Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-02-21

tai devotion to Strange put starch into
their rather limp souls, and their I'M
complaining heroism under the most
shocking Sufferings was almost pathe-
tic, and then by some special prOvi-
dence, they had both escaped the sec
ond fever that nearly put an end to
Strange.
"What's that, do you see, in the
field there? My eyes are beastly dim
yet" said Strange, peering out at
some object a few fields off.
81 don't know, it looks like a hump"
"Driver, just urn into that lane and
take the south road.-It's a silO! By
Jove! Old Hopkins is coming on, and
look, all that waste moo under cul-
tiyation! 1 always said it would grow
potatoes. Seemingly the place is not
neglected. Hopkins was always a good
fellow, but I had no idea until now
he wasn't also an ass. | dreamed fire.
guently of that ensilage scheme, some
one else has matched out my dream for
me. Oh Lord, here's this shivering on
me again! Where's the ~draught?"
Gin your breast-pocket.'
"Tell him to wait, l can't get in
Like this, "there's a decency to be OBJ
served!'
The driver waited, revolving in his
mind suggestions as to his remarkable
fare, and wondering why sin the de-
wills name" the trap shook as if 1t
had the palsy.
After quite half am hour it stopped
and he had orders to go on, while
Strange mopped the cold sweat from
his face with a trembling hand.
'This degrades a fellOw!" he NUT
tered. AS a rule he pulled himself
well together after these attacks, but
this time he got no reaction.
When they reached the door he was
almost unconscious.
'"Take me quietly to my den," he
.nuttered, ''don't let the servants both
er me-" Then he tainted dead off.
CHAPTER Xiv.
AS he lay i'm the death-like sleep of
exhaustion THAT followed his swoon,
the change in Strange was terribly
evident. He had shrunk to half his
III SILt, HIS tlblHlbS IUI1S I'LL DdSS
ON his limp. thin limbs, his eyes were
sunk into deep hollows, his skin was
yellow and puckered, and his lips were
drawn back from his teeth in a way
that told of fever and thirst.
When BrydOn, with the help Of a
panic STRICKEN servant, had got him to
the sofa, knowing his horror of fuss.
ne told them to send at once for the
doctor, and then dismissed them with
Che utmost SDeed-and as now he stood
ait the window revolving many things,
N wondering, if Strange grew worse
what would happen, would he send for
his wife, and would she come?
my God! / wish I did not know
quite so much of him." he muttered,
81 wish he had not, in his rawlings.
turned himself inside out in that
CHASTITY way. No man should know
so much of another fellow as / do
of him. it is like eayeS-dropping."
Strange moaned, and Brydon crept
over and covered his feet with awk-
ward tenderness. then he moved softly
through the rooms, looking at the skins
N Oriental stuffs, the colors of which
slid into him, and comforted his soul
to some slight extent.
He WAS vaguely lingering a piece of
drapery, when he struck his foot
against THE leg Of a chair; he looked
round breaithleSSly to see if he had
disturbed Strange.
No-he still slept, and Brydon CON
tinued his ~pu1poseless inspection. and.
drawn by some strange colored tex
bltre he went toward it. and came face
to face with his own br~ide-picture.
He staggered back two or three
steps in a SpaSm of terror. He had
learned a deal too much of that picture
IN Strange s rawlings. but the over.
mastering love for ones creation
Inherent in God and man-forced
h1m back to it. and as he looked. all
the past died out, right back to that
DAY when he was sitting I'm Warning
church, painting, and wiping great
sweat drops from his face. in the
ecstacy of knowing that he had done
n great work. and one that would live
forever.
A sudden indefinable sound from the
terrace brought him To himself.
1t a a queer primitive sound; he
felt somehow that Strange should not
hear 1T. and went to the window to
find on what it was.
Presently If ha~an soair, ao5 o,5os
I'M a chucklp, then he caught sight of
a fittter of petticoats around the cor
ner. and could distinguish a murmur
OF words. Then a distinct squeak
startled him. and suddenly a toddling
creature appeared on the terrace. and
making a grab at a flower fell sprawl
ing on its face, and in a fraction of
time was bounced upon by the owner
of the white skirts, who cuddled it to
her breast, with anxious care but as
it only kicked and crowed she lifted
e head from her kissing. And there
within ten PAGES of him was his pic
lure made flesh. but with the sorrow
of all ages upon her face.
He swayed, put his hand to hts head.
uhen he dropped like a man IN a
dream irto a chair. and murmurred:
"Oh. God! has the earth opened
has she fallen from Heaven-has-
has"
He looked again and the hutter of
her white C~eSs I'm the sunlight gave
TO his dazed. enchanted eyes the figure
of n new Madonna before whom the
-Jo1~ --.-II