The Irish standard., 1895-09-07
BY@p1AIN. Aek' @AWfoRp.

sstt S Fl ~ :;
your age, who, like yourself, was
! brought into great peril. She was
penned in burning building in New
York and brave fireman at the risk
of his own life rushed into the blind
ling smoke, up the blazing stairs and
lowered her from her chamber window
with rope. In attempting to descend
he fell and was badly injured, and was
taken to a hospital. That young girl
belonged to rich, aristocratic family
and the fireman was poor, obscure
fellow, no higher in the world, per-
thaps, than an ordinary private soldier,
and she went to the hospital and
nursed him and cared for him as low
ingly as if he had been her equal in
the eyes of the world until he recov-
cred She was noble girl, Alice, and,
damme, she done just as would have
daughter Of mine do under like circum-
stances"
He threw down the paper and
marched abruptly into the house, leav-
ing her staring after him in wonder.
She picked up the paper herself to
read the interesting story. She
glanced hurriedly over the prominent
headings, but saw nothing referring to
q fire. She then turned her attention
TO the minor articles, but the item re-
ferred to seemed to be hiding from her
eyes From page to page she turned,
AL L
How could she have overlooked a story
which had caught her fathers eyep Be
ginning at the top Of the first column
of the first page she went carefully
over the paper column after column
scanning every paragraph until the
bottom of the last column was reached.
There was not in the whole paper
word about girl being rescued from
burning building.
Then great light seemed to break
in upon her. A half joyous, half wond~
ering look came over her face, then
vanished beneath a smile of the most
intense delight.
''Just as would have daughter Of
mine do under like circumstances"
She understood him now, and bless
ing him for his little ruse, went quick
ly to the hospital. The old father was
watching her from parting in the win
dow curtain, as and she tripped toward
the hospital an expression of satisfac-
ton came over his face. And that is
how Alice came to be installed as
browns nurse.
Brown slept for two hours calmly
and peacefully. When he at last slow
ly, half dreamily awoke he felt soft
hand on his forehead, and opening his
eyes they met those Of his darling one.
:, ''Ned, my darling, do you know me?
DO you know your Alice?" she whisp-
cred, bending over him.
Know you, my blessed angle? OF
course do" he replied, making an
effort to throw his arms about her
neck. She gently stopped him and
with blush upon her happy face said:
mo, Ned, not here. Someone may
see you. The attaches of the hospital
do not think it strange that should
nurse my noble rescuer back to health
and strength again, but they might
not see the propriety Of me permitting
his embraces. They are not aware
that your nurses heart is all yours,
my darling, every little, tiny bit of it,"
s'Bless you for those words, my
love. And you have been with me
often the surgeon tells me-
Eyes, Ned, very often, but you were
delirious and did not know me- The
surgeon had almost given you up, and
oh! my, darling, my poor heart was
breaking. He has just told me that
you have passed the crisis and will live,
and have been down on my knees by
your cot thanking the Father for spar
ing you to me. Now Ned, dear, listen
to me. You are not yet out of danger,
and you are in my care, and the doctor
has given me imperative orders to not
let you talk much. lam going to obey
orders implicitly, and / am going to
make you obey me. Do you hear that,
Mr.. Ned? Here, now, it is time for youto
take your medicine. There! Be carefull
Don't spill it all over your chin. You
careless feHowl You are the most awk-
ward patient ever had"
Thus she went on in mock reproof.
The happy tones of her voice and the
arch, loving smile which accompanied
her words did him more good than
could any medicine in the post dis
pensary.
But, Alice, must talk. cannot lie
here and
''No. you must not talk, you rebellious
darling" Then glancing around to see
that no one was near she implanted
kiss on his pale lips and continued:
'"There now, see if that will seal your
lips. You must just lie there and let
me do all the talking. Papa says am
a little nuisance of chatterbox any
how, so guess can talk enough for
both of u.s." -
Then tell me all that has happened
since lost consciousness behind the
rocks. and will lie as quiet as mouse
and listen,' he said, taking her hand in
his and pressing it warmly.
can right, and don't you forget your
promise or may punish You again by
sealing your lips. You see, the people
at the fort heard the firing when the
Indians came upon US, and just after
you tainted away a troop Of cavalry
came dashing upwith papa at its head.
He sprang from his horse with great I
big tears in his eyes, the very hrstI
ever saw there in all my life, and
thought he would hug me to death.
He asked me il the indians had harmed
me and told him they had not, but q
faaY,d vo,s WARE Eilla1 Ha a4x,ns,nf3 y