The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-15

reach. a candle in a tin candle-stick. a
glass of water and a biscuit. After
that he fetched in a large prayer-book
and the bible and read the psalms and
the second lesson for the evening. and
afterward prayed. He thanked God for
the many mercies vouchsafed to them
that day. for food and power 10 work
and for a home. He remembered those
without these blessings. and begged that
they might receive them. He com
mended himself and his wife 10 Gods
keeping during the night.
Then his day was over. In the night
disturb Der husband: but he awoke. lit the
candle, and held the glass Of water TO
her lips
DR.. Murray kept his promise to call.
He got into the habit of looking In on
the old couple pretty frequently. He
wrote and told Norah about them, and
one day she sent Mrs. Temple some
flowers. and the simple act gave such
happiness that IL was repeated, and dur
ing the winter the garnet was never With
out a chrysanthemum or two. The stalks
would be cut and the water changed till
the flowers were dead they were never
thrown away till there was not petal
left. For Mrs. Temple 1t was impossible
Tor the doctor 10 have any feeling but
sympathy. but for the old man he conceived
a positive affection. His unvarying good
spirits, his pluck. his beautiful mind, his
simple intelligence, and his unaffected
piety had an effect on the doctor which
resulted in reverence. And the old fellow
loved him. He saw so few people that 1t
was great pleasure 10 have some one
to talk to who was as we'll informed and
interesting as the doctor But no famil-
iarity ever lessened his respectful atti-
tude toward the man ne considered one
OF his ''betters." The only time when
they came TO any danger Of a quarrel
was when Temple preached the subject
80 eaVnl
in a bill.
Sir said Temple. 81 asked you to
call. and I mean 10 pay you for your
time and trouble. If so be you'll look in
friendly we shall be honored, shan't we,
Lucy? But when YOU come professional
you must be treated as such"
The doctor protested, but Temple was
firm. Sir" he said Che usually began
his sentences with this term Of respecD,
Il can't pretend to be a rich man, but
I know I can afford TO pay you as we'll
as many poor folks you attend. You get
your living through attending TO the poor
and ii can't be agreeable work always,
and it's right you should be paid Be
sides, there is that dear young lady to
be considered. No. sir; let me have your
bill and settle il honest. If the day come
when | couldn't, then il Id be time
enough for me to receive charity"
And so the doctor sent in a very
modest BILL and il was duly paid. But
he made a point afterward of always
giving IL TO be clearly understood that
his visits were friendly" And, indeed.
he could do nothing for Mrs. Temple
All that medical skill could do for her
had been tried long ago.
But the doctor could see that the chill
she had had was the fOrerunner Of a
gradual decline. To say she grew more
helpless would be scarcely consistent
with truth but il was evident she was
falling Her iDtpracf in things seemed N
flag. She lay for hours with her eyes
closed She took less food. Sometimes
Temple had to finish the beef tea himself
or eat the grapes. and they tasted bitter
in his mouth. But he gave no sign that
he thought her worse; and. indeed, the
change was so gradual as to be almost
imperceptible.
The spring came There were no more
fogs. Even here the subtle spirit of
hope penetrates. The air was sweet in
the early morning when Temple went to
his work He would sing as he walked.
Sunny's cage was put near the window,
and he chirped 70 his mistress. He told
her that the sky was blue, that some
where the fields " ere decked with cow
slips, that violets were blowing In the
woodland places, that the trees were
murmuring together as they decked
themselves in young green leaves. All
this was pleasant 10 think OF. but IL was
pleasanter to think that John would
soon be home. When Sunny chirped loud
est she knew the time was drawing near
err. Perhaps she thought Of other things
for she and John talked together some
times Of the country TO which by-and-by
they would go, and where there shall
be no pain. She was not in a hurry TO
go. She was happy here, for love had
given her a foretaste OF heaven. But
she was ready TO start; and they had
sent a little messenger TO await them
thirty years ago. She had thought then
the time would be long before she saw
the child again, but John had made 1t
short for her.
The spring brought hope to the doctor.
He knew that Mrs. Hawker's reign was
drawing 10 an end, and that the by
and-by' would soon be here. 1t had
been a hard winter Strikes had brought
added poverty to many a home. and the
infant sickness and mortality had been
terrible. And then there had been the
influential But he had battled on, work.
ing all day and sometimes half the
night. and kept himself brave with the
thought Of Norah. And now il was
April And on the LIST Of Junei
He called on the Temples before he
went away. They had known that his
marriage was approaching but not exact
ly the date of it.
IT am going off for a month";" he said
TO John Then reddening, when l come
back I hope to bring another friend TO
see you"
sir The old man looked at him
Then. grasping his meaning, held out MS
rough yet gentle hand.
God bless you, sir You couldn't tell
me anything that would make me more
rejoiced. The dear young lady! We seem
to know her now, already, but we shall
really see her, and love her, I am sure" .
"Oh, yes" said Murray you'll love
her. Mr.. Temple. Everybody does"
Lucy, did you hear? The doctor is
going to fetch the dear young lady"
The woman Enclosed her eyes. She
looked at the Doctor and the drawn face
seemed flooded with sweetness. Her
lips moved
she says, God bless you sir Lucy
says, God bless you And when she
says ii she means ii. Ain. we know what
a blessed thing married life can be, don't
we. Lucy? It's solemn fact. sir. to take
a woman to be your wife. It's a solemn
fact. But when the blessing of God
rests upon union marriage is a sacra-
ment that brings you added grace II Is,
sir Your faith grows. and your love
grows. and your nature deepens. You
learn a many things. I'm old and I've
lived. but the part Of my life that has
helped me to the best knowledge fs-just
that l took Lucy. / said I'd love her,
comfort her, honor and keep her in sick
ness and in health I've tried, and
we've been happy. Sir. love does it al.
You'll want to comfort her. you'll have
to honor her. and IL sickness come you'll
love her all the more"
From the bed there came a strange
sound. 1t was something between a
ing. looked away again. Her husbands
words had moved the wife