The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1891-10-29
MY MINISTERING ANGEL

We were all at Long Branch. All in
cluded Tom and his wife, Nettie, and
your humble servant, Walter Byrne,
Toms cousin, and wandering waif
Of rich man, without occupation,
home, or family ties. Nettie was
Toms wife's cousin. | had heard 1t
said before | went down to Long
Branch, on Toms invitation, that
Nett had emphatically declared that
she knew she should detest Walter
Byrne, for she hated an idle man, he
despised a rowing man, and rich young
men were always horrid.
Being gifted with Il considerable
amount OF Self-cOnCeit. and AccustOm-
ed to receive rather flattering atten-
tlons from the fair sex, | strOked my
mustache and shrugged my shoulders,
resolved that Miss Annette Ray
mondS deteStatiO was a matter OF
profound indifference to me-
The first time | saw her she was
bobbingup and down, holding on to
the bather's rope. Tom was driving
me over to his cottage, and had pulled
up his horses.
"There's Nettie," he said, in the
broad straw hat and scarlet suit.
Halloa, Metz
A pair of saucy black eyes gazed at
us, and a piquant, pretty face was
visible under the straw hat.
"Where's Amy?" shouted Tom.
"Got q headache"
Tom laughed as we drove on.
"Amy won't battle unless | am with
her. he said, "she is nine-tenths
afraid
While | was III my room arranging
my bachelor belongings Nettie came
across the garden i'll a crisp, pink mus
lin, and her black hair loosely braided
and tied with pink ribbon. She was
more than pretty then, the most bril-
liant brunette beauty, not more than
II years old, slender, graceful and al
tOgeth her bewitching.
For three weeks we quarreled about
ten times q day. Nettie Knocked at
my lazy speeches, tainted my stylish
costumes, made fun OF my neckties
and gloves, and gave me fully to un-
derstand that | was a COxcOmb.
bore it philosophically, but in my
heart ragged. was not accustomed
to being treated in that style, but
Nettie seemed to ignore my bank &C
count entirely.
We nearly came to a better under
standing once, when Miss Nettie was
carried out by the undertow and
might have been drowned if | had
not been a powerful fellow and good
swimmer. | brought her home all
limp and senseless, and she was very
| quiet all day, and almost begged par.
don for all former offenses in he1
gratitude. But the next day she was
worse than ever, and the day after
that left.
| wandered about aimlessly to the
White Mountains, Niagara, up and
down until October, when q party
going to Eurobe tempted me, and
sailed away from New York and Net
tie. | was not in love, but certainly
l thought more frequently OF those
saucy black eyes, the sweet ripping
voice and beautiful face of Nettit
Raymond than had ever thought O
any other woman's charms.
1t would be too long q story to tel
all my adventures in the next two
years, but it was just so much Later
in my life when found myself travel
ing homeward from Florida, sick anC
wretched.
We had been wrecked off the coasr
of Florida, and l was i'll of fever con
tracted in New Orleans, when wal
tossed up high and dry, in a suit o
sailor clothes hurriedly snatched up al
my sailor nurse and myself dressed il
the confusion, unconsciOusly apprO
priating each others clothes. Ny
watch, purse and papers were all il
my pocket, but in the sailors coat
found money enough to carry M
home-to such q home as l coulC
commando room in boarding
house.
But was terribly ill, and every da,
the prostrating heat was weakening
me- 1t was like insanity, the longin
had for O. breath Of Northern air
and sped on and over the iron road
looking more like walking corps
than a living man.
My Journey was nearly accomplish
ed, when l sat in the train carryln
me from Washington to New York
my last dollar spent, my rough clothe
travel-worn and shabby, my lif
almost gone from me.
| don't know exactly when TAINTED
but | came TO consciousness perceivin
a fragrance of cologne water near me
and knowing that something was he'll
to my lips. | tasted wine. but wa
too weak to speak. Little cool hand
arranged some soft bundle under m
head, and then fan stirred the al
around me. | must have slept an
again awoke.
Very near me, on the next seat,
heard sweet, low voice saying, "W
get off at the next station, and hat
to awaken that poor sailor for m
handkerchief. I put it over his bundl
for pillow and there is another o
his forehead"
A voice, pettish and familiar, al
swered, "Just like your imprudenc'
: Now that common fellow will hav
your handkerchief! You are so ho1
ribly impulsive! 1t is very unmaide1
ly to have been fussing over a strane
man at any rate. You don't kno
how he may annoy yon.'
Low and sweet, qulvering a hit
came voice in answer, "He wi
never annoy any one. If ever deaf
was written in face l saw it in his.
"It's none of your business"
at is my business. You may scol
as you like; if it is unmaidenly t
stretch out your hand to a dying ma
for five minutes, then l shall nevt
meet your ideas OF decorum"
And as if to prove her words, tt
speaker rose from her seat and leane
over mine.
My head was lower than the back
the seat, resting on the window-sil
and my feet stretched out to the ne1
space. kept my eyes closed and
knew the handkerchief upon my for
head was moistened with cologne wa
er, just as the train stopped. TT
conductor shouted elizabeth" ar
I the ladies behind me gathered up the
. traps and departed. could only s
r the linen busters and brown wells I
+bou VIZ llxad down hot uaap tho r.,