Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-11-20
aIt,s an awful day. said snsal

look out for yourself"
 T will Kiss mother for me, when
 she awakes;" and in another minute
 Mary was on her way, and battling
 bravely along against the driving
 snow and the fierce north wind. The morning train that day had brought stranger to this quiet town.
 He was rather grim-looking per sonage, and was apparently in a very l bad Eumor. It had been clear when he left the city in the early morning, and he found himself landed-um- 1 brellaless-in q driving storm when he
 reached Hillsboro'. That had an-
 noyed him, and his first thought was
 to take a train right back to town. But when on inquiry he found that l there would be no return train until
 the one he had originally intended to 1 take, late iu the afternoon, he de-
 eided to go on and get his disagree able business over with and done with. Then he had found that there was
 no conveyance to be had at that for nection with any stable, and that there
 was nothing fer him to do but to push forward on foot through the storm, which he finally did in an eyer-inereas- ing ill-humor.
 He had but mile to go-the man at the station had told him, and the road was straight, So he could not miss the small, white cottage, just this 1 side of the covered wooden bridge. D.4x 4Ia ~4- 4a1, out interminably, and the snow and freezing street combined to make walking more difficult at every step So there was 2ot often man in q worse humor than this man was, when the low, white cottage he was seeking at last came into sight. And now, as he suddenly hastened his footsteps, he somehow slipped and fell heavily, striking his head and doubling his Jeff arm under him. But he made no mur- mur at this misadventure, but lay still and quite unconscious on the ground. When he again opened his eyes, he was on the bed in a small, neat room; ; but all that lie thought of at first was that his head was paining him ter ribly, while his arm was hurting him even more. Some one whom he could not gee was fuzsing with his head and making the pain still worse. He felt so desperately cross and i'll that he impatiently ordered the unseen med dler to leave him and his head alone.
 II beg your pardon" said pleas ant voice, "but it's bad cut, and it should be dressed at once. Pm per fectly competent to do 1t, but your harm will have to wa1t until the doctor eomes.''
 What's the matter with my con founded arm?a He tried to move it. and groaned outright with the pain.
 Its broken. I'm afraid; but the doc tor will be here to set it soon.'
 Then the hapless stranger fell to rating the place, the storm and his
 accident so soundly, that another voice, from another as yet unseen in- dividual, spoke up in sharp rebuke: Aren't you ashamed of yourself to ktalk so-when we're doing our best to help yeu!n
 "oh, hush, susan,s broke in the pleasant voice. "He's suffering dread fully; he really don't know what he's saying"
 "Yes, dol" paid the stranger, gruff- ly, ..anl beg your pardon; but you've been hurting me like the deucei" "Ah here's the doctor" said the pleasant voice in a tone of relief. And then the stranger found himself trans 1 ferred into the skillful hands of the ofessional-whose treatment of his wounds was much more rigorous than ] that of the delft and gentle fingers he l had railed against but now. When at last his head had been ban daged, and his arm had been set, the l physician gave some brief instructions to his new patient. He would have to remain where he was for several days, and must keep very quiet, on account of the wound in his head.
 ssBut I must return to town today" the stranger said, peremptorily. q have an engagement for tomorrow and Thanksgiving dinners are not to be put off"
 "All right, go," said the doctor, "and the consequences will be brain fever"
 The stranger was silent for mo- ment. Then he said, shortly: q see that I must submit. But how did this thing happen? Where am I? And who was fussing with me until you came?"
 You slipped on the icy path. Miss Mary North saw you fall. and when she reached you you were insensible. She ran to get help. Fortunately it happened within few yards of her home, and she and her sister together managed to carry you in; and they must have found you a heavy 1oad Then Mary ran to my house-full quarter of mile away-and left word for me to come here as soon as I got home. I found her working over you, and your scalp was all ready for the stitches when I came. She's clever girl, was studying to be nurse. but unfortunately the money gave out