Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-02-21


being good to you, seeing you lie there As
helpless as baby, with your poor arms
all done up in cotton wool, and the pain
hard to bear' Never mind, the Lord will
help you to bear it: and He knows what
pain means" And with this homeiy con-
ISOLATION she left me and went in search Of
Hannah.
When Gay came to me TO see if 1 was ell
all comfortable for the night, asked her
rather anxiously il she expected to hear
from Mrs. Morton in the morning.
She looked as though she were sorry 1
had asked the question. "Well, no-the
fact is. wrote tie letter, Merle, but faith
er forgot to post H., and it has not gone
yet. L am very rry," as | uttered an ex'
clamation of annoy vance, "but it cannot
be helped, and it w Is all fathers fault; he
is so careless with .etters; but now AIDE
laide has written to say how well Reggie
seems to-day, and both of them shall &c
by the same post tomorrow morning.
Benson shall take them
IL was no use saying any more. Gay
was sorry, and it was not her fault, so
only asked her to add word OK two to
explain the delay, and this she promised
to do She wanted to write to Aunt Aga
tina as well, but I would not hear of this.
Aunt Agatha was very tender-hearted
and could not bear to hear of any suf-
fering that she could not remedy, and
could see no benefit in narrowing her
feelings / would tell her myself some
day.
DR. Staples had given me sedative, SO
! slept more that night, but it was three
days before could leave my bed, and all
that time we heard nothing of my mis-
tress. On the fourth day l put on a dress
ing-gown Gay lent me, with loose hanging
sleeves, for my arms were still swathed
like mummies, but the pain had lessened;
and though | was weak enough only to
lean back in an easy-chair and watch the
children at their play, liked to be with
them, and it was pleasant to sit there by
the nursery window and look out on the
terrace and sun dial and the sunny orch
ard, with the old white pony grazing as
usual.
Gay had come up that morning with
rather a troubled face. They had had a
letter from Alick. she said, but he had not
received either hers or Adelaide's. Violet
had seemed so i'll that he had taken her
home to Princes Gate, that DIR. Myrtle
might see her. They had left Abergeldie
before their letters had arrived, and he
could not possibly receive them until the
next morning but of course they would
be forwarded at once.
was much distressed to hear that the
letters had miscarried, and still more that
nv mistress was i'll. 1t was dreary taking
her back to that great empty house; but
then DR. Myrtle understood her constitu.
I 4 l. IL.
stranger. begged Gay to tell me what
was the matter. but she did not seem to
know. 1t was "A collapse, Alick had said,
n sudden serious failure OF strength; he
had written very hurriedly, and seemed
worried and anxious.
al wish | need not have told Won all
born, but do not see that there n any
need for special anxiety" But though
Gay insisted on taking cheerful view Of
things, | could not bring my spirits to her
level. | felt nervous and unaccountably
depressed. l had not sufficiently recover
ed from the effects of the accident to bear
the least suspense with equanimity. In
spite of my efforts to be quiet and self
controlled, / grew restless and irritable;
the least noise Jared on me; it was re-
lief when Hannah took the children out
and | had the nursery to myself. My
nervous fancies haunted my dreams that
night and | woke so unrefreshed that Gay
scolded me for not getting better more
quickly, and pretended to laugh at my
dismal face when | heard there was no
letter from Mr. Morton.
ut is nonsense your fretting about those
letters" she said, in her brisk way.
"Alick has them by this time, and we
shall hear from him before evening. Do,
pray, pull yourself together, and l will
ask Doctor Staples if drive will not do
you good; your indoor life does not suit
you"
[, not contradict her, but felt there
wOul- De no drive for me that day; perfect
quiet and rest were all | wanted, and |
knew DR.. Staples would be of my opin-
ion. The afternoon was showery, so the
children played about the nursery. did
not admit Rolf, for his noisy ways would
have been too much for me, but he was
very good, and promised to stay with Jud-
son II he might come TO me u Iluuio IN inc
evening.
had gone into the night nursery to lie
down for an hour when | heard footsteps
coming down the passage. The next mo-
ment heard Mr.. Morton's voice speaking
to Gay.
You can go in and see the children,
Alick," she said, "and will join you di-
rectly, when Adelaide has finished with
me-" and then Joyce called out "Fardie, "
and | could hear Reggie stumping across
the floor
l waited few minutes before l made
my appearance. Much as l longed to see
1. l.. 4
meet his children alone. l almost felt MS
though intruded when l opened the
door. Hannah was not there, and he was
sitting in my rocking chair with Reggie
In his arms, and his head was bowed down
on the little fellows shoulder He started
up when he heard me, but | never saw
him look so pale and agitated. | knew
then that he was man of strong feelings
that his children were more to him than
had dreamed.
Miss Fenton," he began. aud then he
bit his lips and turned away to the win
dow. l saw he could hardly speak, and
there was Reggie pattiug his face and
calling him "Fada, fada," to make him
smile.
Reggie is quite well," l said, feeling
the silence awkward.
Yes. yes" quite abruptly, 81 see he is;
thank God for that mercy; but, Miss Fen.
ton, yo have suffered in his stead. You
are looking i'll. unlike yourself What
am TO say TO your How am l to thank
vou?"
please do not say anything to me-" l
returned, on the verge of crying. Dear
little Reggie is all right, and l am only
too thankful. Tell me about my mistress.
Mr.. Morton; we are all SO anxious about
her"
l thought he looked little strangely at
me. He held out his hand without speak.
ing That hearty grasp spoke volumes.
Then he cleared his throat and said, quick.
ly, "She does not know: | have not told
her; she is very weak and i'll. Doctor
Myrtle says we must take great care Of
her. Size has been overeNertiug herself ~
Tony dismay and his burst into tears,
but was not quite myself, liable to be
upset by a word.
"Oh, she is always evereXerting herself;
she does more every day than her strength
will allow" l cried, almost Historically
at makes ones heart ache to see her sc
worn out and yet so patient. Oh, Mr..
Morton, do let ME come home and nurse
her; sire Is never happy without the chill
dren; it will do her good to see them: she
fretS after them, too. and it makes her ILL
Do let me come home; there is nothing l
would not do for her"
heard him beg me to be calm. was
I'll myself. heard him say, and no won
der; and he looked pityingly ut my band
a-asn
- only wish you could come back to us.
Miss leuton." he went on. so kindly that