Crawford avalanche., 1891-09-17
THAT PRETTY LITTLE sIuFltT0H.
BY y1Ro1E =. HARRIS.

sat opposite her that day in the street
car, and heard her girlish prattle, that
had never seen such combination oi
Stiffness and prettiness. Her silly chat.
ter provoked me desperately, for / was
intensely interested in an article in the
last Medical Journal, which had direct
bearing on a complicated case / was
| going that morning to treat. An acci-
dent that morning to one of my horses
and stupid blunder of my coachman
had forced me to take the car, and felt
as cross as bear, and looked SOL know
for when / caught her eye she tossed hen
silly little head and turned away with q
pout. l heard enough about papa, balls
the opera, etc, to guess that she was an
idolized, only child and something of q
belle. AS was too old to ignore the
vacuum in her head, for the sake of the
pretty face, i was much relieved when
Dora Copperfeld-as / mentally styled
her-and her friend left the car. 1t was
strange, but after the first chance meet
ing, was constantly meeting Dora. ]
caught glimpses of her nesting down in
the cushions, as her carriage dashed with
a fash and glitter by my Office. At the
opera the fates threw me in her neigh
borhood. She was with a fat, pompous-
looking middle-aged man, whom took to
be papa" mentally dubbed him "6ld
money-bags," and hated him rs heartily
as did his daughtcr-he looked so COM
placent and listened with such evident
relish to her ceaseless, silly prattle.
One day / was summoned in great
haste to the bedside of patient whom
had attended a few times before. She
and her daughter lived in a quarter OF
the city to which my practice seldom
called me, and among people only
served for sweet charitys sake. Though
these two were as poor as many l at
tended free l could not dare refuse the
fee they promptly rendered after each
visit. OF them / knew nothing further
than that they we're ladies. There was q
proud independence, dignified reticencc
that commanded my respect. l was much
attracted by them both; the mother was
refined and gentle, and bore with forti.
tude her sufferings; the daughter was
beautiful, proud, dignified, and bravely
independent. l was anxious to help
them, but the opportunity for doing 81
delicately and without risk of offending
had never yet presented itself, and not
for my right hand would have offended
their brave, proud, reticent poverty. But
on this visit the evidences of poverty
were even greater. The room was very
bare; evidently they had been forced to
pawn many necessary articles. The
daughter was pale and thin, aud some.
thing like despair shone in the beautiful
dark eyes. found Mrs. Trevor very
weak and low. After l had prescribed
for her l sat like "Micawber," hoping
something would turn up"-that there
would be some opening in the converse.
ton where i might safely offer aid.
could not leave them in such destitution
must help them-this was not theil
place and sphere, and they must be lifted
out by some means. The mother was toe
weak to talk, and Miss Trevor was toe
absorbed in her own sad thoughts fol-
conversation, so must take the dilemma
by the horns.
"Have you been taking wine as pre-.
scribed, Mrs. Trevor? You are much
weaker than when l saw you last, and
had hoped the wine would have built up
you, %,ss ssEfqgto faStof seemcu 10 srruggre wrru
herself. A burning blush suf'used hel
face and neck. At last she raised her
head proudly, and with defiant ali
looked me full and steadily in the eye
as she said in low voice, without O
quiver:
"No, DIR. Heathcote. We were not
able to follow your prescription fully
| The wine you sent mother was of great
benefit to her, and was able TO supply
| it, also, until last week, when she was
taken much worse, requiring my unre-
mitting attention, which forced me tC
stop sewing, my only means of support
| But had Just finished some work for O
young lady, and as she owed me $40,
trusted TO that to tide me over, until
could resume work. But L have beer
unable to collect the money, and we arc
penniless."
bravery said, my beautiful Spartan
l thought, as l looked at the fine, pal,
face with its troubled eyes. The Spar
tan youth, with the wolf gnawing at hi,
vitals, suffered less than you did il
making this confession. Behind tha
marble ,calmness, my beautiful Guiutee
what Vcsuvius must be throbbing ant
seething in your heart and brain! In
juries and injustice that you cant for
get-neglect and coldncss from thos,
who should have befriended!
"Yes, DOCTOR" said Mrs. Trevor
Helen kept her troubles from me as lonl
as she could, and has allowed me TO wan
for nothing, but failing to collect th'
money due her has been great hardship
Tho ,,oor child has not tasted food sine
yesterday"
ouc covered her face with her hands
and the tears trickled down through tn
thin fingers.
turned like one shot and stared at tina
beautiful girl, standing so quiet and com
posed. Starving! starving! She, fit to b
queen, and suffering for bread!
stalked like Gagged lion up and down tn
narrow room.
"Oh, the heartless rich! The cold
heartless richW
More thoughtless than heartless,
think, Dr. Heathcote."
Istopped short as the cool, even tone
fell on my ear, and marching up TO he
took both her hands in mine. i was oil
enough to be her father.
"Helen, why didn't you come to me
Why didn't you GOMEZ"
The tears came to her eyes-the first
hoA saow. &haro