Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-08-22

Poor boy" cried Mrs. Hayes, anx-
iously; and not q wife nor Il mother to
take care of him. Well. there. Mary.
it is too bad Mary looked sorry and
the next day She went to inquire about
him.
"Well he's worse" said the hired
man, laconically. Mary took the news
bacl; to Dons mother. and was very ST
lent.
Bout time to be concerned" old
Mrs. Hayes thought, severely, but that
was only for a moment. Poor child"
she said to herself, shes worried about
him. There, now, Mary. cheer up"
she said aloud. Il guess it amt nothin'
very bad
II don't know" Mary answered, Il
hope not. But I'm afraid It is" And
then, later in the evening. when they
had been talking of something else. she
said, suddenly: He hasn't soul to
look after him, except that stupid
Jacob"
Mrs. Hayes looked al her inquiringly.
81 just wish" said Mary, TREMENDOUSLY,
that You and could
"Why, bless your heart" cried the
old woman, I'VE win | know what
you're going to say-Wc1l go right up
there tomorrow. | don know why !
didn't think OF it first
Good nursing is well enough in It's
way, but when added to good nursing
the invalid hears voice that he loves,
talking outside his door, TO his little,
old. kind nurse, or is told that Mary
made that Cruel" or watches, dream
lily, through fCvcrish eyes, Mary NOV
ing about his room, o. even feels her
touch upon his forchcad-why. he can
not help get well. At least that was
what Dick Wheeler said, first to him
self, and afterwards, shylv and awl,-
wardly. when he was better and was
sitting up, to Mary. But, poor fellow
Mary's blank look almost landed him
back in his bed again. lTc began to
realize, in a slow, pathcti" way. that if
she had been less kind he might have
had more hope. "And Don dead seven
years" he told himself, as he SAT
propped mp with pillows in a big, blacl;
wooden rocking chair that had roscs
painted on the head rest, and gay cal
ico sleeves tied over its stir arms.
1t was a soft spring afternoon; he
was much better; Mrs Hayes and
Mary had gone home, ana only came in
I for an hour or two each day to see that
he was comfortable. 1t was Mrs
Hayes who had packed him snugly into
the big chair in the south window, anC
/ sao+,,a.l d.
drawn a little table with his medicine
and glass of wator close to his side.
"Jacob1l help You back ID ed, Diclly
as soon as you tired; now, mind
don't sit mp a III e longer than you
feel like it! And l.. come in tomorrow
morning and bring some beef tea
Mary's great on making beef tea.
When she went away Dick sat there
in the sunshine looking ont of the win
dow, He made up his mind that he
must get over thinking about Mary
/ there was no use; it only worried hc-
land il kills me-" he thought simnlv
/ He wondered il he could tavs feel :,
duly indifferent to eTCrything, just be-
cause he couldn't have Mary? The sun
was warm on the grassy slope in front
Of the house;a big vessel, coming slowly
mp the river with the tide, leaned, and
her white topsails swclled and CLEANED
and tapped loose again; the trees at
the foot of the garden showed faint
mist of Green; pigeon wheeled and
futtcrcd down to the doorstep and sat
preennR itself and putting out its white
breast The feeling of spring, and joy
and promise was in the air
And | don't care a darn" Dick
Groaued TO himself. "Wcn I've got &c
get over this. I'll go away; I'll get ont
Of it, Mary shan't know why; IN let
her think I've never Thought of hcl
since the last time | spoke. Good LORD
it was two or three years ago! ant
I've not gained an inch with her" AnC
then he opened his eyes, and saw Mary
coming up the path; she was on hcI
way home from school, and stopped Il
know how he was getting along.
Look at you, you careless follow,
she scolded, you've dropped tina
shawl off your knees; what woul,
Mother Hayes say?'
"Oh, Mary he said, and somehow
the tears stood in his eyes, he was $,
weak, "l--Iye got to 20 away"
Mary's instant look of concern, anC
light touch upon his wrist, showed
what she thought Of such crazy words