The news boy., 1896-04-18

and her whole appearance was irrcsisti-
bly, comical. She had come to get DR..
Kate pull her tooth. Pop had tied
the string around it, she said, but she
wouldn't let him pull it for fear it
would hurt; but she knew DR. Kate
would not hurt her. But She could not
reach the doctors docrbcll and could
not make anyone hear her rap.
Frank took her by the hand and.
leading her to the door. ranr the bell.
The doctor answered the bell in person
and Frank gravely explained the ciiild's
errand; then his brown eyes laughed
into her blue ones and that was their
Introduction.
Frank seemed in no hurry to 90 back
to the city after making Doctor Kate's
acquaintance. He grew Interested in a
great many of her cases, and he in
sisted that it was dangerous for her to
ride about the country with no one but
young Johnny Skegrs to drive for her.
Unsafe! with her fat pony and little
phaeton But I didn't laugh before
Frank.
''Then there might be tramps"-and
strange to say when Doctor Kate opened
her sealslsin bag. containing her medi-
cine case and showed him Il tiny little
pearl and silver pistol. he didn't seem
TO feel any safer about her, for he in
sisted inuch to Johnny Skeggs' dis
gust upon driving the tat pony very
often himself.
They were preparing for a visit to
one of the doctors country patients
one day. Her bag stood on the table
and she had been bending over it, tuck
ing in q few triles to amusc a sick
child, when she discovered that the
charm had gone from her watch guard.
Thinking it had fullen into the bag,
she began taking the contents out to
look for IL Now it wasn't & bit like
Doctor Kate to be careless or nervous.
but someway, in taking out the pistol
the silk cord which laced her glove
caught in the hammer and off it went,
the ball just grazing Franks hand and
scarcely breaking the skin.
Doctor Kate took his hand and exam
ined it quickly. She didn't faint, but
she turned as white as a sheet: and
picking up the little pistol walked de-
liberately to the well-curb and dropped
1t in. Then she fell into chair and
covered her face with her hands.
Frank was ut her side i'll moment,
assuring her that he was unhar,aed. II
know it, but tllia!, what might have
been; and all through my foolish care
lessneSs. / aE ashamed" OF course
Frank told her it was absurd to think
about it, and said all sorts of reaasur.nr q
things, but their ride that day was q
very quiet one.
Frank never mentioned the incident
to me, but she told me, with tears of
modification in her eyes: II never can
forgive myself. 1t was inexcrsable
carelessness and pridcd myself on my
common sense. You don't know how
ashamed shall always be-"
; think Frank must have soothed her
wounded pride, for when he went home
In the fall he took her promise to be his
wife and felt that my plan had sue
ceeded to my entire satisfaction.
They We're married that winter and
are living in the city, where she goes
on with her charity practice.
Frank has limited her work to rea.
sonable bounds SO that she has time for
society. The only fault that find
with my dear niece is that she lacks
ambition for herself. Inever felt quite
satisfied because she didn't make her
mark. But she is perfectly happy and
30 is Frank; SO suppose I ought not tc
complain.-,MarieM More Marsh, in West
ern Rural