The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-03
GOING HOME TOGETHER.

uUINu IIUVIl |Uul IlIllL
AS entered the room and felt my
way to the bedside of the person / had
been sent to minister to, could not
but feel strange emotion of pity well
up in my heart. / had often beheld,
and had become accustomed to scenes
of poverty and suffering. but there
was something different in this place
from what was in the habit of asso-
ciating with in the lower class. The
room was almost devoid of furniture;
in fact l might say, entirely so, for all
my eyes could see in the semi-dark-
ness was little bedstead, mattressless
and covered with an old quilt. a tat
tered blanket. a small table, chair,
and tiny cupboard. But I did not
allow much of my time to be taken up
with these observations. for l had
been summoned to relieve the suffer-
ings of Il sick woman.
l drew back torn curtain from the
brokcn-pancd window. and, by the aid
of little shaft Of sunshine that came
dancing into the room, saw pale,
pinched face resting uneasily against
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blue eyes met mine with Il pitiful gaze.
A beautiful head, covered with mass
of nut-brown curls, tossed to and fro
by the pains that were racking it,
and slowly. but surely, swapping the
life from the frail form. l took the
wasted hand in mine and felt the Aut-
tering pulse, the strokespf which de-
noted great weakness.
How long have you been sick?" I
asked.
about month";" was the gasping
reply. and half-suppressed moan fol-
lowed the answer.
You are not here alone, are your" l
continued. as thrill of sympathetic
sadness ran over me. imagining this
little creature without company in this
dreary place, and sick.
A faint. tender smile futtered about
her parched lips rs she replied:
| No; John stays with me as much
as he can, but you know he must search
for work and can not give Inc all his
noble heart would like to-
| l thought of the stout. broad-shoul-
dered fellow who had come to me and
begged me to make the call and felt
, that he must be John.
He is your husband, is he not?"
asked.
Yes" came the low answer
why doesn't he get some one to
stay with you?'
I'VE are strangers here" size said.
land know no one who would come,
unless we were able to pay them, and
/ - i,,,,,>cc;L1, s., ToL, L
been at work bat few days since We
came. He sits up with me at night
and during the day looks for something
to do. coming every now and then to
see that l am all right"
Just then soft step was heard at
the door, and looking up 1 beheld
John entering. He came to the bed,
and, STOPPING. tenderly lifted the frail
body and held it in his arms as if she
were an infant. The great beaming
eyes turne,l toward him with love-
light shining from their depths that is
rarely equaled. and rs his lips bent
and gently caressed the little mouth a
look of perfect happiness lit up the
countenance of the young wife. Pres
emily he put her back on the bed, and,
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room. l followed and joined him on
the outside.
He turned us l reached his side and
with face worn and thin from tire
less watching and suspense asked:
Doctor. can she live?"
Not in this place." l replied, "she
must he removed, and that at once, to
quarters where she will have careful
nursing and close attention."
He buried his face in his hands and
sobbed like child, and huskily said:
Il have been trying to get her TO 60
to her mothers. in the country. where
she would get all of this; but. doctor,
she refused to 90 unless l accompany
her. and that is out of the question. for
l have barely enough to send her. You
away from home and got married,
which made her parents very angry
They have sent all of our letters back
to US unopened. but if she would go
to them know they would take her
in"
Would you go if you could?'
asked. as he ceased speaking and once
more broke the stiffness with his sobs.
Would I?" he almost screamed,
my God. doctor. 1 would give this
right arm of nine for enough to pay
our way to the country home she de-
serted for me-"
90. them" quickly replied, '.and
get carriage, and will have her
ready by the time you return; YOU
shall go home together
/ HeA did nsAf oNonSo for n,opoonk nol
was almost flying down the street be-
fore l had ceased speaking. l re-
entered the sick-chamber and sought
the side Of my patient, and to my dis
may found her much weaker than
expected. Iraised her into sittin: