The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-11
IN EXTREMES.

Lucy PeyrAnnes was IN the aresslhe- ioon
changing her costume, tween the second
and third acts. Suddenly, she observed q
look of sadness ON the face of Mother YER
teuil, her lady's maid, a gond creature who
ALWAYS had a cheerful word ready, and who
had often consoled her in n moment OF ner"
vousnees or exhaustion. III woman's face
looked drawn. and her eyelid's were red.
..What is the matter? What %ashappenea
10 vou?o asked the actress. and the other
answered, -
..Ah. Madame, / am in great trouble; my
husband is a house painter, and yesterday
he fell from the top Of a ladder. His leg is
broken. and he is in the hospital"
.Poohv' cried Lucy gaily, "a broken leg
ia not a serious matter; he will not die of
&. mark nv word. Cheer up now, and |
will go and see your husband myself, to-
morrow" ~E-.-
"Oh. thank you, madame, that will please
him SOP .@"-# 49,.
Lucy Peyrannes was celebrated in artis-
tic circles for her unconquerable cold
heartedness, upon which she indeed prided
herself. Though not beautiful, she was the
possessor of fatal fascination, and had
often been madly loved. On man killed
himself on her account, and if any one
mentioned that catastrope she would make
little erimace of disdain as she said,
'.How can you blame me? l cannot re-
ciprocate everyone's sentiments, was not
made so. It ia not my fault"
According to her promise, she went to the
hospital with Mother Verteuil. stopping on
the way to buy out a fruiterer. AS she
spread out peaches. grapes and other deli
cacies upon the sick mans bed she said,
merrily:
"These will help to pass the time."
"Oh, madame, you are too good" muir
INJURED old yerteuil, and then he added,
hesitatingly, there is more here than I
can eat, please give some to my right-hand
neiehbor. Poor boy, no one comes to see
him, and he has not very long to live"
Lucy turned, and in the next bed lay a
beardless man of perhaps twenty-four, but
looking like a child. He was gazing at her
with dark brilliant eyes which seemed to
contain all the life that was left to HIM.
His thin, wa1-lik hands were spread upon
the countef pane. For a moment the LADY
shrank from him, but when Verteuil
whispered:
'He is dying of consumption, . she leaned
over the young man and asked, with a
smile:
would 7on like to have n peach and
some grapesT'
,Oh yes, madame" he whispered. and a
look of unutterable JOY lighted his face,
while his hands moved feebly.
"Try these" said Lucy, laying a fine
bunch of grapes before him. you have
been ill a long time, | suppose"
'Yes," he answered, and then as if hel
tender sympathy gave him strength, he
added, land you are the first person who
has bestowed a kind thought mon mo
rL-.-l. l,,~1, ,, nv, &,,.- ro1l-l d.
his pale cheeks, and his hand elapsed herf
as he tried to raise it to his lips. For the
first time in her life Lucy P%eyrannes wa.
moved. "E-
You have no relation, no friends?" she
asked, and then, III q weak tone, hardl,
above his breath, and Interrupted repeated
" by fits of coughing, he told her his story
He had always been delicate and u%nfortu
nate; his mother had died at his birth an
when his father married again he had bee
driven from home, though only u year
old, to take care Of himself. Since then h
had tried many Ways of earning his bread
but had been without help, withou
friends. and when his health gave out b
was forced to come to the hospital for she
ter. He was diving, he knew that, and wa
not sorry, for he would be ct rest. In
few days, perhaps, his corpse would b
lying on, and carried down to tt
dissecting room. He did MOI fear dealt
but he would have liked before diving /
" have lived a little. What had he ever dor
to be SO desolate2 Every Thursday an
Sunday the other patients had friends CON
to visit them, aud knowing that some OF
felt for them they could bear their ~sufferiu
more easily. but no ono ever spoke to hin
he had not one to care whether he lived
died.
A sob choked his voice, and after q mi
ment's pause Lucy whisperea:
Listen. ! too have no one to love; | vi
come and see you every Sunday will
your little mother. Would you like that
The young man could not speak, but 81
felt her fingers clasped conyulsiyely i'll Il
moist, cold hand, and leaning over him 81
pressed a kiss upon his forehead, tn,
turned hutriedly away.
81 do not know what you did to my neig
bor,'' said Nerteuil the next time Lu
came to see him. a few days later, but he
a great deal stfonger. He has talked
you all the time, and has counted the da
and hours since yon were here. This nor
ing he was able to ait up, to wash and DIRE
himself, and comb his hair. Upon M wol
he has Il good coler-just look at him.
And in fact. the inyalid's cheeks were
most rosy. His dark humid eyes were fix
with a look of grateful tenderness, upon
lady, "the good lady who loved him 81
Lucy sat down beside him with her ar
full of dainties, complimenting him up
his improved looks. and whispering