The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-08-12
BENTON. LOUISIANA, THURSDAY, AUGUST II, 1897.

daughter, dressed in mourning, on his
knee, and he and the curate laughed
and chatted with the little girl to
amuse her.
There is newly made widower,"
thought Mary; land he doesn't seem to
mind much. l wonder if David would
(she had almost said ''will') care SO
little"
Suddenly the older man turned to the
curate, and Mary saw his face drawn
i'll an agony of grief.
Did you ever bury anyone you loved
desperately" he asked.
The curate answered with appropri-
ate courtesy: mo, | have been very
fortunate. l have always thought, how
ever, that the only wise way to face
such grief would be philosophicaIly
knowing it was Gods will that it
should come to ALL"
You have never buried anyone you
loved desperately. When you come to
do that you will not be thinking of phi
losophy," said the other.
And then they spoke of other things.
Mary pulled down her vail to hide her
wet checks.
Poor David! He will mind; he will
not forget right away" she thought.
AS they passed Woodlawn she won
dcred whether, if she died, they would
bury her on the hillside where David
could see her grave every. day from the
train window. 1t would seem less lone
| ly for her, she thought. And then her
heart turned to her children, and she
wept for them until she was reused bv
| the train getting into the Grand Cen
| tral station.
A half-hour later, Mary stood in a
clean, bare little room high up on the
top floor of quiet clearinghouse on
a side street. y young doctor with
wide-awake, intelligent face was talk
ing to her.
| Yes, Mrs. Robinson" he said, grave
| ly, 1.-The operation is imperative; it is
the only way to save your life. If it
succeeds, you will become perfectly
strong woman; if it fails, you'll be
spared the pain of a lingering death, for
you'll not survive the operation more
| than half hour at the most. put the
case plainly to you. You must know
all the circumstances, all the risks, that
you may decide wisely"
Il have decided,' she answered,
steadily.
VERY well, l will have the nurses
here in little while, and the other doc
tors will meet ME here at a quarter be-
fore two. | have spoken to them about
it. was only waiting for a final word
from you to complete all the arrange
ments."
lie babe Mary Good morning." and
left her alone.
Mary was naturally rather a coward
especially about little things. Spiders
worms and snakes, even very small
ones, made her almost faint; and she
was afraid to travel alone, or to sleep in
a room by herself. But her pulse was
very steady now. 1t seemed to her tl
say: David. David, David" as it beat
She walked over to the window anC
looked down at the people coming anc
going in the street. 1t seemed to hel
that she had entirely lost her personal
ity. She had really become this Mrs
Robinson she had told the doctor ant
the clearinghouse keeper she was
She was of vital Importance to nobody
about her. To the doctor and nurses SHE
was case" and there were many
leases" like her in the city. The hos
pitals were full of people who were
going to die soon. were dying even now
AS she thought of it the black pail o
death seemed to settle over her and al
she saw, and smother her.
MY husband-my husband!" sh
gasped; "can bear it without you?'
Presently she sat down at a lttl
table, and wrote letter to him. Sh
put his full address with careful clear
ness on the envelope. Then she wrot
note to the doctor, inclosing he
husbands letter in it.
She undressed and folded each gar
ment neatly and laid it away in he
little trunk. After that she put on he
dressing-gown, and lay down on tn
narrow white bed in the corner of tn
v room.
l She had never thought of dying alone
! In the fieeting thoughts she had had o
1 death, David had always been there t
7 hold her hand. But now she was liable
S even likely, to die alone. Poor Mary
r "Alone" meant to her without David.
:, Mrs Robinson" said DR.. Ellis, whe
l the assistant surgeons and nurses ha
come, II feel it due to myself to as
4 that you repeat before these gentle
e men what you said in regard to you
K understanding of the risk you run i
4 undergoing this operation
i 81 know that may die, but wish t
e undergo the operation"
y She spoke slowly, with quiet dignit.
d There is no one whom you wish
= see, no one who should be consulted ?
NO one"
n She drew from under her pillow tn
Il letter she had written. and handed it t
l. DIR. Ellis. "When the issue Of the OF
r Grafton is quite clear, l wish you
!; open and read this" she said.
T. She layquietly while they put the eths