Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-10-20

"You have only just come to this
house?" she said, with her reassuring
smile.
"Yes, we hain't been here three
days" answered the woman. 1T amt
exactly sootable lodgin', but the
rents easier than t'other."
"You have been better off, them"
SAID the sister, and she knew the rest
of the story without being told. But
she let the woman make her own state
ment
1--WE gets poorer an poorer When
we first married my husband was quite
a gentleman. It's drink as done it.
But he've been steady long while
now. Turned over a new leaf, you
might say. Only he was weak when
we come here, and he caught the fever
directly, and we hain't any money. And
we are starving, well-nigh"
She looked at the basket. Alas, it
was empty.
81 could stand it myself. But it's
him and the little 'uns"
1ou nave some ch1ldrenp
1.-TWO"
She pushed open the door, and Sister
Margaret entered.
The room was squalid and bare Of
furniture, except for the wretched bed
on which lay PROSTATE form, and a
broken chair against which leant a pale,
lovely little child, who turned at her
entrance and looked at her with shy,
yet eager eyes. Another, and a young
er child, was crouching on the floor,
endeavoring to extract nourishment
from an old dry bone she was sucking.
The sun streamed in through the I'M
curtained window. 1t showed the dirt
and wretchedness of the room, the torn
paper with its tawdry pattern, the
soiled Counterpart, which was flung
over the sick man, and the pale, worn
face resting on the coat which served
as a pillow. 1t was the face of a
wrecked creature. But the sunlight,
while it made the ruin more apparent,
yet cruelty manifested that the strand
ed, broken vessel had been planned for
great and noble purpose, had once
been beautiful and filled with power.
Was it this thought which came into
the mind of Sister Margaret, ard made
her gaze, as if fascinated, on the sick
man?
'He amt conscious. He don't know
you," whispered the woman.
"He-doesn't know-me," repeated
the little sister like one in dream,
She was trying to recall face not
unlike his. She remembered SO well a
broad white brow from which the dark
hair had been tossed carelessly back,
and great long-lashed gray eyes with
the dilated pupils of the enthusiast, and
d weak, sensitive, mobile mouth, and a
chin dimpled like girls. But this
brow was furrowed, the hair was
streaked with gray, the chin was dis
figured by an unkept beard, and the
mouth was changed-sadly. Only the
eyes were the same The fever and
the sunshine gave them strange bril-.
liancy.
Suddenly the sick man drew one hand
from under the coverlet, and with an
| impatient gesture pushed back the
overhanging hair from his forehead.
Then he flung his arm out upon the
! counterpart and the thin slender hand
with the fingers Of the artist lay palm
| downwards.
Sister Margaret gave long-drawn
shivering sigh.
But concentrated passion, whether
of joy or sorrow, produces wonderful
calm.
What is your husbands name2" the
sister asked quietly and without look
ing round.
And the woman answered.:
Claude Desborough."
The little sister bowed her head.
The mar, who had been moaning,
now muttered something incoherent
His wife understood HIM, however
She fetched mug from the other end
OF the room. 1t had contained water
but was now empty. The little girl
had surreptitiously drunk its contents
81 must get some," said the woman
philosophically. And she left the
room.
Meanwhile Sister Margaret stood as
If incapable of action. 1t was SO like g
dream, this meeting. Her thoughts re
verted to the past strange and fal
away, as though in another life.
She saw a young, handsome mar
standing before an easel, and girl, al
most child, was looking up at him il
undisguised admiration, and both were
smiling from sheer happiness, AnG
presently the girl blushed at his praise
of herself, as she stood in her white
dress, with the ripping waves of hel
hair around her, like nymph in sea
of gold
She saw these two again. The mar
and the maiden were wandering to
gether in a country lane They haC
been reading out of one book, and h,
still clasped in his left hand volum,
of Shelley. His right hand was HOLDING
hers; and the sunlight was upon then
and the world was ablaze with glory.
But now it was night The girl hat
changed. Into her eyes had come
sad, wistful look, and the traces of re
cent tears were upon her cheeks. Sh,
] was walking restlessly up and dow