Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-05-28
EEfR SUNDAY. MAY q. 1sos-TEN PAGES.

81 don't worship no person that ever
was born, aud IL amt in me to respeck.
The curick, e are q bit better than
some, / allow"
Cant you allow more than that7 He
spends his life in doing good"
Melinda turned and faced the lady
with a fash that looked like anger.
''How do you know that?"
81 have seen him visiting"
The General pressed her under-lip up
tightly, and changed the subject.
''Your chops gettin' cold, Miss, and
there's a rice puddin' and baked apples
to foller."
HsWhy your quite a clever cook" said
the girl with her charming smile as the
maid removed the cover.
swell 1 amt 'ad much to DO that
way of late"
Not for the curate?"
Melinda lifted her eyebrows ull they
went out OF sight under the fringe. II
don't know what @ lives on, 'cept he's
fed unbeknown to hisself by the angels.
It's bread and butter IDcrset-and tea
mornin' and evenin', and l dc blieVe e
gets lis dinner at they airyated bread
shops-poor stodgy stufr' And with a
final sniff Melinda departed with her
empty tray, leaving the young lady to
reflect on the ways of benevolent cur
ates. She was a reflective young per-
son In the main, and she worked hard,
too, at the drawing school. Considering
there was no necessity In her life for
laborjous undertaking, this was IN
usual.
The children in the house o o found
a new friend, and waylsid the pretty
lodger with a systematic affection on the
stairs. She payed toll usually with
bons and packets OF sweets, or with their
equivalent in pence. Her advent, too,
appeared to have some connection with
regular dinners, q gain they were not
slow to recognize.
The quiet little man up stairs was
perhaps the only person in the house
who had not benefited by her introduce
tion. He went his way as before, TAX
ing DO advantage OF the situation, be-
yond q quiet Good morning" or Good
evening" if they met casually on the
stairs.
THE curick amt WELL" snapped Me-
linda one evening as she cleared away
the dinner things. "'E ave got cold
shivers and pains In Us ed; | persuaded
OF him to take a drop O. peppermint wa
ter, but 'tweren't no good"
Influenza" said the lady laconic-
ally. sis that pepperment water?" She
pointed to a bottle peerlng out OF Me-
linda's pocket.
"No, pain-killer which I've been and
bought. The druggist at the corner
says its a rare cure"
mo good" said the lady. "pm
sure"
Melinda tossed her head and went
out, muttering something about some
people who thought they knew every
thing.
When half an hour later q tap came
at the curate's door he did not turn his
head; it must be Melinda o. course. In
response to his weak "Come In" the
door opened in a way that Melinda knew
not Of, gently and silently, and closed
with a similar graceful understanding
of an aching head. 1--WE brought your
gruel-not Melinda-aud l made 1t. Eve
put something in il. Let me see" she
came round the table smiling, you
don't wear that ridiculous little piece OF
blue ribbon, do your
1t was the lady. Her color glowed
brightly; perhaps she was conscious
that she was acting the part OF the
emancipated female, and British preju-
dices might make themselves apparent.
But the curate was Ruileless, and alto
gether too far removed from self-con-
seriousness to remember sex. De rose
from his chair trembling, for he was
very week. No one had ever been to
visit him in this attic before. His eyes
were dim behind his ~spectacles. He was
suddenly conscious Of d dizzy bewilder-
ment and tottered a little.
The girl stretched out her beautiful
helpful hand. "Sit down, please"
81 am not very WELL" he said, smil-
ing back, but family.
Eyes, and l came to see, because Me-
linda told me. O~verwork, L reckon"
She sat down on the only chair beside
his own and looked at him steadily.
There was no help for him beneath the
scrutiny Of those eyes. 81 guess You
had better go OF for a holiday. IT'S
March and the daffodils are all on fire
down In the country"
He shook his head. She caught his
wordless objection with quick intuition.
''Oh, yes, l understand; but there's a
little farmhouse down Devonshire way
l know about where it won't cost you
more than living here"
He looked at her with speeches. graf
itude. He was sick for a breath OF pure
air. distressed, and troubled with the
hopeless labors OF his lot. Only a
breathing space, a little halt at an oasis
in the desert, and why not?
"Mercy, now! they don't want you In
Heaven just yet. Why, there's years OF
work in you If you take proper care Of
yourself. Say you'll go, and I'll see to
It ALL" And the ~coaxing eyes looked
down at him with persuasion that would
not be denied; and he, without con-
sc~iousness, drank OF the into1ication Of
that glance, as be had never done be-
fore.
The curate came back from his holi-
day a month later with a suspicion of
~roundness about him and with more
than a hint Of rosiness.
Melinda made 8 high festival in his
honor. An elaborate tea was spread for
him, with mullins and other d~elicacies.
The General herself was attired In a new
stuff gown. Perceiving that the curate
unobservant Of her splendor, she
drew his attention TO the matter.
what do YOU think Of my gownd?"
"Oh, its beautiful" he said, absently,
while his glance rested on a graceful
vase full of scarlet non
''Who sent the flowers, Delinda?"
"The young lady, a course" an