The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-03-14

even their names.
The doctor advertised the child name,
''Amy Rodant, in the New York and
London papers; with full particulars of the
accident, but nothing came of it. All the
baggage had been destroyed.
One morning Helen 0akly left the asy-
lum with very sober face, and all day
she was very quiet and thoughtful 1t
was late before the Doctor came in, Helen
had ready, as usual, his cup of hot coffee,
but this night she did not leave him with
the stand of medical journals at his elbow,
for the midnight study that he loved.
Instead she brought her low chair to his
side. ''You cannot read tonight, papa,
for l have something serious to talk over
with you.
Something seriousl Have the boys
demanded nightly instead of weekly
treat2 Or does the church demand an
immediate musicale
Don't make fun of your daughter,
papa, this is something important want
to adopt, legally adopt, little Amy Rod
ant. Don't speak, just yet, papar' hold
ing up her white hands to enforce silence.
II have thought of all the objections. /
know she may be cripple for life-then
| shall love her all the more to make up
for what she will lose. It's not likely,
after all this time, that we shall ever find
her relatives"
But, Helen, you are young still, how
can l allow it. She might be burden
if you should ever have home of your
own.
Helen raised her thoughtful eyes to his
II am not ike other girls, papa. don
believe | shall ever have another home
than this l am thirty-three years old
and want to be mother to this poor
afflicted little one She is very bright and
lovable, and no well child has ever crept
into my heart as she has. y
People will say you are crazy, Helen. =
''You and learned long ago not tc
care when we are doing right, papa. =
Her father bent down and kissed the
sweet face, saying: "And learned long
ago that had better submit gracefully,
when my daughters mind is made up.
"We'I make partnership affair of il
and IL do the adopting"
''All right, papa, but you mustn't be
Jealous, if I claim her, for mean to be
first with her and have her for my own.
In less than a week Miss Oakly had ac-
eomplished her purpose and was ''Aunt
Helen to the poor little invalid. The Doc
tor contented himself with the title O
s'Uncle Henry and watched his daugh
ter with a new interest, as he saw her foot
the child life with the radiant mother
hood that too often never finds an objec
in lonely maiden life
The people who always criticise, wagget
their heads and talked, as the Doctor haG
declared they would. ''If the 0akly
wanted to adopt child, why not take I
healthy, well one at least; giving her th'
old aristocratic name of Oakly, also? Tha
would not make them forget that she wa
pauper." But Helen went her owl
sweet way and the gossip met the fate o
all thine days wonder.
'sHalf the talk was jealousy, the Doc
tor said, ''that Helen should dare to have
care of her own, and occupy her tint
otherwise than for the public benefit. y
The child becams the pet of the house
The doctor tried all the latest remedies
and was always ready to sympathize anC
soothe when the little frame was racked BY
pain.
Helen taught her in her well nom
ents, and ''mothered' her in her sick
and poured out the whole love of he
heart to bring light into the little sufferer
life. She repaid them both with an alb
sorbing affection Her parents had evi
IDENTIFY been refined people and she haC
been well brought up, but it was Heller
who taught her the source of help ant
comfort and was to her an "Angel Mes
senger
The years rolled on and Amy was ff'
teen, slight delicate girl, but with nj
deformity, though the spinal weakness wa
not cured
The doctors hair held little NOR,
white, but he showed no other trace o
age IF there was any change in Helen
sweet face it was not visible to the two t.
whom she was so dear; but, she often tolt
them laughingly, that she was glad sh'
had a Iookipg.gIass to remind her of th'
baseness of their fstteFy,
That Summer there was an epidemic
of diphtheria in New Market. The doctol
was gone from morning until night.
Helen was not to be prevented, wher
nurses failed, from bearing her share Of
the burdens, and when her father saw how
much her cool steady nerves and good
Judgment were worth in many of the
afflicted households, he did not forbid her
AMY was alone most of the time and she
tried in her girlish way to take up Helen I
neglected home cares.
One night Hannah, the cook, told hei
that the doctor had eaten almost nothing
for two days past. 'sHe's sick himself, :
she continued. ssHis face is all red and
his eyes heavy and two or three times to-
NIGHT he never answered, when spoke to