The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-20
THE CRITICS KISS.

is nothing more to say"'
"That is ALL" repeated the great M.
D., with pity in his eyes. ~ am sorry
for you. If there is anything I can
do"
"There is nothing, thank you"
She took up her purse and coupted
out five dollars, Her hand trembled
slightly as she held the money out to
the doctor.
BLOOD money!" she said, with a
faint smile, and walked, little dizzily
to the door. He held it open for her.
"Mind, if there is anything / can
do" he repeated, helplessly.
The girls eyes were dry as she look
ed up at him, and her face was white.
There is one thing" she said, You
could give me an overdose of chloro-
FORM"
She went out, and the doctor closed
the door the profession had its draw
backs. He had been brutally honest,
because he thought it kindest, and
now he wished be had had the gump-
ton to deceive her.
Meanwhile the girl was walking
quickly along the square, trying to
grasp the wonderful thing that was
going to happen to her. Everyone
else was commonplace and realistic,
everyone else bounding, pulsation life
and solid flesh and motion. In her
own eyes she had suddenly become
very precious, a new and tender Great
ure, almost, indeed, stranger to her.
self. The viewed the next three
months of her life in a fresh light. 1t
was all plain and level certainly /;
there were q few bits of work to be
gathered up and completed, there were
few, very few good-byes to say, and
then-a black line came down and shut
in her universe, and beyond that was
speculation, uncertainty, perhaps
oblivion, possibly eternity.
"My poor young lady, you have bare
ly three months to live"
Everything was shouting it at her.
The newsboys, the 'busmeD, the flow
er-girls, the hurrying passersby seemed
to be gaping with their mouths and
dinning it into her ears nay, all the
world was one horrid distorted grin,
and all sound a single airy billoW that
shrieked:
MY poor young lady, you have bare
ly three months to live"
AS yet she was not frightened, she
was merely bewildered with the sad
thing that was going to happen to her.
She knew there would be little pain,
no more than she had felt for the last
year; it would be sinking and a
plunge over the brink that had seemed
impossibly distant till now.
BY and by she reached her home a
quiet boarding-house, and she swung
open one of the doors Of the passage
The room was dimly lighted, and on
the whole it was pretty room, though
cheap. There was a fire in the CRATE,
pensive pots, and quite little collec-
ton of soft cushions, mats, and odds
and ends of china. There was sofa,
too, drawn out invitingly by the fire,
and on this the girl flung herself sfter
she had removed her hat and ulster.
For long time she lay there notion
less. save for quick tWitch of her eye
brows and an occasional instructive
closing of her pain-darkened eyes.
II shall be like this" she said aloud
at :ast, composing her feet stiffiy side
by side. "And my hands will be so,"
and she crossed them on her breast. 81
hope they will shut my eyes. All !
they will put pennies on them" She
felt for her purse and, producing two
pennies, she laid them on her eyes.
Then she folded her hands again and
lay still. 81 hope l shall not look
ugly" she went on. II wonder if it
will be necessary to tie up my chin"
She felt her firm, smooth chin with
her two hands, and the pennies rolled
down her nose
bah" she cried, starting up. II
am fool ! Three months is u great
long while. l can do lots in three
months. I will not think of it for
eleven weeks why should [ waste my
timeW
She rang the bell sharply.
Bring up my tea," she said to the
maid. "And if anyone calls, 1 am not
at home"
When her tea came she ate very little,
but afterwards sat down alta desk and
began to write. She wrote very quick
Ily and without pausing, ,and the finish
ed sheets rustled to the floor in pile,
Very soon the paleness of the girls
face changed to be a healthful flush
her eyes Frightened, her breath came
strong and steadily. She had forgot
ten. The hours licked slowly by; il
was nine o'clock, and she had moi
paused since six. Instinctively with
her emotions her figure seemed tt
broaden. This little world and it:
sudden cessation for her lad dropped
leagues away. She was in another
, planet, another life, wrapped round in
undying fame, and great ambition
fulfilled-fulfilled for her to enjoy t.
t its full wild sweetness, while the god
like youth she loved still made eXis
t ence grand and noble thing.
+ "Sweetheart, you are doing tot
much"
The girl started up with a littl,
scream. She had not heard the open
ing and closing of the door. He
r bright color faded, and she shivered .
little.