shoulders were visible through
the torn nightgown. DR.. Mary laid her
cool, soft fingers on the rapid pulse.
Professional Interest and womanly sym
pathy Overcame her despair and disgust,
as they mad so many times before in sim
liar cases. More than this, her first
glance at the girl had made her heart
throb quickly.
"Blue eyes, fair complexion, handsome
teeth," had been Sarah Hilton's descrip-
ton. swift prayer went mp from DR..
Mary's soul as she kept her eyes on the
girls face and gave a few directions to
the one who had brought her to the
place. The latter entered upon a voiCble
description of "Min;s symptoms" DR..
Mary heard her YEARLY. With a gesture
to indicate silence, she bent forward to
examine the patients eyes more closely.
The girls incOherences subsidized under
the magnetism of the doctors cooling
touch and steady, pityi-g gaze.
"DO you hate met" she wnis pered.
DR.. Mary shook her head and laid wet
clothes on tn hot temples.
Il wanted you to come because /
thought you wouldn't be hard on me-.
DR.. Barrett was hard on me. he was
loud and cross. You won't be cross, will
your"
The doctor began to smooth and braid
the heavy golde1 hair.
"Will you go with me away from this
dreadful place? You will die if you stay
here"
The girl shrank back with an i'm patient
movement.
mot to hospital? The women point
their fingers at such as 1 am in hos
pital"
mo. To lovely, restful place in the
country, where q dear friend of mine
lives, friend who will be kind to you"
The other girl who had been bustling
about the room, making a pfetense of
setting it in order, cast q sharp glance
toward the bed, then gax9d sullenly out
of the one miserable window.
"Em will feel bad if / leave her."
whispered the sick girl es'satingly. The
powers of light and darkness were bat
thing with her.
did yOu ever leave widowed mother
to feel had-to break her heart over your
questioned the doctor with a penetrat-
ing look The time seemed ripe for in
curry.
! The girl threw up her arms with a de-
| spairing gesture, and bitter cry escaped
| her.
Yes, yes! Oh, yes. 1t seems so long
| ago. l have been SO wicked. [ am not
| fit to remember" She began to rave
| again and beg for drink.
DR.. Mary prepared a Quieting draugbt
| Then taking advantage of the temporary
/ luil she removed the bottle stand ng or
the dirty mantle and with strong fingers
sent it crashing through a broken pane
into the court below. She looked steadily
at the girl En-, and said in low, distinc
| tones:
us not this girls true name Ella Hill
top, and did you not entice her from hel
home year ago last August"
Ems defiant look fell. "She was ole
enough to know her own mind. She SAID
her mother wasn't good to her,"
Argument was useless. Dr. Mary nov
knew that she had found Sarah HiIton's
lost child, aud, with deep throb Of
thankfulness, she went away to make
preparations for getting the girl out o.
the hands of her worthless companion.
perhaps even En- may be redeemed
some day." thought the doctor. "Heaver
hasten the hour!"
Nearly two years later, Dr.. Mar,
alights from her plain carriage at the irol