Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-09-29

mended something or other and went
away. But he did more. For this med
zeal magical person had daughter, one
of those who spend their lives in good
works: And she, moved deeply by the
sadness of the thing, came to nurse the
girl, and instead of reading to the pa
tients in the hospitals, sat all day long
with Ruth while her sister was at work,
and talked to her and prayed over her
continually with the sunshine of sym
pathy and friendship. She also sent in
a plano and played to the sick girl. In
the evening Naomi came home, and
when the librarian could get away, he,
too, came and read or talked of grave
things, thoughts concerning men and
women and the conduct of life and the
teaching which is read aloud in the
churches without ceaSing, and remains
as much neglected as ever. So they
talked her poor wearied brain into rest.
But ever and anon the dying girls eyes
would wander troubled round the room,
and she would go back to her prison
cell, and she would call again for her
baby and dandle the pretty child before
his father-the father so handsome and
so good.
One evening, when she felt a little
stronger than usual, she told her sister
about her marriage.
Harry wonldn't marry me openly and
take me to his own people. she said,
because he was dependent on his
father. But he wouldn't give me up,
and one day he told me that he had
everything ready and would marry me
secretly in a registrars office. But
was to tell nObOdy-nOt even you, dear;
and promised. He took me in a cab,
don't know where. One of his friends,
Mr.. Middlemist, who was clerk in his
fathers office, came with US. We got
out of the cab at the office, and went
within. So that his father should not
find out, he signed false name. He
took his mothers name, and signed him
self Henry Hendricksen.
And you remember the place, dear?"
No, do not know where it was, be-
cause never thought of looking. After
wards he told me that it was a sham
registry. but I know now that it was
not. because people who have sham
Offices do not put up brass plates and
print the name of the Office in the pill
lars of the door. Besides, we had to
wait while another couple were married.
am his wife, dear, as much as the law
can make me-.
When Naomi told this to the librarian,
! he said that now they knew the particu-
lars nothing would be easier than to
find out where the marriage took place,
because a register is kept, and can be
consulted. And he took certain steps
unknown to the two sisters.
After this they talked no more about
| the past. AS the bodily frame grew
weaker her mind became more restful.
| During the day she seemed to forget the
past. She listened, her hollow eyes
looking far away, while her nurse-the
physicians daugeter-played to her; on
| the wings of the music she was borne
away to the land of holy thought. When
she talked it was OF the future-nOw Sc
near-when her child should be re-
stored to her. The past, as she truly
told her sister, had left upon her SOU
no touch of shame-not the least touch
That 1t had killed her was nothing, be-
cause life had nothing left for her. Only
in the night she would awake and
stretch out her hands, feeling for the
walls of her cell, and moan and weep II
thinking of the child, born in the prison
and dead in the prison. Then Naom
would weep with her and SOOthe her
until the dying, girl, in her turn, soOthet
and consoled the girl who had to live.
One evening, towards the end o
April, when there was a soft breath o
( early spring, Ruth began to talk of tn
old DAYS, when the SWiftS flew about tn
r tower of the cathedral, and the leave
] began TO come out upon the trees; an
= she spoke of the sweet service on tn
d Sunday morning, and of the quiet shop
with its shelves of books, round whicl
. the canons of the cathedral would slowl
7 walk, reading the titles; and Of tn
dean, who always came to shake hand
. / with her father, and patted her cheek
4" all tie old hfe-so long ago, so Ion
q ago. She talked about this all tn
/. evening; it seemed as if she could thin
e of nothing else When she laid lie
e head upon the pillow she murmureC
e Naomi, dear, there is nothing worth re
I Numbering but the old days-and you
4 dear, and you-unless it is my baby
Y OH he is waiting for me. can see hi
+ pretty face; he holds out his prett
e hands. Then, with no more words
:. her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Ma
e omi watched her; she was breathin