St. Paul daily globe., 1893-04-29
A NOVEL IN A NUTSHELL.
The sketch

IliIlu anu B0ooiOAto, GO
life without strong emotion of any klnd'
And when one of these fine weather
boats gets by chance into the track OF a
cyclone it is pitiful to see it go down,
all hands aboard. That was what hap
pened to little Alicia Smith when, after
seven childleSS but cOntented years OF
marriage in remote canal bungalow,
her husband was transferred 10 Olg
cantonment. A great change to both
man and woman. TO him-cardS, bill
iar6s, club life, the possibility of return
ing to the pleasures of his bachelor
hood; to her-new dresses, new gaye-
ties, new admirerS-a round Of all three.
Capt. Simpson thought her the pretti-
est little woman he had ever seen. lie
had thought that of many others in the
past, but never-at least, not since he
mad outgrown bread and butter-had he
found himself so close to passion for
any one out himself. He was accuS-
toned to tiirt with women of the world,
and Alicia had lived in the JungleS. LII
addition, she was naturally shallow.
and when she turned away at right
angles from his hints of devotion 1t was
simply because she had come to an end
of herself III that direction. To him 1t
seemed angelic, adorable, and he really
fell in love with the little lady, who did
not even understand herself, else how
could she put up with that staggering
cad of a husband? Husbands are apt to
be considered cadS, and i'll this case the
opinion was not far wrong; but Alicia
had not discovered the fact during
those seven years in the jungles.
damn it all! four by honors again
It's SickeningW
The words were distinctly audible TO
Alicia and Capt. Simpson as they walked
up and down i'll the moOnllt garden. She
quickened her pace.
"COn isn't good loser. You shouldn't
let him play whist; he is dropping lot
of money at it"
She knew it. Con need not have been
so cross over the dressmaker's bill this
morning; she had not spent all the
money saved during those quiet years
not even her share of it.
"How hot it is" she exclaimed, pet
tishly; my head aches"
Pm so SOrry-SO sorry"
Before the discussion about the game
III which Con took so loud part was
over she was driving down the Mall III
Capt. Simpsons dog cart. 1t did her
head good, certainly, but the ache had
gone to her heart when he set her down
again at the garden gate. How hand
some and kind he looked in the moon
light, holding her hand,and saying, with
a tremor in his voice: II never loved
any one as l love you, Alicia l cannot
go on in this way any longer. You must
decide. If you say so will 60"
"Why-why shouldn't we be friends
as bef0reY" she almost sobbed.
"Oh, Alicia! you don't understand,
and yet you do like NE. See, will give
you time to think. Tomorrow L will
apply for leave, the day after | will go
if. On, Alicia you might be kinder.
Why should you send me away?'
Why? She asked herself the question
many times next day. 1t was Sunday,
and Capt. Simpson had always lunched,
and spent the afternoon, and gone to
church with them; for Alicia was a re-
ligious little woman in her way. Now
it was deadly dull, with Conrad cross,
and limiting at a return to the jungleS.
Monday was worse. Con away for the
night with the dog-cart, and no Capt.
Simpson to call and escort her to ten
mis-. He was to leave that evening, and
she might never see him again. She
got through the afternoon by telling
herself she had fever. She did, indeed.
feel out of sorts, as she lay counting the
hours before her decision became
irrevocabIe. At o'clock she rose for
dinner, and passing through COnrad's
room, saw a big official envelope from
the chiefs office. In sudden suspicion,
she opened it. 1t was the notice of re-
transfer to the desert. She gave little
cry. Then she would never see him
again-they would be gone ere he re-
turned. Aud he had always been so
kind! She must say gOod-by-must tell
him. What, she scarcely knew-not
even when, ten minutes later, she was
facing her servant in the veranda of his
house. ILL Was he ill?
''Is that you again, doctor?" said. his
voice from inside.
mo. it is l, Alicia" she answered.
He sank back on the coach as she en-
tered, murmuring that it was too late
that she must go: he was very ill, but
the doctor was coming again in the
morning, and he could manage; the
servant would look after him; she must
20. She gave one glance at the lemon
ade carefully placed cut of reach, the
pillows slipped from his head. the lamp
blazing in his face, and made her de-
ciSiOn.
''Tm going to stay" she said. and she
stayed, though he rambled away rest
lessly that she must nOt-that he did
not want her. She took no notice; he
was very ill; perhaps he would die, she
thought, SO why should she think of the
future
''Great heavens, Mrs. SMITH" cried
the irish doctor, in blank amaZement,
when he came with the dawn. 1ou
don't name to say you have been here
all night?'
"Why not? l am going to nurse him.
She went into the garden while the
doctor interviewed his patient.
"Is he very ill?' she asked, as he came
out, looking very grave.
every i'll; so i'll that he must not be
thwarted."
"Then l can stay"
"That's beautiful rose you've got
me, dear lady. No, II wouldn't, if
were you. Pm not saying it certain,
but-but-If it were the smallpox"
She shrank an instant; the next
touched the most unselfish moment OF
her life.
"Then l will stay"
Impossible, my dear lady; he won'i
hear of it. There's no harm dOne-any'
way, as yet"
II am not AFRAID ot-of anytnlng,'
she said, quietly.
YOU'RE worth two of him! and-and
it's beautiful rose you've got. Oh,
botheration! Did you never hear the
saying, When the devil was ill?' Con-
found himW
The rose dropped from Alicia's hand
and some OF its crimson came into hel
| cheeks.
UT-T choII no pIod ofso lift homo ,,
she said; "as you say, there is no harm
dOne-as yet"
That night the doctor came round
stealthily, when her husband was a
mess.
81 want to vaccinate you," he said
"It's the smallpox, after ALL"
sit doesn't matter" she said bitterly
But her opinion had changed three
days later, when he came out of hel
| husbands room.
"Is it's it. For Gods sake tel