Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-02-28

VIC HVNu AOG Walk so sure
~" demonstrated. How these people
Jostle one! and l want to talk 20 you So"
And l to you. Never mind, we shall
find quiet corner under the shadow of
st. Mary's." And as she spoke we turned
into the narrow tagged path skirting the
church, with the tombs and gray old head
stones cleaning here and there. There
were fewer people here.
Are you sure you are quite wells" I
began, rather anxiously. You are look
ing paler than usual, Aunt Agatha, and,
if 1t be not my fancy, little thinner"
Yes, and older, and perhaps a trifie
graver," she returned, rather briskly; but
thought her cheerfuIness a little forced.
''We have not yet learned bow TO grow
younger, child. Well, if you must know
and this is why l came to meet you. that
we might have our little talk together-I
have not been without my troubles: your
uncle has been very i'll. Merle. so i'll that.
at one time, L feared | might lose him;
but Providence has been good to- me and
spared my dear husband" And here
Aunt Agatha's voice trembled and her
eyes grew misty.
was almost too shocked to answer; but
my first words were to reproach her for
keeping me in ignorance.
You must not blame me, Merle" she
replied, gently. Il wanted you dreadful
ly; | felt quite sore with the longing to see
you, but | knew you could not come to
me. Mrs. Morton was in Scotland: you
were in sole charge of those children.
Unless things grew worse, knew | had
no right to summon you. Thank God,
was spared that necessity: the danger only
lasted forty-eight hours; af.er that he
only required all the nursing l could give
him"
Aunt Agatha, it was not right; you
ought to have told me-"
Il thought differently, Merle; put my
self in your place-you could not desert
your post, and you would only have grown
restless with the longing to come and help
me-the same feeling that made you hide
your accident from me led me to suppress
my trouble. l should only have burdened
your kind heart, Merle, and spoiled your
present enjoyment / said to myself, Let
the child be happy: she will only fret her
self into fever to help me. and she must
do her duty to her employers If Ezra
had got worse | must have written; when
he grew better l preferred telling you
nothing until we met"
II shall never trust you againI' l burst
out, for this reticence wounded me sorely.
"How am to know if things are well
with you if you are always keeping me in
the dark"
1T will not happen again, Merle; in
deed, my dear | can promise you that it
shall never happen. If you had been at
Princes Gate l should have summoned
you at once, but, in your position, how
could | ask you to desert your post, Merle,
when those who placed you there were
hundreds of miles away"
l saw what she meant, and | could not
deny that she had kept me in ignorance
for my own peace of mind. 1t was just
her unseltishness, for / knew how she
must have longed for me; we were so
much to each other, we were so sure of
mutual sympathy and help. Aunt Aga
tina cried little when she saw how hurt
was, and then, of course, / tried to COM
fort her, and | very soon succeeded. |
never could bear to see her unhappy, and
/ knew it was only her goodness to me.
| begged her to tell me about Uncle
keith's Illness, and she soon put me in
possession of the salient points. He had
worked a little too hard, and then had
got wet in a thunderstorm, and sharp
attack of inflammation had been the re-
suit
He considers himself well now" she
continued, but he is still very weak, and
will not be able to resume work for anOth-
er week or two. His employers have been
very kind; they seem to value him highly.
Obi he has been so patient, Merle, it has
been quite privilege to nurse him; not a
complaint, not an irritable word. | al
ways knew he was good man, but i'll
ness is such a test of character"
But you have worn yourself out" I
grumbled; you do not look we'll" But
she interrupted me.
"Do not notice my looks before your
uncle" she said, pleadingly; he is so
anxious about me; but indeed I am only a
little tired; shall be better now l have
told you and got it over You have been
on my mind, Merle, and then that hOrrid
accident" But | would not let her dwell
upon that. We had reached the cottage
by this time, and Patience was watching
for us; she looked prettier and roster than
ever.
found Uncle Keith sitting pillowed up
in an armchair by the drawing fire.
l thought he looked shrunken, and there
was pinched look about his features.
He had not grown younger and hand
sOmer to my eyes, but as he turned his
prominent brown eyes on me with kind
look of welcome. and held out his thin
hand, i kissed him with real affection, ana
my eyes were little wet.
''Hir-rumph, my dear, l am pleased to
see you-there, there, never mind my
stupid illness; l am quite a giant now, Ell,
Agatha? 1t is worth being i'll, Merle, to
be nursed by your aunt: oh, quite a lux
ury, | assure you'll Hir-rumph." And
here Uncle Keith cleared his throat in his
usual fashion, and stirred the fire rather
loudly, though he looked little paler af-
ter the exercise.
but am so dreadfully sorry. Uncle
KEITH ] said, when Aunt Agatha had
taken the poker from him and hustled
out of the room to fetch him some jelly,
''to think l never knew how i'll you We're. :"
THAT was all the better, child" he re-
turned, cheerfully. Agatha was a wise
woman not to tell you; but there are not
many people in the world, Merle, who
would come up to your aunt, not many"
rubbing his hands together.
ITO be continued.l