The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1897-06-16

i
accomplished. Moreover. to this day
it seems clear to Inc that in forcing
Mrs. Loring to throw of somewhat
Of her acquired feeling of helpies<ness,
and To learn that she was not entirely
dependent on her companions minis
trations, did her great service. SO
fur as the girl was concerned, there
could be no question of the benefit she
received from the lessening OF her
hours of attendance upon her aunt
No calling, as we all know, is more no.
BILE, more self-sacrific;ng, than that Of
the nurse; in none is there greater need
of reasonable relaxation from the de-
mands upon body, mind ard spirit; and
never is devotion more sadly nisapplied
than in those cases in which the tribute
to supposed duty and real affection is
paid needIessly or in obedience to nm
others over-indulgcd caprice. The
light of common sense should be strong
enough to show the faw of uselessness
in many a picture Of uncomplaining
martyrdon-
As events proved, the country life
was much to Mrs. Loriug's taste, in
spite Of her years of travel and her
long sojourns in great cities. She
struck up friendships with Mrs. Clark,
Mrs. Weston and the other housewives
OF the neighborhood, md. through
them, with the residents of Rodney
town village. among whom she gained
considerable popularity. She became
q regular attendant at the village
church, and soon was received into the
circle of its sewing society. At these
things I marveled and rejoiced, know
ing very well that her new friends
could do more to promote her recovery
than all the drugs in the pharmaco-
peia. Seven days in a week, gossip was
better for her than tonics.
1t was almost inevitable, in the cir
cumstances, that I should be honored
often with Dorothy Gray's company.
Long drives together over the winding
country roads, walks to the show spots
of the vicinity, and rambles when the
moon was doing her best TO make man
kind believe that nothing in the world
vas worth considering but sentiment,
such pleasing diversions filled many
m hour. Sometimes paused to con-
slider how completely the girl was DOM
mating my thoughts. Even when a
glimpse Of Hiram Jones going stolidly
about his business reminded me of the
uncertainty of my position. found
myxelf speculAting more about what
she might think. II the worst came to
pass, than about the extent Of the mis-
fortune over Lamar's bead, and possi-
bly, over mine as well. On shipboard
we had been very good friends. she and
I. We were very good friends now,
but with u difference. What a dull
ride ] had IL she declined to accom-
pany me! how the evening dragged il
she kept out of sight! what wretched
substitute for her presence WIS even
the best pipe in my growing coiiec-
ton! How was it that when we were
together, even If our talk languished.
the time never passed heavily? How
had it come about that no longer de-
bated the question of her beauty. no
longer compared her with this girl or
that? Such questions asked myself
now and then, puzzling my brain with
endcavors to answer them In any other
way than the one in which they could
be answered. The simple truth Of the
matter was, Of course, that had fallen
in love; but for difficulty of compre-
hension commend me, above all things,
to a so-called simple truth. Anybody,
II he will take the trouble, can follow
out long and logical deduction, but to
very few men is II given to perceive At
once the meaning of the thing which,
once understood. we call self-evident.
From the vantage-point Of later years
I have figured out, to my own satisfac-
tion Mt least, that passed from the
comparatively placid state of friend
ship about two weeks after Dorothy
Gray's arrival in Rodneytown. The
realization Of the change came nearly
q fortnight later, not through any tri-
umph of reason, but through an acci-
dem in which my part was that of =
mere spectator. and which required less
time in action than it does in telling.
Returning one morning from the house
on the knoll. sought the young lady.
as / usually sought her At that hour.
DR.. Banks had asked me TO look out
for two or three of his more distant
patients-he had sprained his right
arm badly and was keeping as quiet as
possible-and that day had planned a
long drive, which it was probable she
would enjoy. She wns not in the house,
Mrs. Clark said, and was gazing about
rather disconsolately, when I caught
sight of parasol showing above the
walls of lane leading to an orchard.
in the shade of which Miss Gray some
times passed a morning. Setting out
in pursuit, gained upon her SO rapidly
that when I turned into the lane she
was not more than . hundred yards
In the lead. To my surprise, she halted,
then turned with q cry, and, picking up
her skirts, began to scud toward me,
In full fight, q saw an instant later,
from an old and evil-tempercd boar,
usually safely penned behind Mr..
Clark's barn. but evidently very much
et liberty ut that particular moment.