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 a 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
Nettie had smphatically 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. r
Being gifted with a considerable
amount of self-coneeit, and accustom-
ed to receive rather fattering atten-
tions from the fair sex, stroked my
mustache and shrugged my shoulders,
resolved that Miss Annette Ray
monds detestation was a matter of
profound indifference to me.
The first time l saw her she was
bobbingu up and down, holding on to
the bather's rope. Tom was driving
Uncover to his cottage, and had pulled
up his horses.
"There's Nettie," he said, in the
broad straw hat and scarlet suit.
Halloa, Netl". 81 g..
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 a headache"
Tom laughed as we drove on.
"Amy won't battle unless am with
how ~ hn eosl Echn 10 font h
afraid"
While I was in my room arranging
my bachelor belongings Nettie came
across the garden in 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
together bewitching. 4
For three weeks we quarreled about
ten times 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 coxcomb.
bore it philosophically, but in my
heart ragged. Twas not accustomed
to being treated in that style, but
,Nettie seemed to ignore my bank &C
count entirely. ~ 81 ID
We nearly came to better under
standing once, when Miss Nettie was
carried out by the undertow and
might have been drowned if l had
not been powerful fellow and O 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 her
| gratitude. But the next day she was
| worse than ever, and the day after
| that left.
I 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. l was not in love, but certainly
/ thought more frequently of those
saucy black eyes, the sweet ripping
voice and beautiful face of Nettie
Raymond than I had ever thought OIL
any other woman's charms.
1t would be too long O 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 and
wretched. G
We had been wrecked off the coast
of Florida, and was i'll of fever con
tracted in New Orleans, when / was
tossed up high and dry, in a suit o.
sailor clothes hurriedly snatched up as
my sailor nurse and myself dressed ir
the confusion, unconsciously appro
4 priating each others clothes. My
watch, purse and papers were all ii
my pocket, but in the sailors coat
found money enough to carry me
home-to such home as I coulC
commands room in a boarding
house.
But 1 was terribly i'll, and every day
the prostrating heat was weakening
me. 1t was like insanity, the longing
i / had for a breath of Northern air
and I sped on and over the iron road
looking more like a walking corpse
than living man.
My Journey was nearly accomplish
ed, when l sat in the train carrying
me from Washington to New York
my last dollar spent, my rough clothe!
travel-worn and shabby, my lif,
almost gone from me.
| Idon't know exactly when I tainted
but came to consciousness perceivin'
q fragrance of cologne water near me
and knowing that something was helt
to my lips. I tasted wine, but wal
too weak to speak. Littlecool hands
arranged some soft bundle under my
head, and then fan stirred the al
\ around me. must have slept ant
again awoke. sr3..s
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. Iputit over his bundl
for pillow and there is another OF
his forehead" ~
A voice, pettish and familiar, an
swered, Gust like your imprudence
Now that common fellow will hav
your handkerchief! You are so hor
i ribly impulsivel 1t is very unmaiden
ly to have been fussing over strang
man at any rate. You don't kno1
how he may annoy yon." a
Low and sweet, quivering littl
came voice in answer, "He Wi
never annoy any one. If ever deaf
was written in q face ! saw it in his.
sits none of your business"
cit is my business. You may scol
as you like; if it is unmaidenly t
stretch out your hand to dying ma
for five minutes,% then / shall neve
meet your ideas of decorum."
Anda as if to prove her words, tn
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 mex
space. II kept my eyes closed and
knew the handkerchief upon my for'
head was rnoistened with cologne wa
er, just as the train stopped. TIL
laconductor shouted elizabeth an
the ladies behind megathered up the
traps and departed. Icould only sc
/ the iinena busters and brown wells Q
they walked down between the ca
seats, but i kept my seat. sa,..