The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-04-19

ment of his sutferings in them.
Again and again the word was upon
his lips to ask her name, but he dared
not. Again and again he looked into
her eyes and endeavOred to read there
the st Dry OF her life, SO that he might
have known all about her without
questioning her or others. She was
suffering; he knew that; he felt that.
She was in mourning. He had not
even the heart to ask for whom, not
her at any rate.
One morning, when the autumn
sun danced in gold and opal upon the
dingy window panes by his bedside,
his guardian angel was. for some rea-
son or other, absent. His eyes searched
the big bare vailed room questioningly
but met not that graceful. lissom figure
in b ack. One of the assistant sur
geons passed at the time and Dick
called him.
Can YOU tell me, Dr. Warner" he
| asked, where where - where - she
Isl"
Whom do mean" asked the doctor.
The the-young lady"
"Ah. | understand" retOrted the
surgeon. Mrs. McVickers, the young
lady who nurses you"
"Oh, yes" replied the sufferer with
smile. that's it, Mrs. McVickers is
her name. is it,"
Yes: Ettie McVickers
| From that moment forward he set
his wits to work to ascertain her exact
state of life, and as the regular nurse
came to him for the purpose of exam
lining his bandages he asked her:
Would you mind telling me, madam,
for whom Mrs. McVickers wears
mourning?'
Not bit of it," replied the woman
hastily. ut is for that husband of her.,
and good radiance, too. l should say. "
Dick opened his eyes wide. She is
! a widow them" he askel.
i "A widow, of course, she is. Been a
widow more than two months now"
| And her husband?" he questioned
| feebly, again. He was not kind to
| her."
| Kind" sneered the woman, I'D
| like to know where that old McVickers
| would have got drop of kindness
from: If ever there vas bag Of bile
stuck together in the shape or a hui
man be ng it was that wretch. l Won
der how she ever came to marry him:
| Nobody can make it out.
perhaps he was rich," suggested
| Wenstone, with smile.
! Rich" retorted the nurse. "Oh,
he had money enough, if that's any
thing. But no money in the world
would have made me marry him, old
as am and pain as am"
When she came that morning, with
the flush of little furry bringing tie
rose to her cneeks. and busted herself
in kind attentions about him, he felt
it nearly sacrllege that those dainty
fingers should work for his sake.
BY stratagem which brought a
guilty blush to his cheeks, he man.
| aged to seize her white hand while
she was busy attending to him. She
endeavored gently to withdraw it, but
he retained it with soft and insinu.
ating pressure. which made her look
in his face with a half frightened
gaze.
Now. now. Mr.. Winstone." she said
you must not, really you must let me
go on with my work. and above all
you must not excite yourself. There
now, that will do
Il am not exciting myself. he re.
piled. still retaining the hand tina,
vainly endeavorcd to disengage itself
by series of delicate Jerks. Il assure
You l rever was calmer. and" he con
rinued, the proof OF the statemen,
| AAA AAAS i hSsSA -" SbS lop
pier
~You are now proving to me how
right am, was the fair nurses reply
land 70: really must conduct yourself
like very weak ard only slowly re
covering patient. Else shall te angry
ard if l am angry l will not come
again
Poor Wenstone turned pale. O
course she did not mean what she sale
it was only playful threat-but tn.
hare possibility of his guardian ser
apis continued absence frightened
| him.
} \ few days pissed and Dick was al
lowed t. walk about the long room ant
in the passage, and corridors CT tn,
! floor on viii h mis- bed was placed. anl
5 he did SO leaning on the arm of hi
gentle nurse. She had brought hin
. books to read and fruit. and she ha.
, obtained permission from DIR. Warnc
} that he might go into a little room
where the nurses kept their stores ant