The Press., 1891-10-08

In the deep, shadowy dusk Edith slip ped out and sped away to the Littlefield hospital. carrying with her the MS. vol ume of poems. Fortunately Celestina was now awake, sitting up in bed, prop ped by pillows, her long thin face framed in the yellow gray curls, and strong enough to receive her rescuer. She greet ed Edith with touching gratitude, and held her warm young hand between both her own wasted, chilly ones. pressing it repeatedly to her lips.
 "f it hadn't been for you, my dear, } she said in faint voice, ''l should have was growing weaker every minute. And didn't want to die. Some old people say they do when they haven't anything more than a cat to live for, but the world is so beautiful, my dear, and am such an adorer of nature, want to live as long as can to enjoy Gods good gifts. Every fine day this summer went to Deepdene woods to commune with nature. It was there got my in- spiration for my poems. have written poetry ever since was seven years old. Sometimes 1 forgot to eat until was quite faint and hollow with hunger, SC absorbed was l in my thoughts and musings, and it must have been so thai day tried the fatal experiment with the pink gills."
 There was an extreme propriety and elegance about Miss Celestina's mode oi speech, a delicate, refined aroma that shrouded all ugly facts in well sounding words. Do you know, my dear," said she, ''they wanted me to become an in mate of the Old Ladies' Retreat-a beau tiful place, very beautiful place-but shrank from it because love my inde pendence; and though the house is all fitted up with hot and cold water and gas, my dear, one gets so little soul sym pathy, so little appreciation of one't higher and finer feelings in place like that, and those things have always beer more to me than meat and drink. don't mind telling you, my dear, have had a good friend here in Little6eld who could appreciate my extreme sensi tiveness of nature, who has given me pecuniary assistance-a check every hall year-so delicately bestowed that never have felt l was a recipient of charity This good friend departed for Europe 6 few weeks ago to join her daughter, who is ill, and in the hurry of her departure she forgot the usual remittance. But know she will: remember me. I nm looking every day now for letter with the check. She admires my poetry. and have dedicated a sonnet to her, which hope am not vain in thinking may link her name with mine, and keep il green long after the grave has closed over us both. So you sec, my dear, il was fortunate after all that l had tc come here, where l shall be well taken care of until her letter arrives. am going to ask you to inquire for me al the postofice when you go for yourself should so like to have the letter come through you"
 Edith went away feeling 8 new bond with her literary sister. She, too, wal looking for blessing through the post and Celestina's mild, cheerful philosophy did her good. For days, even weeks after this memorable day Edith had fit ting visions of Harold Ashley when she went into the street, but Fanny never came again to her room. She went nc more to Deepdene Wood, for fear of meet ing some of the Ashley family, and grad. ually most of the streets in her own quarter of the town became no thorough fare for her. Harold was always driv- ing or walking or sauntering about in those parts, and Mrs. Northup almost daily recounted some chance meeting with young Ashley. He seemed to loitel round corners in tennis dress, his racquet in hand, as if waiting for some one, and there was suspicion in Mrs. Northup's mind that he watched certain window in her house at night. Though she be- lieved him guilefnl, she was half won over by his beautiful manners. "You ought to see him lift his hat to me, Miss March, as If were duchess, and such bow and smile as he does give! I tell Northup there was never anything like it. It's queer should meet him so often in my walks to market, now ain't it! D Miss Trevor and the rest of the family have gone to the seashore, and can't think why he keeps a-staying on in Lit tlefeld. As say to Northup, with all his fine ways I guess that young man will bear looking after"
 Edith heard these things with dropped head and faint rising flush, but silent ly refused to enlighten Mrs Northup on her relations with the Ashleys Her MS. had been sent some weeks previous to the magazine, and now she was on the anxious seat of the young author. who reads life or death in the editors decree. She knew she ought to set her self to work. but strange bodily lan- guor rendered every effort abortive Her imagination seemed unstrung. like her nerves. and d-would yield nothing CO., herent. Her attic chamber was stihing in the long. hot dog days, and the railway trains became more and more unendur- able, while the. engine drivers appeared to take malignant pleasure in startling her sleep with diabolical shrieks. She began many things - stories. poems, sketches-and then threw them aside half finished. In fact. she was .srbsist- ing on two little poems taken by child,s magazine, and which she calculated would. with the closest economy. carry her through to September She had given up meat and tea and confined her self to bread and milk and little fruit as the cheaper diet. If the story was re- fused, after all, what was to become of
 WILL BE GIVEN AWAY. Our enterpris. ing druggist, W. D. eHeald, who carries the finest stock of drugs, perfumeries, Io4 orkf folo |