The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-20

$4,000 NDONA~N
estly.
'T am very happy man this morn
ing, he said, "a lady has arrived unexpect-
edly-an old, a great friend. L have taken
the liberty of bringing her here, Lady
Shuttleworth, for 1 should like to intro
duce her to you
And who is she?' I asked
She is a Miss Mortimer-an English
lady who has lived for several years in
Germany. We have been engaged to be
married for long time; we hope that our
wedding may take place during this au-
tumn.'
az congratulated the Professor, whose
face was quite beaming with bliss and
then looked round for Lucy. Until this
moment had not guessed that her heart
was irretrievably given over to man
who was many years her senior. She had
left the room. Something made me anx-
ious, and as soon as I could followed her.
found her in her own room in a sort of
fit. We sent for a doctor, and after a
time she came to herself; she did So how
ever, with loud cries, and a most terrible
attack of hysteria ensued. AS soon as 1
could 1 turned everyone else out of the
room; the poor child chung to me then,
and poured out her heart to me-
81 have loved him. 1 have loved him.
she cried ever since the time of my
examination, and, oh, motheri 1 thought
he cared for me; but now I see he never
did, except just as pupil. Oh, motherl
I have given him my whole hearth
Il tried my best to soothe her, to show
her that she must suppress her feelings.
I assured her that the professor was a
very unsuitable husband for her but the
child's nerves were so shattered that she
would not listen to anything. From that
unfortunate moment every bit of good
which you had done her seemed to van
ish. The old cries and means the old
agony in her head, the old terror of mad
ness, came back with redoubled force
I tried to keep her secret from her fnther,
but the child had no reticence; she nsed
to moan out the professors name until
we hated the sound"
''Well, how did she get the arsenic?"
continued.
I'm a very cunning manner. Lucy had
by her an old prescription which our Lon
don physician had given her sometime
ago. The tonic contained arsenic. She
had it made up, and used to take double
and triple doses on purpose, as she has
confessed to me, to put an end to her mis-
cradle life. Her system Is now saturated
with the poison, and terrible swelling of
the lower limbs is the result. Oh Nurse,
she is in a pitiable, a fearful condition,
fifty times worse than when you first
sible to induce you to come back to her?
I fully believe you are the only person in
the world that can save hero
1 hesitated. The story which the wretch
ed mother had revealed to me wrung me
to the heart. AT the same time my hatred
for such cases was as strong as ever. 1
walked to the window and glanced down
at the busy street. The woman who toll
ed and labored, the man who had to earn
doslx NV
brow, hurried to and fro; how mucnl they
were all to be envied in comparison with
this poor, unhappy child of wealth. who
eaten up with self-consciousness, wanted
to throw away her wretched life,
Lady Shuttleworth," l said, at last
81 do not like taking up your daughters
SAGE. nevertheless will do so on the old
conditions"
THAT 1 am to have nothing to do with
her?"
More than that. 1 will go to her to-
night; I will nurse her and soothe her,
and as soon as she is well enough / will
take her away with me. Lady Shuttle
worth, the case has gone very far, and /
cannot cure it under year. Give me your
daughter for a year. I will look after
her in my own way. I believe it is not
yet too late to cure her. Do you con-
sent?"
despair in her eyes, then covering her
face she burst into tears.
do as you will with the child" she
gasped. Yes, l consent"
And her father?' I continued. some
what pitilessly. Remember if l go now
there must be no drawing back 1 will
not touch the case unless / have the free
consent of both Lucys parents that / am
to have her for year, and to cure her
u,
Sir Joshua will do anything he is as
frightened as l am
Have you a carriage at the door?" I
asked after a pause
Yes"
"Tehn give me ten minutes and will be
ready to go with you"
you are good woman, Nurse, and I
bless you"
l left the room.
In less than an hour was standing hy
Lucy's bedside. She was indeed wreck.
Bad as she had been when l had first
taken up her case, the arsenic had now
brought her nerves into such a condition
that FOR a time 1 really feared that I
could do nothing for her. Lady Shuttle
worth, however, was faithful to her pro-
mise, and the miserable girl was left to
my minstrations. Slowly but surely |
resumed my authority over her and SLOWLY
but surely my healing influence began to
take effect. l led her step by step up the
toilsome Hill to health and sanity In six
weeks time she was well enough TO be
moved, and l took her with me by easy
stages to a bracing part of Scotland. Here
she rapidly gained ground. 1 taught her
to walk, l taught her to ride 1 gave her
braciug books TO read, and l feed her with
the plainest food. When she was fit fer
it l talked TO her about the Professor.
and think got her to understand that