The St. Johns herald., 1897-08-14
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WHAT A WOMAN
 CAN D0.

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 labor in vain; but still, If you wish 10 t-- your hand at diplomacy, suppose
 l must consent"
 There's a sensible darling" cried Cicely, putting her arms round his nech and kissing him. And now l VIII show you what woman can do."
 Major Mainwarug was what IS known as a c0Dfi1 ed bachelor. When Jabez introduced te young nurse, who had come to him ,n the recommenda- tion of his nephey, his first muttered remark was:
 "I hope to goodness she won't start tidying thing up."
 Only one who has bee. left to the tender mercies of a soldier servant for nearly week can imagine the differ ence which a couple oF daysmade, not only in the Majors room, but in the Major, and nobody was moresurprised than that gentleman himself when he found how much ''the woma1's tricks" as he somewhat conJemptIously ex- pressed it, added to his comfort.
 Cicely had her surprise aso, for in- stead of worn-out decrept old man, such as she had expected o find her lovers uncle, she discover.d that he was handsome man in tie prime of | life, and though he was evidently suf- fering intense pain from hs fractures and confusion, yet he boreit nearly as uncomplainingly as a woman would have done.
 The weeks slowly glided away, and the Major gradually grew stronger. One morning he said in an apologetic voice:
 q am going to ask you to to do ne a favor, Cicely."
 Certainly, Major" responded CicelT, with the sunny smile that made her invaluable as q nurse. What is it;.''
 "Why, I want you to wrte letter for me to a scapegrace nephew of mine. The truth is, this ellow has been trad ing on the fact that he Is my only liv- ing relative ever since he knew the value of the relationship, and at last I think the time has arrived when ought to put down my foot"
 What has he done, theu?" inquired Cicely, endeavoring to conceal the aSl- tation which she felt.
 "The young yagabond is a medical student at St Georges; but, of course, you are aware of that, as ne sent you down here-the only good turn he has even done ne iu bis life, Iy-the-bye- and I have always made him a gener- ous allowance n addition to this, have paid his debts twice And now he writes to say that unless he has q certain sum by tomorrow morning to pay his debts of honor, as he terms them, he will be ruined for life. Now, l have made ID my mind not to let him have any more money beyond his in- come, and I want you to write and tell him that as b. has broken his word of honor, when he promised me on the last occasion not to gamble again, must decline to have anything 10 do with his debts of honor
 Cicely took down the address and made notes O what she had to write; but, strange t. say, almost immediate ly afterwards she met with an acci- dent and ran a pin into her thumb in such a way & to prevent her holding a pen, and the communication had to be written by Jabez after all.
 A few days after this Cicely had been reading to him when the Major, after short interval of silence, ex- claimed:
 ''The doctor says I may get up to- morrow, Cicely, and that has made me think"
 What have you been thinking about?" demrrely asked the pretty nurse.
 q have been wondering what on earth I shall do when you leave me and go back to town
 "Just what you did before I came, I | suppose" replied the young lady, in- tently regarding the binding of tue book she was holding l Il her lap.
 "No, I can never do that, said the | Major. "When I was 2 young man, Cicely, I was very fond of I girl; in fact. We were goiDF Q he married, but | the week before she was 10 have be- come my wife she can away with a friend of mine, @ lieutenant in the same regiment as myself Since then have had somewhat bad opinion of wom- en, and you must acknowledge with reason, but you have altered all that, Cicely"
 "How-er-in what way, Major Main waring"' faltered Cicefy. growing rap- idly fred as a rose.v
 Why, l can see that though there are bad women in the world, there are also good ones, and the man who man. ages to get hold of a good one for his wife. cannot obtain a greater treasure and I'm going to ask you if you will be my treasurer"
 But, Major Maiuwariua I am only a nurse-a hOsnital uurse-vhat will your friends say
 My dearest girl. y0u have saved my life, and in my opinion YOU possess all he graces and virtues that u woman ought to have. II ] -1a.rv a girl. do t to consult my own lappiness, not hat of my friends. know am twice your age, but in spite taat, I am a young man still now J, dear, will you marry me?'
 "Are you sure you love mel" asked Jicely, in low voice. That you are lot asking me to be vour wife out of ,ratitude?"
 "CicelyI' cried the Major. 'I cannot ake you in my arms. as you we'll