The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-29

You have sonly 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 a sootable lodgin', but the
rents easier than t'other."
you have been better of, 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 a 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.'
"You have some children?"
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 pale,
lovely little child, who turned at her
entrance and looked at her with shy,
yet eager eyes. Another, and 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 wretchedne-s of the room, the torn
paper with its tawdry pattern, the
soiled counterpane, 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
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
a great and noble purpose, had once
been beautiful and filed 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
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
weak, sensitive, mobile mouth, and a
chin dimpled like a 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-
hancy.
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 |
and the thin slender hand
with the fingers of the artist lay palm |
Sister Margaret gave q long-drawn
sigh.
But concentrated passion, whether
of Joy or sorrow, produces wonderful
calm.
What is your husbands name?" 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
dream, this meeting. Her thoughts re-
verted to the past, strange and far
away, as though in another life.
She saw a young, handsome man
standing before an easel, and girl, al
most child, was looking up at him in
nndisguised admiration, and both were
smiling from sheer happiness. And
presently the girl blushed at his praise
If herself, as she stood in her white
lress, with the ripping waves of her
hair around her, like nymph in a sea
IF gold
She saw these two again. The man
and the maiden were wandering to-
yether in q country lane. They had
oeen reading out of one book, and he
till clasped in his left hand volume
If Shelley. His right hand was holding
hers; and the sunlight was upon them,
ind the world was ablaze with glory.
But now it was night. The girl had
Into her eyes had come a
ad, wistful look, and the traces of re-
'ent tears were upon her cheeks. She
vas walking restlessly up and down
he room. and presently she covered
Ter face as if with shame at the
hought of something she had seen or
leard, and falling upon her knees at
he bedside prayed and wept.
And then she saw the snow falling,
nd a woman watching it listlessly 1t !
vas growing dusk. but had it been |
.arker her eyes would have seen S2-
ire approaching. Suddenly the light
capt into them and colcr t, her cheeks
md she clasped her hands over her
ieart She knew no more till he was !
n the room. at her feet. pleading for
,ity, for another trial-and not in vain