The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-10-22
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HWOMAN5 INFLUENCE.
avn outside. The birds sang their

|
1T is only the beginning" she said,
in answer to Wilson's expostulations.
Let me stay now After awhile l will
sleep" And Wilson, yielding, she
spent three nights i'll weary vigil, but
when the fourth came nature would
stand no more.
She could no longer endure the raw
ings OF delirium which brought the
past so sharply and wildly before her.
She could not listen to the eloquent
pleadings for love in such weak and
broken sentences, nor hear her own re-
proach, SO doubly cruel, repeated by his
unthinking lips.
"Oh, for the power to live it orer
again, she cried in the anguish of her
heart. "Oh, for one moment OF con-
sciousness in which he might under
stand"
The sleep induced by bodily WEAKNESS
was deep and long, and it was quite late
the next morning VIII Margaret reach
ed Brian's room.
Wilson met her with an encouraging
smile.
He has Teen very quiet" he said,
noting the question in her eyes. Il
managed to snatch several hours
sleep"
The hours passed slowly The silence
the bees outside the window, for even
Brian's complaining5 We're stiled for
the time. Once he murmured Margarets
name and she fe.t his eyes upon her
face, but there was no intelligence in
them, only the dizziness of delirium.
After q little while he began once more
to give expressions to his feyered fan
cies.
1t was always Margaret and the shad-
ow between them, Margaret approaching
or repulsing him, or Margaret helpful
and encouraging
And Margaret could only sit and
listen; though when his sharp cry rang
through the silence Of the room, Mar
garet, l can't see you: where are you,
Margaret" sh3 placed her head beside
him, and answered in low, wretehed ac-
cents:
Here, Brian; close beside you. Can't
you feel my hands, They ar holding
yours"
Dill her voice penetrate that duh
brain? For one second she thought SO.
But no. The heavy eyes turned from
Han s. Who said hands? Oh, yes; |
remember now. You said it, Margaret.
Don't You know you said it? Your hand
would be in mine. Do you-think Of
the night? And l said-ah, I-said-
what did I-say:'
His voice sank away in an unintel-
iigible muttering. A few seconds Of
silence and his mind wandered again.
He was fighting his old battles now
and calling upon Margaret for sympathy
and help.
And in an anguish that could find no
other express on, she burie her face
III the pillow beside him.
Il cant bear it, | can't bear it," size
cred, passionately.
Bear It." repeated the weak voice
Bear it? All, no; l can't bear your
contempt You are-so hard so harI-
upon me- No right to-reproach you
No right-at all. Her head sank
lower She could find no answer to
these bitter complanings.
Suddenly she felt a hand upon her
shoulder, and raising her miserable lace
she saw Wilson Standing over her.
Will you me out in the air for
few moments?" he said, with quiet au
thority. The weather is pleasant.
Thomas will take care Of Brian.
With sort of mechanical obedience
she followed him to the broad piazza,
where the pure air, warm sun and oIor
Of sweet flowers seemed doubly CRATE
full after the close atmosphere of the
sick room.
He was silent for some seconds. Evil
IDENTIFY he found it dinicult to put his
thoughts in suitable language.
She saw and understood his hesta-
ton.
L know whit you would say" she
broke in, covering her face with her
hands. Il know so we'll. You have
heard Bran. You understand. And
YOU must realize now what a hard, UNI
kind, undutiful wife I've been.
What "a"
Hush" he interrupted, in q strange
voice. Il must not ALLOW even your lips
TO say such unkini words about YOUR
self. They are not deserved. You lay
, 100 much stress upon what he says,
forgetting that it is only the raving OF
delir.um. Brian has made HE his CON
fidant and | feel that | can judge.
You cannot know all, j." She answered,
pressing her hands together. You
cannot know Of the hundred little things
the motions, expressions, words all
meaning SO much. You cannot know OF
them, but / do. They are always be-
fore me, and the last day-the very last
day spoke uniindly. | shall never
forget it-never. | saw that it hurt
him. intended to tell him / was sorry
l had no chance. They brought him
back so. Now he cannot know; he can
| not understand that / would suffer any
pain for a moment of consciousness TO
tell him | am sorry. God will not grant
me even that-nOt even that.
, Why will you think of all these
, thing5?" he asked. pres ntly. is it not
human to be little unkind sometimes?
| Then look at the other side also.
What yGu have done for Brian. We
must not bewail the past, but go on
Z bravely 10 meet the future, promising
ourselves always to do better and bet
ter. You want to so in now?'
| Yes, Doctor, l feel stronger, and l
thank you.
The days passed, bringing but little
| perceptible change in Brian's condi-
/ ton. But the crisis came at last.
Gradually the fever spent itself, and
) the tirel frame, wearied with its long
+ struggle, sank into a stupor so death
like that only the faint heart beats
, told that life was still there.
/ Margaret knew that he would either
I waken with new lease of life or pass
| into that deeper sleep that knows no
{ waiting on this side OF eternity She
watched and waited. and prayed for the
/ long hours 10 pass.
. The shadows OF night, which seemed
e TO have held the anguish OF years, gave
place to the light of dawn. The lines
: of blue grew deeper and deeper in the
4 east, the lin Of the rising sun rested
upon the brow of The hills, and the dis
: tant growing of a cock, welcoming the
e open .nG day, came like a clarion note
e through the silence.
A." 1t reache Rrian's ear. He turn ed
t uneasily. Margaret was on her knees
in a second, a feeling half joy, half fear
/ cIutching at her heart. She bent her
: face close to his.
/ Perhaps he realized her presence. for
2 he turned again and moaned slightly.
! His waking mind was struggling for
/, comprehension, his eyelids trying 10
! throw of the hnayiness that held them