The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-03
NOW FIRST PUBLISHED.
Blu MRS, OLIPHANT,
COPYRIGHTED, 1898, BY THE AUTHOR.

you are just nothing, you foolish little
thing You have no character of your
own, you are your fathers daughter. and
| no more
Il don't wish to be anything mOre2'
cried Dora, with her foolish young head
held high
And this poor woman " said Miss Be
| thune. exasperated will not live long
enough to be a friend TO any one, so you
need not be afraid either of her being too
tender or unkind. She has come back,
poor thing, after long years spent out Of
her own country TO die
TO oie2' the girl echoed in Mortified
tone
just that, and nothing less or more. 3"
Dora walked on by Miss Bethune's side
for some time in silence. There was a
| long. very long walk through the streets
| before they reached the GOODNESS and
! freshness of the park. She said nothing
for a long time. until they had arrived at
| the Serpentine, which, yelled in shadows
| and mists of night, with the stars re-
iected on it, and the big buildings in the
distance standing up sOlemnly, half seen,
| yet with CLEANS of lamps and light all
over them, beyond, and apparently among
| the trees, had sort Of spleudour and
! reality like a great natural river flowing
| between its banks. She paused then for
a moment, and asked, with quick draw
| ing of her breath. 1T is some One-whO
is dying -thas you are taking me to seei'
Yes, Dora; and next to your father,
! your nearest relation in the world
II thought at one time he was going to
| die, Miss Bethune'
80 did we all, Dora
"And l was very much afraid not
| only heart-broken, but afraid l thought
! he would suffer so, in himself she said
| very low, land to leave me"
! They do not said Miss Bethune with
! great solemnity, as if not of any individ-
ual, but of mysterious class of people.
! "They are delivered anxious though they
| may have been, they are anxious no more .
! though their hearts would have broken to
! part with you a little while before, it is
! no longer so they are delivered It's a
| very solemn thing she went on, with
| something like a sob in her voice but
! it's comforting at least to the like of me
! Their spirits are changed, they are sepa-
rated; there are other things before them
! greater than what they leave behind
oh" cried the girl, II should not like
to think of that if father had ceased to
think of me even before
1t is comforting to me-" said Miss
! Bethune, because | am of those that are
going, and you Dora, are of those that are
staying I'm glad to think that the silver
chain will be loosed and the golden bowl
broken, all the links that bind US to the
! edTlu, ana All IUc cares ABOUT W nat IS 10
| happen after
"Have you cares about what is to hap
pen after?n cried Dora. Father has, for
he has me; but you, Miss Bethune!"
Dora never forgot, or thought she
would never forget, the look that was
cast upon her. And t. said Miss Be
thune, have not even you, have nobody
belonging to me. Well, she said, going
on with heavy, long-drawn breath, 1T
looks as if it were true"
THIS was the girls first discovery of
what youth is so long finding out, that in
her heedlessness and unconscious cOnvic-
| ton that what related TO herself was the
| most important in the world and what
| befel an elderly neighbOr of so much less
consequence, she had done, or at least said,
a cruel thing, But she did not know how
to mend matters, and so went on by her
| friend's side dumb, cOnfusedly trying to
enter into, now that it was too late, the
| sOmber thread of another's thought
| Nothing more was said till they were
! close to the great hotel, which shone out
with its many windows luminous in the
soft background of the night. Then Miss
| Bethune put her hand almost harshly
| upon Dora arm.
you will remember, Dora" she said,
that the person we are going 20 see is a
dying person, and in all the world it is
! agreed that where a dying person is he or
| she is the chief person, and is TO be con
sidered above all. 1t is maybe, a super
stition, but it is so allowed Their wants
and their wishes go before all; and the
queen herself, if she were coming into
that chamber, would bow to it like all the
rest, and so must you. 1t is, perhaps,
not quite sincere, for why should a woman
be more thought of because she is going
to die2 1t is not quality, you will say,
but yet it's superstition, and approved
by all the civilized world"
"Oh Miss Bethune," cried Dora, 81
know that l deserve you should say this
to me but yet"
Her companion made no reply, but led
the way up the great stairs.
| The room was not so dark as before
though it was night; a number of candles
were shining in the farther corner near
the bed, and the pale face on the pillow
the nostrils dark and widely opened with
the painting breath, was in full light
turned towards the door. A nurse in her
white apron and cap was near the bed
beside a maid, whose anxious face was
strangely COntrasted with the calm of the
professional person. These accessories
Dora S quick glance took in at once while
yet her attention was absorbed in tho
central figure, which she needed nc
further explanation to perceive had al
once become the first object, the chief in
terest, to all near her. Dying! 1t was
more than mere reigning-more than be
ing great. To think that where she lay
there she was going fast away into the
most august presence-to the deepest
wonders Dora held her breath with
awe. She never, save wnen her father
was swimming for his life, and hel
thoughts were concentrated on the strug.
gle with all the force of personal passion
as if it were she herself who was fighting
against death, had seen any such sigh
before.
rs it Dora2" cried the patient. Dora
Oh, my child, my child, have you come
at lastE'
And then Dora found arms round her
} clutching her close, and felt with
strange awe, not unmingled with terror
the wild beating of a feyerish heart, and
the painting of the laborious breath. The
wan face was pressed against hers. She
felt herself held for a moment with extra
ordinary force. and kisses, tears, and
always the beat of that troubled breath
ing upon her cheek. Then the grasp re
Taxed reluctantly, because the sufferer
could no more.
oh, gently, gently do not wear your
self out. She is not going away She
has come TO stay with you" a soothing
voice said.
= That's all l want-all l want in this
world-what l came for gave forth the
painting lips