Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-13

Ancient Fathers to-day, Mr.. Beggs?" or,
"I hear that the examiners are preparing
papers of especial difficulty to meet your
case, but they fear that you will have the
better of them vet"
And the student would grow exceedingly
red, and show his two rows of teeth, but al
the time no words came to him. Only after,
in the stiffness of the evening hours, when
he sat with his mother over his books, a
great laugh would sometimes burst from
him as he thought Of the answer that he
might have made.
So the courtship went on from the spring
through the most part of the summer, and il
was near the time of the examination.
v.
The autumn OF that year was an evil and
unwholesome time. After long drought
and the scorchIng suns of summer, the rain
fell as though one had spoken the words
that unIoosened the clouds, and had forgot
the counter charm. Halt the town seemed
under water, and togs and i'll vapors filled
the air. Among the low-lying houses by
the river whole families lay sick, some with
one ailment and some another; but the most
prevailing was q sort Of fever that spared
not young nor old. And sometimes it at
tackled them but mildly, yet left them feeble
and wan; and again, at touch of its de.
stroying finger, a soul was released.
And the student was changed and older,
for great calamity had befallen. The
name of Penelope was no longer heard in
the two cottages, and her bright eyed face,
with the dimple, was never more seen there.
Instead was heavy gloom. for the mother
was become hard in her trouble, and the
father had fallen into worse courses, and a
reeling step was often heard down the lane.
And as for Mrs. Beggs, the old lady was
as cheerful as before, but the wet season had
SO increased her rheumatic infrmity that she
could no longer keep Joshua company in his
studies, being by that imperative necessity
in her knee-ioints held fast in bed. But
when he said, 81 have sometimes thought
that if had not been so slow this would not
have happened" she consoled him with her
wisdom; and the student none the less
worked diligently, and with such force Of
application that good hopes of his success
to be entertained. But he studied with his
back to the chair in which the widow had
been wont to sit, lest his mind should be op-
pressed by its vacancy. Yet an unheroic
dread mastered him at times that he would
be stricken with the fever, which some held
to be infectious, but the doctors were more
apt to consider it Of those maladies that in
unhealthy seasons hang, as il were, in the
air. And since such representations do
for the most part fulfill themselves, so it
was with this 1t took him (by good
fortune) not until the very day following
l. o,,,ip ton IL, tho snhn0lc IN an
counter he was as valiant as he hadIbeen
timorous at the thought of it. 1.-The exam
ination is over, and the old lady is we'll so
far" said he. The sickness ran its course
for days and weeks, and he lay alone and
did not speak much.
Only one dav lady came with the doc
tor, and she brought posy Of autumn roses.
She smiled, speaking some kindly words,
half testing, and from that day he began to
amend
"Half of these are for you," said she,
"and the rest shall take TO little Ehret. I
fear that the child is sickening with the
fever, and her mother, you know, is in bed
with it. But these grow in the sunny cor
ner of my garden, and they are certain
cure. See! l have put them where the light
shines through them-you must look, and
smell and grow strong"
As she went out at the door she turned
and said: "You will not forget to let me
know the degree day? For must certainly
be there" and so, with laugh, she was
gone. Once only again he saw her; pale,
faif profile, the sweet mouth, little droop-
ing, as she stepped into carriage, leaning
on strong arm-bur that was after.
And now, but the shadow of himself, the
student could at last descend into the little
parlor, and sat there hugging the fire Gas the
saving is) and anon feeling his pulse. The
doctor came upon him sitting thus in the
half darkness, and felt surprise at his weak
ness, not knowing what had been his diet
Tor the three years past.
You must be exceedingly careful" said
the doctor, land on no account go ou, at
present, for over-exertion, and especially the
least chill, might be productive of the most
serious complications
''You mean" said the student ''that it
would kill me? That would be unpleas-
ant"
Certainly" said the doctor. But al
though he was extremely busy just now he
stood by the mantlepiece and turned over in
his hand one of the white china dogs.
"It was extremely kind OF you to bring
the lady to see me, sir" said the student
"There is no doubt" said the doctor,
"that the lady is sickening with bad form
of the fever. 1 cannot be mistaken, for
1 have seen many cases. She is worn
out with all that she has done
among the sick, and with the child
next door she has been almost day and
night. The crisis will be tonight, and she
will not leave the child, for it lies between
life and death. The mother is in delirium;
the father is useless, or worse. In all the
hos 10 q tn he had I do MT
know even a respectable woman that is not
engaged with nursing, or has not sickness in
her own home"
"That is very remarkable, said Joshua.
by tomorrow" said the doctor. 81 could
get help from London, but the harm will
then be done. To neglect the fever in this
first stape-to run the risks of exhaustion,
bad air, draughts-"
"You meau-?" said the student.
But nothing will move her when she be-
lieves that thing is her duty; and she will
stay with the child" said the doctor, as if
to himself He put on his gloves. "And
your mother" said he to Joshua, "is quite
bed ridden?''
''Rheumatism," replied the student.
81 fear then there is nothing to be
DONE" said the doctor, laying his hand on
the door.
"stay," said the student, raising his
head
The doctor came toward the fireplace.
II am very sorry," said the student, ito
hear that the lady is ill.
"Ohi-Good-by," said the doctor.
"Would person of skill," said the
student, "be requisite to remain with the
child for to-night?
"Not at ALL" said the doctor, returning
again to the fire. "Any one of ordinary in
telIigence could follow the simple rules that
1 would give. 1t is almost entirely q
question of frequent nourisnment
"Then, ifyou will write them down, said
the student, slowly, 81 know OF person who
i