Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-08-04

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I'M SsfsgsS years before, but
NHA. ESXG the sons indomit
Mg@sGl ". able determine
e. on-zaAiSS1s0 tion to conquer at
sS least the rudi-
ments of his profession before he
should enter upon active practice made
him deaf to all paternal entreaties to
return home until one morning he
walked up to find that his thick bronze
beard had developed several actually
gray threads.
Consequently, one fine spring morn
ing all Blissfeld was electrified to see,
as it passed the quaint old Dayton
homestead, modest, little gilt sign
bearing the simple words, CDR. Charles
Dayton
He didn't ''take" at first. He wore
short coats il direct opposition to all
former ideas of the professional mans
dress, and he didn't seem to remem-
Der anybody whom he had known in
his youth.
It wasn't because he was proud, he
knew, but he had been occupied with
graver things during his absence than
remembering who was the sister to his
Sundar-school teacher and who mar
ried the youngest of the Barker girls.
But after year or so of doubt they
began to understand him, especially
when his superior skill had saved the
darling of nearly every household in
Town when the scarletfever threatened
to fill the tiny graveyard on the edge
Rim, Fl me- had ai' / an additional trait in his
favor; he knew how to neglect each and
every woman in Blissfeld with equal
severity. Not that women enjoy being
neglected. but they always develop G
sort Of respect for man who doesn't
stoop to them, providing he is consis-
tent in his frigidity to all the women
in the place.
At the end Of five years two things
had taken place in Blissfeld. Dr..
Charles was the idol OF the town, and
young Tom, the baby of the Dayton
family, was going to celebrate reach.
ing his majority by taking unto himself
a wife.
1t was an awful mistake, thought the
whole household when the downy.
checked Tom stood up in blushine
bravado on his return from his junior
year at college, and persisted in his
statement that he was never going tc
school again. For that fall he was t.
become the husband of the dearest lit
tie girl in all the world.
But reason settled upon them, ani
the only stipulation was that a little
maiden should come for q visit to thu
family of her future husband some
time that summer.
One morning late in July Miss Day
ton and her younger brother set ou
for the East, and returned week Int
er with the tiny lady, who was ill
pretty state of nervousness at th'
strangeness of the situation.
DR.. Charles was out in the countr,
at the bedside of patient, and when
after midnight, he stumbled in, drip
ping, splashed with mud after his Ions
ride in the storm and sick at heart (hi
patient had died in spite of his efforts)
he had forgotten all about the expect
ed visitor till he caught sight OF q lit
tie sailor hat and pair of crumplet
gloves on the table in the hall.
1t seemed so very odd to find any
thing so young, SO daintily feminin
in this staid old house that lie stoo,
long in the dimly-lighted hall, absent
ly smoothing out the tiny gloves
pressing each finger in place and not
ing with an indulgent smile that
button was missing from the left wrist
Dr. Charles slept badly that nigh
and awoke with the sun in spite of th
late hours Of the night before. Som
way the first thing to come into hi
mind as he opened his eyes was th
rumpled, tiny, buttonless glove in tn
hall below, and the moro he tried t
throw off the memory the closer j
clung to him.
When he reached the lower hall h
found himself again by the little tabl
with the little hat and gloves, and h
put out his hand with touch almos
caessing. Just as his fingers met tn
pretty feminine trifes he heard frcs.
young voice just behind him saying:
"I'll take these, if they are in you
way. forgot them last night
DR.. Charles wheeled about guiltily
There, on the lower step, was youn
girl, looking straight at him from th
most baby-like blue eyes e"er lightin
the face of woman.
DR.. Charles, later On, in analyzin
his feelings, realized that he had eS
perienced three distinct sensations O
the first sight of her.
First, that of the critic, in which h
was amazed to see here in the actua
flesh the girl whom he had always be
fore thought existed only in sent
mental novels.
Secondly, as the physician, VIII
frowncd at the extreme slightness {
the figure, the frail wrist, the tin
neck.
And lastly, as the man, who wante
to take her close in his arms, to lis
her, to love her and to call her hi
own
81 really must beg You to forgiv
ME, but young lady is so rare
pleasure in this house that 1 was ovel
whelmed Mt my good fortune. y
Finally, gathering himself together
he walked over to her. and, taking on
Of her hands in each OF his. he sni'
gravely:
"You are to be my sister, | s'tpros'
I am brother Charles.
Eoisc was herself again and sn.i,e
charmingIy as she said;