The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-01-02

RES had succeeded III getting his system
into that simple condition which Is bes.
described as being bounded by gout on
one side, hcbuaii liver on the other,
with spTinkling of indigestion be-
tween. He required physician at least
twice week, not so much 10 treat any
particular disorder as 80 prevent the dis
order which was always about TO attack
him He had q keen appreciation of the
doctor, who, besides being master of
his profession, was as charming COM
panion as the good Scotch universities
have ever graduated. The doctor said
good night and went ont on the voran-
da- His chair and porters were waiting
for him, bat he preferred TO walk the
brief distance that lay between him and
his home.
There had been a change OF weather
since dinner time Tho wind had died
out, the clouds had disappeared, and the
blue sky of the tropics seemed all the
blaer and darker from the numberless
stars that shone down upon the Chinese
landscape.
as he swung around the road near
Banyan villa an old woman t0t,ered to-
ward him ard almost fell upon the
ground from sheer exhaustion. He rec
ognized her As the servant Of a poor Chi
nese family in the neighborhood and
asked her kindly what her trouble was.
Tai gave an incoherent statement, in
which she mixed the description of the
night and the sickness with pathetic
appeal for his assistance
It took five minutes for the doctor and
his head porter to make ont what the
old servant meant, and then with his
customary gallantry he told her that he
would go to the house Immediately and
wopld let her act as his guide. She
gasped: I'm too weak, doctor. You go
ahead, and viii follow you. !"
Ee walked rapidly forward TO the
half open door Of Tah Sins house and
passed in On the floor lay Ah Ho and
the baby, both seemingly dead. He took
in The situation at a glance. he had the
woman raised into her bed and gave her
some sleeping potion which he luckily
had brought with him. He then turned
to the baby, and after half an hours
hard work succeeded in restoring It's an
imation lie laid the little one in its
mothers arms, and leaving a small
amount Of money in case she should be
in need lie placed one Of his coolies Oh
guard and then went home.
Toward IN the morning the baby
began TO manifest symptoms Of hunger.
The chair cooly smiled grimly and plac-
ed the child where nature could do the
rest. The arms Of the sleeping mother
closed conyulsively over the frail body,
and the room lapsed into silence, bro
ken only by an occasional gurgling
sound beneath the coyeriet where the
two reP0Scl.
The cody sat still for another hour,
cne-half Of his mind fixed upon the lit
tic pile of coins the good doctor had left
and the other half upon dim and fan
tastic idea Of duty. Then lie rose, put
tho money into some recess of his coat
and disappeared for the gambling house
or the main road. Shortly after that
the sun rose and bathcd Annoy in urut,
terable splendor. The gold and scarlet
went through the narrow windows OF
All Hos house and painted the rooms
IN hues and tints worthy Of manda-
rin. 4 clear moIning breeze stole
through tie easements and shook the
little coloTed papers that hung around
the altar " here she had knelt the night
before. From the street came the noise
If the bus world outside All Ho woke
Nith q start aud gasp. and then burst
into q great smile shot through with
tears as she saw the sleeping child in
her arms with 4 faint blush on its
cheeks and pulse no longer feeble or
uncertain. She knew that the Wander
ing Spirits had heard her prayer and had
preserved her babe
Bet III the yard lay the body Of Tai,
the old servant, and on her aged face
were q light and beauty such Is slime
within the celestial walls, bat arc never
seen On living beings
That afternoon the old aS;rologer said
that Tai bad given up her life to Inc
Wandering Spirits i'll order to save the
life Of tho little master that she loved.
W Z. S. Fales.