Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-07-26
Continued From Sunday.

nc ICON NG Manu.
In the deep, shadowy dusk Edith slip
ped out and sped away to the Littleheld
hospital, carrying with her the Ms. vol
ume Of poems. fortunately Celestina
wa now awake, sit ing up in bed, prop
ped by pillows, her long thin face framed
In the yellow q " curis, and strong
enough TO receive ler rescuer. She greet
ed Edith with t5uching gratitude, and
held her warm " ing hand between both
her own wasted, chilly ones, pressing it
repeatedly to her lips.
eff it hadn't 3een for you, my dear"
she said in a faint voice, II should have
died right there alone in the woods, for
| wa growing weaker every minute.
And l 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 a | a to enjoy Gods good
gifts. Every fine day this summer l
went to Deepdene woods to commune
with nature. 1t was there l got my in
spiration for my poems. have written
poetry ever since | was seven years old.
Sometimes l forgot to eat until / was
quite faint and hollow with hunger, so
absorbed was | in my thoughts and
musings, and it must have been so that
day l tried the fatal experiment with
the pink giIs."
There was an extreme propriety and
elegance about Miss Celestina's mode of
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 beau
tiful place, a very beautiful place-but 1
shrank from it because l love my indie
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, 81 little appreciation Of ones
higher and finer feelings in a place like
that, and those things have always been
more to me than meat and drink. 1
don't mind telling you. my dear, l have
had a good friend here in Littlefeld,
who could appreciate my extreme sensi-
tveness of nature, who has given me
pecuniary assistance check every half
year-so ~deicately bestowed that l never
have felt l was a recipient Of charity.
This good friend departed for Europe a
few weeks ago to Join her daughter, who
is III, and in the hurry of her departure
she forgot the usual remittance. But l
know she viii remember me. / am
looking every day now for a 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 it
green long after the grave has closed
v us both. So you see, my dear, it
was fortunate after adl that l had TO
come here, where / shall be well taken
care Of until her letter arrives. 1 am
going to ask you to inquire for me at
the postofice when you go for yourself.
/ should 80 like to have the letter come
through you"
Edith went away feeling a new bond
with her literary sister. She, too, was
looking for a blessing through the post,
and Celestina's mild, cheerful philosophy
did her good. For days, v e weeks,
after TINS memorable day Edith had fit
ing visions Of Harold Ashley when she
went into the street, but Fanny nexer
anne again to her room. She went no
more TO Deepdene Wood, for fear of meet
.ng some of the Ashley family, and grad
1ally most of the streets in her own
of the town became no thorough
lare for her. Harold was always driv-
.ng or walkinsor sauntering about in
hose parts, and Mrs. Northup almost
laily recounted some chance meeting
young Ashley. He seemed to loiter
corners in tennis dress, his racquet
hand, as if waiting for some one, and
here was a suspicion in Mrs. Northup's
that hs watched a certain window
"a her housset night Though she be
ieved him guileful, she was half won
Jver by his beautiful manners. you
ought 10 see him lift his hat to me, Miss
March. as if l were a duchess. and such
4 bow and smile as be does give, I tell
.orthup there was never anything like
{. It's queer I should meet him 80 often
N my walks to market, now amt it,
Miss Trevor and the rest Of the family
gone to the seashOre, and l can't
think why he keeps a-staying on in Lit
As 1 say TO Northup, with al
his fns ways ] guess that young man
Win bear looking after"
Edith heard these things with drooped
head and . faint rising dush, but silent .