Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1896-11-11
WIDOW AND MAID.

way down TO BREAKFAST.
"The doctor just went out, didn't
he2'' queried the Young man as he
reached the landing On which she was
standing. 81 thought heard him. How
is Tom this morning? Any better?'
She sat down in big armchair stand
ing by the window, laid her head on
the window sill and burst into tears.
sit isn't as bad as that, is it?'' he
finally asked. ''The doctor has not given
him up altogether, has he?"
She raised herself up and wiped away
the tears from her eyes.
"There is little hope, Bob. He didn' t
say so in SO many words. He meant to
be hopeful, but he failed.'
81 suppose he is still delirious?''
eyes. He is as bad as ever. He still
keeps up that monotonous cry Of Mary,
Mary It is so curious when no one
except himself knows who Mary is. Oh,
Bob, if he should die without recognize
ing mel That is the hardest part Of it
all. He cannot last much longer unless
a change comes for the better. -
Bob turned toward the window and
looked out on the square, with it's great
trees almost stripped of their autumnal
splendor.
Something has got to be done, - he
said half excitedly. He can't die. He
is too good a fellow, too bright a fell
low, the kind of man the world needs
most. -
"But what?" Mrs. Thomas asked
hopelessly. ''The doctor has done every
| thing that he could do, and we couldn t
have done more
Bob walked down the hall to the door
of the room in which the sick man lay,
and put his hand on the knob. Then he
turned quickly and came back to the
window, and the little figure in black
crouched in the big armchair.
"Tom is delirious. We don't want
him delirious. That is the point, Mrs.
Thomas, isn't it?' said Bob.
Mrs. Thomas nodded her head.
eff the delirium passed away, he
would sleep?''
eyes.
"Well, that's it. He has got to sleep
soundly.'
ibid you ever hear of cases where the
presence of one particular person in a
sickroom exerted a great influence over
a delirious person?'
"Imight have, Bob; but never knew
any one who did it, -
''Tom wants Mary" the young man
went on, "and perhaps if she came to
him she might save his life. I think it
is worth trying; at any rate, it cannot
do any harm.
"Butwho is Mary? You told me that
you did not know
Eyes, I know did; don't know for
certainty, but think I could pick her
out in crowd Tom never told me her
name, but he told me good deal about
her. Putting one thing and another to-
gether, think I may venture to say
who Mary is. y
''And who is she, Bob?"
"She is the unattainable, as Tom
called her. She is wealthy, she is beau
tiful and she is said to be good. She is
| leader i'll her set, and has as many
young men running after her as she
probably finds convenient. Her father
is the chairman Of the Great Southern
Railway company, i'll whose employ
Tom and are fortunate enough to. be. -
"Mary Summerhayeg Why, she
would never come here! It is almost RI
diculous sugs.o@ ing such a thing. You
don't know Ger, do your"
''I'm sorry to say that don't. You
see am hardly in her set. Tom has
met her, though. He was sent up to the
chairman, house one day with some pa
pers requiring Mr.. Summerhayes' sig
nature. lie had to wait about half an
hour, and during that interval Miss
Summerhayes. who had found him
greatly interested in a picture in the
drawing room, showed him her father
collection. When Tom came home that
night he told me about it. He started
to tell me about the pictures but when
he had finished I found that had heard
a great deal about Miss Summerhayes
and very little about the pictures.
"And is that the extent of his ac-
quaintance with her?''
II believe she bowed to him in the
street one day afterward. -
She never would come here, Bob.
The idea of asking her is absolutely RI
diculous. y
"It does seem that" assented Bob re-
luctantly. But there does not appear
to be any other way cut Of it. -
"YOu don't understand it, Bob. She
is a young woman, not one whose age
would allow her to visit the bedside OF
strange young man. You don't realize
the position it would place her in. -
perhaps not. When her fathers
Office boy was sick, she visited him and
carried him fruit and flowers. though. y
s'Yes, but he was only a boy. Tom is
young man. and that makes a great
deal of difference.
II dare say it does. Still, this is
matter Of life or death, and she might
come if you put it to her i'll that light. -
''But I can't ask her, Bob.''
"You must. He is your only son,
and he is dying -
The little woman burst into tears
again.
"Come, don't cry" he said tenderly.
81 didn't mean to put it SO brutally. I
only wanted you to see it plainly"
''But can't ask her. l haven't the
courage"
eff she comes at all, it will be only
because you, as his mother, asked it.
She will do it out Of sympathy with
you, if she does it at all 1t will be on
the impulse OF the moment. She won't
stop to consider the improperly of the
thing. I couldn't create an impulse.
We have got to lead trumps and play
itrumps all the time. If she won't come
for you, she won't come at ALL
He stopped and looked at her anxious
ly.
ooh, can't, Bob. 1t is such an aw-
G,-J L.,