Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-09-03

age to light pain and death.
He entered the enc room of the low
house, to which he had been directed
With face quite free from Impotence.
! 4 woman opened the door for him 81
lean, miserable creature, with pale eyes
vod OF expression Her thin hair hung
over her heck. her calico dress fen limp
! ~ from her sharp shoulders she
stared ut ne doctor rs he entered, and
he could see there were tears in hcr
chiIdhke eyes.
"Joc'S siek, she said, slowly nziua
into his face
what the mattarE
"IIe-hr's gohl'te die, maybe she
faltercd piteousy.
no, J hope not"
"Jocs sick" she repeated in a whis-
per, shaking her head
Who's Gomez asked voice from
the bed in n corner of the room. Mel
lie, girl, who are We talbm wilht
at is IN Ford, whom you sent for, -"
said the physician approaching the bed.
One candle lighted dhnly the mtidy,
comfortlcss place, showing 4 stove and
a man with tumbled huir and rough
beard lying among the pillows of his
bed
"Oh, the Doctor" said he, with fever
ish eyes staring from under shaggy
| broWs.
"How long have you been III, asked
Or. Ford sitting down on rickeW
chair
ITS a week since l gave up, but I've
been feeling bad for a long time"
The doctor placed his little thcruoIp-
eter under the patients tongue and
waited silently
"Joe's sick" moaned the girl, peering
out of the shadows
The sufferer seemed TO be irntated by
the repetition of these words and made
IN inpatient gesture, hut rs he did SO
glanced pidfully at the slouchins
figure
What you most need is good nurs-
! ing said the doctor after examining
the patient.
The mans face darkened. The
woman lowered aimlcssly over the
stove.
shes my WIFE," said the sick man,
/ hoarsely. ~ know she amt quite like
other folks. But she's peaceable and
good, not bold and noisy like other
women / pitied her FIRST off; then |
got kind o. fond Of her. And She
The girl had crept to the bedside ami
| stood There with her vacant, troubled
| face, fmubling with the pillows.
Joe she said, much as a mother
might speak her buby'S naute.
"She can't do nothing more for me
nor for herself whispered the man, rs
he clasped one of the hutteriug hands
! in his.
Poor thing!' murmured The doctor
Il can earn good wages when I'm
WELL" went on the invalid, land | did
the cooking and kept the house tidy
then. Now eycrythiDgs going wroa4,,
She spoils al the vicuals but She
don't mean to-"
! At this moment Something on the
stove boiled over with loud hiss and
filled the room with the odor of scorch.
ing milk The girl started then moved
toward the ruined mess.
"Oh, dear me- said the sick man,
under bis breath. Don't bum your
self, Nellie" he called, as if To a child
ITS scorched, joe" She said, the
Never mind, my girl, throw it away
We can get plenty morc You see,
doctor" he said in a hoarse voice, II
cant spak rough to her She's my
wife"
The doctor sat with bent head,
specchless.
I'm send you a nurse, my man he
said, after pause, What you need is
good care. l will come again tomor
row" And with low bow to- man ana
wife, now clingiug together, hand iu
hand, tlIe doctor said goodnight, and
went on lis way
"thanll you, sir, called out the sick
man, much moved.
The girl only stared and wiped the
last tear from her lashes.
Two hours later a capable, kindheart-
cd woman was installed as nurse IN the
little home 10y the river. She brought
with her food in abundance and COM
forts Of all kinds
DIR. Ford drove slowly honleward
Though il was late bright hight shonr
from the paIlOr window as be stopped
The glow Of a wood fire Illuminated thr
room rs nc entered. but no on came to
meet him. His wife sat in her rocker
fast asleep. The lamp threw a radiance
over her bronze brown HAIR and one
delicate cheek as she slept with her
head against the crimson back Of the
chair, Her face wore a sweet, childlike
expression, with a touch Of pathos
about the lips, and her hands lay
closely clasped in the lap Of her gown
of soft dove color.
Near the fire stood a white-draped
table holding a tempting little repast,
carefully arranged. From "a slender
glass in the midst hung one red rose.
The doctor knew she had cut it for him
from her fayonte plant On a pretty
| plate reposed the hakiest ana most de-
| lectable Of mince pies