The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-01-15

sKtIl-qulte maglcaI medlcaI man-tu
see the girl, and told him pieces OF the
story. The medical man said that, con-
sidering everything, it was fortunate
she had not died in prison, and that she
would certainly die before many weeks;
that to such an organization as this
woman seemed to have, love and happi-
ness were the food of life; then he
| added. What murderer" He recon-
mended something or other and went
away. But he did more. For this med
ical magical person had daughter, one
Of those who spend their lives in good
works. And she, moved deeply by the
sadness Of the thing, came TO nurse the
girl, and instead of reading to the pa
tients in the hospitals, sat all day long
with Ruth while her sister was at work.
and talked to her and prayed over her
continually with the sunshine of sym
pathy and friendship. She also sent in
piano and played to the sick girl. In
the evening Naomi came home, and
when the librarian could get away, he,
too, came and read or talked Of grave
things, thoughts concerning men and
women and the conduct Of life and the
teaching which is read aloud in the
churches without ceasing, and remains
as much neglected as ever. So they
talked her poor wearied brain into rest.
But ever and anon the dying girls eyes
would wander troubled round the room,
and she would 60 back to her prison
cell, and she would cell again for her
baby and dandle the pretty child before
his father-the father 80 handsome and
so good.
One evening, when she felt little
stronger than usual, she told her sister
about her marriage.
Harry wouldn' marry me openly and
take me to his own people, she said,
because he was dependent on his
father. But he wouldn't give me up,
and one day he told me that he had
everything ready and would marry me
secretly in a registrars Office. But
was to tell nobody--not even you, dear;
and promised. he took me in cab, /
don't know where. One Of his friends,
Mr.. Middlemist, who was clerk in his
fathers Office, came with US. We got
out of the cab at the Office, and went
within. So that his father should not
find out, he signed false name. He
took his mothers name, and signed him
self Henry Hendricksen.
And you remember the place, dear?"
mo, do not know where it was, be-
cause I never thought OF looking. After
wards he told me that it was sham
registry, but 7 know now that it was
not. because people who have sham
offices do not put up brass plates and
print the name of the Office in the pill
lars of the door. Besides, we had to
wait while another couple were married.
I am his wife, dear, as much as the law
can make me"
When Naomi told this to the librarian,
he said that now they knew the particu-
lars nothing would be easier than to
find out where the marriage took place,
because register is kept, and can be
consulted. And he took certain Steps
unknown to the two sisters.
After this they talked no more about
the past. AS the bodily frame grew
weaker her mind became more restful.
During the day she seemed to forget the
past. She listened, her hollow eyes
looking far away, while her nurse-the
physicians daugeter-played to her; on
the wings OF the music she was borne
away to the land Of holy thought. When
she talked it was of the future-now so
near-when her child should be re-
stored to her. The past, as she truly
told her sister, had left upon ber soul
no touch Of shame-not the least touch.
That it had killed her was nothing, be-
cause life had nothing left for her. Only
L. La n,~I chn M
stretch out her hands, feeling for the
walls of her cell, and moan and weep in
thinking Of the child, born in the prison
and dead in the prison. Then Naomi
would weep with her and soothe her,
until the dying girl, in her turn, soothed
md >consoled the girl who had to live.
One evening, towards the end OF
April, when there was soft breath Of
early spring, Ruth began to talk of the
old days, when the swifts flew about the
lower OF the cathedral, and the leaves
began to come out upon the trees: and
she spoke OF the sweet service on the
Sunday morning, and OF the quiet shop,
with its shelves Of books, round which
The canons Of the cathedral would slowly
walk, reading the titles; and OF the
dean, who always came to shake hands
with her father, and patted her cheek
all the old life-so long ago, so long
ago. She talked about this all the
evening: it seemed as if she could think
of nothing else. When she laid her
head upon the pillow she murmured,
Naomi, dear, there is nothing worth re-
membering but the old days-and you,
dear, and you-unless it is my baby.
Oh! he is waiting for me. can see his
pretty face; he holds out his pretty
hands. Then, with no more words,
her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Ma
omi watched hera she was breathing