Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-11-13
was out Of the door like q flash, and I

was out of the door like flash, and I
saw him from the window, scudding
| down the street. followed by crowd
of gamins who had waited outside to
hear the result of his capture.
In an Incredible short space of time
he was back again. He passed his
late enemy, who opened the door,
with lordly Indifference, and marched
| straight into the surgery. :.
! sT done it, guy'nor,e he said
| breathlessly. scBilly Collins's muv.
| yer thought 1 was a-guying 'er, but 1
\ told 'er to 'old lis nose, an rub is
stummick when it was down, and 60
she seed I knowed the ropes bit, and
took it. T'other ones was all right. !"
sI didn't ask you to give instruc-
tions to Mrs. Collins OF to anyone
elsc," I said, severely. care you
sure you gave the people the proper
Eottles?"
"'Course I did, guv'nor. Can't I
read?" he replied. scornfnlly. "But
yer does write queer fist; yer
| wouldn't pass the third standard.
I saw great deal of Ginger Green
after that, and the more I saw of him
the more I liked him. Ihad thoughts
of taking him into my service, in some
capacity, but he was in every way too
erratic. I discovered from casual
questioning that he gained something
of a li7lihood by selling newspapers
and matches. that his mother went out
''charing," and that his father was an
authority, by reason of long expert
ence, ou the liquor question.
I engaged him once to run errands
for me, and provided him with some
decent clothing; but he was missing
for several days afterwards, and when
he returned ne wore his old clothes.
In explanation he informed me that
"farver 'ad showed 'em up the spout, J"
and mentioned an establishment near
at hand FOYER whose doorway hung
three brass balls. After that gave
up the attempt.
I suppose it happens to oil men OF
some time or other of their lives, no
matter what their poverty, or the
keenness of their struggle for exis-
tence may be, to fall in love. ] know
that it happened to me at that time,
even in the midst OF the busy life |
led-perhaps by very reason of it. I
know that I am grateful, in this latter
time, for the love that came to me
then, and has been the guiding power
OF my life since.
Mary Esmond was one of those pure
and gentle women whom one some
times meets on this dull earth of ours,
and it was my lot to meet her fire.
quently in my daily work. She was
nurse, attached to one of the many
charitable associations which have for
their object the nursing of the poor
in their own homes, and her blessed
angel face carried light, and hope, and
Gods sweeter things, into many q
fever stricken den, and into many a
home that was no home, save in the
name.
She was SO sweet and quiet-such q
softened emblem of al the better pos
sibilities of life, that I hesitated to
breathe anything of my love for her.
More than this, I was poor, and 1 had
nothing to offer any woman that would
draw her to me; such was my thought.
Imet her often, in the many squalid
places to which was called; some
times she ,,came to the surgery In
urgent cases-rare and hurried visits,
the memory of which treasured.
Once she came late at night to sum-
mon me. remember now how / saw
her then, standing in the little sur
gerry, with the neat little bonnet, with
its dependent veil, shrouding enviously
the wavy brown hair.
'I am SO sorry, DR.. Richards" she
said, ''but there is a boy who is very
i'll, and want you to come to him.
It's fever, and he has been takon sud-
denly; I have got him in bed"
s1'll come at once, nurse 1 said.
'sBut there is nothing to be sorry
about; the pity is that you should have
to keep at it like this, at oil hours OF
the day and night"
"Oh, that's nothing!" sheanswered,
smiling. "I'm used to it.
ST have often wondered" I said, as
we walked on towards the place, "that
you have meyer taken up some quieter
branch of your profession. There are
so many better patients whom you
might get; SO many better people
among whom you might work, under
improved conditions, as regards COM
fort, and" $50
"No, no." she snid, hurriedly. 'I
Il have no wish to change. l like
these people. I am glad to be able to
help them. even 30 little"
sWho is your patient?" asked,
presently. 'tDo 1 know him?"
ooh be is o most terrible boy, "
she replied, laughing, "the terror OF
all the people about here. L believe
his name is Green"
"Not Ginger Green" L cried. IL
hayen't seen him for day or two, and
wondered what was the matter.
81 believe that is the title they give
him." she said, smiling. "Here is the
place-mind this stephan usedto it,
you see. Shall go frst?'
Sne went up the dark and rotten
staircase, that creaked even beneath
her light tread, and I followed. In a
room at the top of the house found
the boy on wretched bed, tossing in
high fever. He nodded, in his old
patronizing fashion, and spoke in q
weak voice:
"Lor' lummy! Things is lookin'
up! My doctor-an' my nuss! "Adn't
yer better 'old consooltashun about
this ERE case, guv'nor? An I'll tike
a little shampine, if it don't make no
odds, en- I'll ave it dry"
'fYou'll be quiet, Ginger" 1 said,
|