The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-12-01
By BEATRICE WHITLEY.

written since | congratulated and con-
dGied with YOU and yours on the sad
death and extraordinary generosity Of
YOUR late curate. 1t is one Of those
events over which tears and gratitude
niingle. | do not wonder at his at
tachment to my niece, for during her
visit 60 my cottage | learned to love
her dearly. Betsey has been ill-tlis
IIlst be my excuse for an unusually
lengthy silence, fer my time was much
occupied both with attending to her re-
quirements and fulfilling her neces-
sarily relinquished duties. She suffer
cd from Influenza, and was in a
critical condition; She is now hap
PLY ccnyaleScent. Irritability-a nat
ural consequence of weakness, it seems
has attacked her; but Of that per-
haps, it is unkind to speak. Helen
will orieyc with me over the sad ruin
Of our Kind friends, the Joneses. The
news of the catastrophe fell like a
thundelbolt upon us here though ! un-
derStand from Mrs Ma OribankS that
something of the sort was anticipated
by the better-inforned in London. 1t
has been discovered that poor Sir Adj
olphus, whose sudden death from apo
plexy heralded the publicity of the dis
Il
reckless enterprise. His business had
declined somewhat and his eXpendi-
ture was i'll excess Of his receipts. He
sought to recoup himself by a venture
of great risk and magnitude; its fail
ire FASTENED. if it did not wholly occa-
sion the impending calamity. | under
stand that the fortunes of Lady shutter
and Mrs Mason are secure; also, that 4
considerable sum was settled upon the
widow ard son, but this they have de-
cided to relinquish in favor of the
creditors, whose claims III consequence,
will be fully discharged. Mach admi-
ration for their conduct is expressed
by the kindly-disposed, though it is
grieyous to find how many will discoy-
err something at which to cavil in an
action however noble The nights are
very cold. and | have to superintend
the warming of the conservatory.
John overheated the fiues one day last
week. and had | not detected his blum
der in time to avert danger | tremble
to think of what the consequences
might have been. Convey my warmeSt
love to dear Honora, and
Believe ne, your fondiy attached,
-''EliZaheth Milford
TrEon Monday morning the news of
Miss; Elizabeth Milford S illness reached
the rectory; this time it was Betsey
who wrote Her style was not discuf-
sive: in three bold lines she announced
that her mistress was very bad with
HE influenza, and that the doctor came
ice day, but said nothing.
Mr.. Milford received the letter at the
breakfast table and read it aloud TO
his companions Both he and his wife,
between the discussion of ham, eggs
and coffee, were full Of sympathy with
the invalid Helen did not join her
condolences with theirs, but when the
topic was at length dismissed she sud-
denly and unexpectedly recalled 1T by
suggesting that she, herself, should go
TO Carnation Cottage and nurse poor
Aunt Elizabeth. She loved sick nurS-
ing. she loved AUNT Elizabeth; she
should love to be wi8h~E Ter; might she
go?'
The mild opposition Of her mother
gave her resolution strength; she de-
scribed the miseries the sufferin9s, the
ravages of the Russian pest with such
tragic vehemence as to wiring the list
eners' fender hearts, till they swallowed
all remembrance of the void the loss or
the GIRLS presence would entail. and
told her. eagerly that she should go,
should go at once, that very day,
You have inherited your fathers
good heart, Helen,'' said her mother,
fondly
You have learned unselfshaess from
your dear mother. Helen added her
father, ratting her head caressingly
These terms of appreciation affected
their daughter strangely; she colored
ND to the eyes. tried to speak, but her
no
then. with a murmur. of which the
words 'too good to me, alone were III
telligible, she got UP and left the
room.
The next evening saw Helen once
more an inmate of Carnation Cottage;
the warmth of her welcome was over
towering, She found that Betsey had
not exaggerated the severity OF MISS
NIitford's illness. and Betsey herseH
was still too weak to attend to hef
mistress, so that Helens presence was
most opportune. For several days she
hardly left the sick room; she was a de-
voted. gentle and skillful nurse Un-
der her dexterous care Miss Milford
steadily gained ground, and before a
week had passed was down stairs on
the sofa
Though Carnation Cottage was at its
best in spring and summer, its winter
comforts were not to be despised
heavy portieres excluded draughts;
the conservatory supplied an abundant
stock of flowers; log fires blazed in the
low CRATES. Helen loved every nook
and corner, every chair and table ia
the little drawing room; she sat on a
tiny chair which she had drawn to the
sofa-side Oh which her aunt. propped
on soft pilliws and covered with cou-
yrepied. was reclining, and looked