The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-07-11

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condition. It will be only for night
or two, and we all know what is prom
ised to those who receive the angel I'M
awares!"
And Mr. Dibble rubbed his hands
and looked smilingly around upon the
members of the Young Ladies' Aid as
ISOLATION, while a perceptible murmur
OF assent arose. Not damsel in the
number but would gladly have extend
ed her hospitality to Rev. Felix Amory,
who was to preach a sermon in aid of
";Iome Helps and Missions at the
village church upon the coming Sun
day evening.
I'm sure" said Miss Lydia Lark
spur, promptly anticipating the crisis,
papa would be most happy to receive
the gentleman"
Most kind of you to propose it,
am sure" said Mr.. Dibble, and SO the
matter was settled.
Lydia Larkspur went home and is
sued orders that the parlor curtains
should be washed and ironed, and u
pound cake of the richest nature con-
cccted; while Kate Duer the doctors
sister who was as fond of young cler-
gymen as Lydia herself, and would in
no wise have objected to varying the
monotony of her home life with a
spice of ecclesiastical novelty, returned
to her crochet work.
''We are to have a young lecturer
from the city in the church on Sunday
evening" she said to her brother,
when he hustled in to dinner
En- said Dr.. Duer, swallowing his
scalded soup; ARE we? By the way,
Kate, there's new case of smallpox
reported among those hands on the
railway embankment."
Dear mel" said Kate, who was COM
pounding a refreshing salad in a
carved wooden bowl; Il hope you keep
well vaccinated, Hugh"
"Oh, there's no trouble about that"
said the doctor; ''only the other pa
tients in the hospital object to such
case"
81 should think it very likely" said
Kate.
Il shall have to isolate him some
where said DR.. Duer, thoughtfully
in one of those stone houses by the
river, perhaps. Ola Mrs. Viggers has
had it, | know"
And then DIR. Duer tasted the salad
and pronounced it first rate.
PItcherville was all on the qui vive
that day, when the double-shotted
piece of tidings flew on the tongue of
popular rumor through the town. An
actual smallpox case in their own
midst, and a young minister coming ali
the way from New York to appeal to
their sympathies on behalf of home
missions
II wonder if it is contagious" said
old Mrs McAdams, looking very round,
eyed through her spectacles.
''Contagious!'' said Mrs. Emmons; ''it
ought to find its way into every house
in our village"
What cried Mrs. McAdams; ''the
smallpox"
mo; certainly not" said Mrs. Em-
mons; 1.-THE sympathetic movement in
home missions"
And then everyone laughed. Mrs
MoAdams looked puzzled, and Mrs. EN-
mons drew herself up and remarked
that lit was very irreverent to laugh at
sacred things"
But Miss Lydia Larkspur, who had a
mortal horror of the disease, was much
troubled in her mind.
I've always had a premonition that
l should fall victim to the small
pox," sighed she. II only wish pa
would let me be vaccinated!"
1t was sultry August evening, the
sky full of lurid clouds, the air charged
with electricity, and big drops begin
ming to patter on the maple leaves,
when there sounded a knock at Miss
Lydia's door-a most mysterious tap,
as she afterward declared.
who's there?" said Miss Lydia,
opening it just sufficiently to obtain a
glimpse of a tall, pale man, with a
pocket handkerchief folded turbanwlse
around his head.
Excuse me-" said this apparition,
''but l bellows 1 have lost my way.