Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-29

During the summer months the boys carried
out their long cherished plan. and entered upon
q systematic course of home study, sided by tine
Doctors advice, and by an Eastern educational
members. Nor were they idle out of doors;
Besides harvesting and shipping their light
fruit crop, they constructed a small reservoir
just below the spring, lining it with yellow
clay that they took from the pit they excavated.
BY this means they were enabled to irrigate
Martins figs, and they also dug small cistern
near the house and conducted the water TO 1t,
saving themselves and little Hope many weary
steps. When they came to count up
they found that, small as the sum was,
il very nearly covered their living expenses for
the entire summer, leaving the money they had
received for the peas almost untouched.
Hope had taken her share in the outdoor work
as well as he boys, and there had been divis-
ion OF household tasks as unexpected as 1t was
pleasant for the young girl. The outdoor life
had magical effect on the slight child, and the
roses bloomed in her cheeks for the first time
since her mother died.
CHAPTER XII THE TRIP TO THE CITY.
The second Christmas after they settled on
Home ranch, Hope and Martin went down to
see their father. Discouraged by Ned's recep-
ton and fearful that their presence might
somehow work harm to the invalid, they had
sent messages and the simple gifts at their conn
mand. and received the reports OF DR., j ohn's
friend, which came regularly every week. But
now the doctor himself advised that they should
The sick man had been watching for them all
the morning. Every time that the door of the
long ward opened, his eyes had turned toward 1T
with an exDectant look. He was lying in
great invalid chair, whose carved frame and
soft upholstery contrasted sharply with the SIM
plicity about it. At length his quickened
hearing caught the sound OF young voices IN the
hall. The door opened. and there stood his
little Hope, looking down the ward IN tlmld
inquiry.
grown! His heart yearned her and he
ionged to clasp her in his arms and shower
blessings on her dear young head. He could
Nv lilo Ind 1nnk al haF eloquent
the love and yearning his lips could not express.
A sick man in the next cot started up wildly
as the innocent girl ran by, with ner arms out
stretched bunch of flowers in her hand.
1.-THE angel of light!'' he cried. and fell back
on his pillow. where he watched her with wild,
rapt gaze, mutterng the words over and over
again.
Others in the ward propped themselves up on
one elbow to rejoice in the glad vision. The
father alone could give no sign OF the Joy that
filed his heart.
All, we'll! 1t was soon over and he had only
fair memories to remind him of his childre ms
presence. The delirious patient in the next cot
was still raving about the ''augel of light, and
died with the cry upon his lips. The bunch of
flowers was still thsre, in the glass where sho
had placed them; soon they would fade and die
He alone outlived his usefulness. Day and
night he waited with long deferred hope, for the
| coming of the King.
The children stopped to speak with the physi-
clan in charge of the ward, as they went out;
t,s5s SO good sayS to get that nee
| comfortable in it, and it must be such change
for him, AFTER lying all night in bed in one posi-
| tion.'
| The physician looked embarrassed. It would
not do to let the matter pass in that W Az. Other
patients were within hearing. 1t might breed
| discomfort in the ward.
! The hospital board has no money to waste on
| such luxuries," he said shortly. THAT was
sent here by your father s triend.'
| Gathers friend?''
eyes, the gentleman who comes to see him
| every Sunday
| Nvh he Children ed home
| saw DR.. John, they broached the subject to
him.
''Dr John, your friend has brought father a
beautiful chair. 1t very kind OF him, but
don't you think we ought to pay for itF We
! would like to-
grufiy. Let him do # if he wants to. He can
| afford it better than you
He must be a very generous man. 1 am sure,
to do SO much for stranger, said Hope.
| ''On the contrary he is one OF the most selfish
| menI know" declared DR.. John. He has
done it for nothing in the world but his own
pleasure. oh, know the man. Let me man
:'I must say I think DR. John doesn't half ap-
they had turned away. I'm tell you what: !
go more on him than do DR.. John. You don't
know everything about DR.: john
| ''Why, Martini cried Hope in amazement;
land just think, if it hadn't been for DR.. John
he would never have known anything about
| father"
Eyes, that's so. But IT'S very easy to do good
things by proxy" insisted Martin.
| by proxyl Martin Austin! 1 should think
you'd be ashamed of yourself. Perhaps Dr..
John has helped us by proxy. oh, yes. he,
helped US by proxy all along-made US welcomed
| here and looked aftar in all sorts of ways,
and built the footbridge and helped us with en-
couragement and advice, by proxy, right along. y
By the time Hope had finished this incoherent
and indignant speech she was wiping the tears
from her eyes, and Martin was ready to pros
trate himself in the dust before her to appeasS
her and his own conscience.
Yet only the week before Martin had takeI
another ride to Oakland with the doctor, and be
felt that he had been installed as DR.. Johns
confederate. He beginning to understand
what It was to be "a man with history
It meant dark, disgraceful secret to be con-
cealed. 1t meant fear and distrust of ones fell
low men. 1t meant underhand, humiliatinG
ways of doing business. 1t meant suspicion o.
others and contempt of one's self. Martir
wished with all his heart that the doctor had nj
history.
The first year of experiment and struggle wa!
safely past, and the boys felt that they nigh
now look forward to an era Of prosperity anc
comfort.
Yet serious trouble was close at hand, and i
was Hope, wise. prudent, little Hope, WHIT
brought disaster upon them.
[To BE CONTINUED