The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-03-14
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
From the Ladies' Every Saturday.

From the Ladies' Every Saturday
The doctor shrugged his broad should
ers as he spread his hands out towards the
fire. place.
ats fearful night, and in all my
thirty five years of practice, I've never
been in the midst of such heart-rending
scenes before.
Helen Oakly laid the book she had
closed on his entrance on the table and
came over to the fire. place. She laid her
arm over his shoulder with pretty caress-
ing gesture. ''Poor fatherr she whisp
cred softly, 'tbut know you were
tower of strength to the poor creatures
through it all I've been so anxious since
you left. You ought to have let me gone
with you.
Her father slipped his arm around her
waist, saying: at was like you to offer,
but it was no sight for woman.
She did not question him as to details,
as many women would have done. She
stood silently by him until his brow cleared
She waited on him herself at his late din
ner and she entertained him with all the
bright thoughts she had culled from the
reviews that day.
They were very like each other as they
sat opposite, but his face was softened and
refined in her Her eyes were blue and
her hair was that rare shade with golden
CLEAN, and eontrasted well with his dark
brown.
DIR. Oakly considered himself very for
unate man in still retaining in his home
his only child. When the bereavement
that darkened his life, left the child doubly
dear, he had poured out all the treasures
of his gifted mind, to make her such II
woman as he felt her mother would have
had her be-
He never knew that he had rival in
her affections She covered up the traces
of her young heart 5 romance from all the
world and tried to drown her grief in work
for others. She was her fathers right
hand in every case of charity or needed
help
Tonight, when they were once more be-
fore the library fire, she breathed the
wish that he might have no more calls
| that night at least; and asked for the first
time the particulars of the railway acci-
dent that had called him from her side.
He told her infinitely aud particularly
as he would have told brother physician
sure of her sympathy and understanding
of the terrible fate that had overtaken
fifty of their fellow beings that night.
sit was just this side of the Insane
Asylum and we took TO the hospital ward
there those too badly injured to be moved
further"
Were there any children, papa?'
''Only one seriously hurt. A girl of
ten. Some injury of the spine, | fear.
The poor child has lost both her parents
but she was too badly injured to realize, "
Miss Oakly drew her breath with lit
tie quivering sigh.
l will go over with you in the morn
ing. Perhaps we can bring the child
here p
.'Not at present, fear, but she will
not know where she is in that ward.
Aren't your hands full enough with your
boys reading room and industrial class
and half the church burdens besides, that
you are looking out for further care 2
.Tm only following my fathers ex-
ample, if l am" Helen answered, laugh
ingiy; SO that point is settled. z
He took her with him the next morn
ing; he had too much faith in her strength
of character and ability of service to spare
her anything, save the first horror OF the
accident, and her heart went out most OF
all toward the little sufferers.
The child had found out her loss and
the matron had been powerless to comfort
her; but when Helen Oakly put her arm
around her and held her close, her words
brought near the heavenly Comforter, and
through sympathy she led the child to the
comprehension of the perfect love that
would so gladly help us to bear all sorrows.
After that, not day passed without
bringing Miss Oakly's visit In spite Of
all. the child encountered again and again
the afflicted inmates. Some maternal in
stinct sent them seeking when they heard
of a child in their midst.
The girl was ten years old. She said
| her father and mother had left England
only a month before. She did not know
their destination, and evidently there was
family secret somewhere in the case. She
knew she had English relatives. who we're