The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-10-24

professional duties. He had heard
nothing from Annie since she left
Burnside but his old love was strong
and constant, as the young maidens
of the village had discovered to their
chagrin, for the handsome young doc
tor was the object of many signing.
secret love
Another year passed, and, one day,
while stopping at the Palmer house,
Chicago, he awolie from an afternoon
siesta when it was almost dark. He
sprang up, and was about to begin tc
dress for dinner, when some one sing.
ing in the adjoining room attracted
his attention. The voice sounded very
familiar. Harry stood SPELL bound.
1t was so like Armies, and the song
was one they had learned during those
happy years when they were frequent.
" in each others company. Soon the
-ong ended, and then the clear, rich
notes were heard again. This time il
was the soprano part Of one Of their
old duets.
Fired by some impulse, Harry waited
until the tenor was wanted, and then
!
song was continued, and finished by
! his mysterious partner and himself.
Of course the next thi ng was to con
vince himself that it was she.
AS he knocked at the door of the
next room tall. handsome man pass
ing him, opened it and went in, wait.
| ing, holding it open for him also tc
pass. Harry gave one glance, and then
abruptly turned back and went into
his own room, caught up his handbag,
and in another hour was on his way
home.
| What had he seen? Annie, h is Annie
seated beside a bed, on which lay
child, whom she was trying to soothe
to slumber by singing. OF course she
was married, this was her child, anc
the gentleman, SO politely waiting to-
him to pass, her husband.
Mr.. Ashley had died abroad abou'
two years and half after he parted
Annie from Harry. Led on by one OF
two fortunate speculations, he hac
periled his whole fortune on rea
estate speculation in Kansas City ant
beggared himself. Inundated, despair
ing, he had sunk beneath the blow
leaving Annie in a strange city alone
Mrs. Evans, lady whom Annie haG
met in Kansas City, plying her for
lorn condition, had taken her undel
her protection to bring her home, anG
it was while they were on their way
east that Annie, being left alone fol
few hours 18th little Master Evans
had sung to beguile the time and at
tracted Harry's attention. Mr. Evans
her kind friends husband, was the
husband Harry had SO ra SHY supposed
to be hers. Had her impulsive love-
waited but a mo ment, he would hav,
seen her spring to meet him, and fal
senseless to the floor.
Two years more have flown by
Harry was seated in the parlor of tn.
hotel at Babylon, Long Island, wher
he heard a noise in the hall, and the1
a loud cry for doctor. Stepping out
he found crowd in the passage, ane
saw two men carrying a lady up thu
stairs.
he cried
"Oh! go up to her." said a man neal
him. She's hurt, and so is her hus
band. It's Mrs. Evans companion
and they've all been thrown out of tn.
carriage"
Long before this sentence wal
finished Harry was in the room wher.
the sufferers had been carried. The
first object that met his eyes was tn,
man whom he supposed to be Annie.
husband, lying senseless on the sofa
while on the bed near lay another
figure, the lady he had seen on the
stairs; but her face was turned to tn.
wall.
"Oh, sir!'' said the lady, springing *
meet him, ''are you doctor? Oh! tel
me, is my husband dead?"
Her husband. Was Annie dead, anC
this her successor? This was Harry.
first idea. Professional services how
ever, were imperatively demanded, and
he soon restored Mr.. Evans to con
seriousness. His injuries were not Sc
rious, and he was soon sitting up or
the sofa. In the meantime, her wors'
apprehensions relieved, Mrs. Evan,
was caring for the mysterious lady OF
the bed, and now called upon Harry
The first glance was enough to brins
forth his skill, for he recognized Annie
Mrs. Evans was wringing her hand.
and weeping, as all her efforts to re
store consciousn ess failed. Here tn,
) injuries We're more serious: a high
fever and delirium succeeded the long
fit ~f insensibility, and Harry heart
more than once the loved voice calling
him to come back, and crying:
) Harry! Harry. to leave me after 81
long separation!"
Mrs. Evans told him all of Annie's
troubles, and he blessed her again anc
again as he found how true and kind 3
friend she had been to the orphan II.
was standing one day by Annie's bed
side watching her. She was asleep
and he knew that if she woke, nov
that she was conscious of things
around her, he might hope for her re
covery. AS he stood there, almost
counting her deep regular breathing.
she slowly opened her large, dark eve.
and fixed them upOn his face