Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-09-08

| bent down, and took Esperance's thin.
| burning hands in his. She had not
noticed his entrance, but this made
! her look. up suddenly; a glad smile
] passed over her troubled face, and
| half raising herself with the strength
! of delirium, she cried, Papa, papa!
J have you Gomez" then, failing back
| again, said, much more quietly, 7 am
so tired! Won't you carry me?''
| She closed her eyes, and they all
watched In breathless suspense, till at
| length look Of entire peace stol
over her features, and her quiet, regu-
lar breathing showed that she had
| fallen into natural sleep.
For two hours the dean stood in
! this novel position, personating NJ.
de Mabillon, and patiently holding the
| hands Of his old enemy's child. He
was growing undoubtedly fond of Is
perance and, moreover, he felt some
thing o. the sense Of responsibility
which had been depressing Cornelia.
and had a great terror of her death.
feeling sure that it would burden him
with that sense Of outlines which
had haunted him when his sister died
He wished he had not overheard tina
cry for Gaspard; it rang in his ears
tormentingly, and though he reminded
himself that the Ceylon appointment
was very good one, he could not
but remember that if he had chosen
he might easily have found situation
for Gaspard in England.
On the whole. the deans reflections
were not very comfortable as he
watched his sisters child; and h
was relieved when, after a long sleap,
she woke up much more free from fe.
yer than they had ventured to hope.
His hands being released, he stole
away to the observatory and tried to
forget his annoyances; but il spite
OF the attractions of his beloved
telescope, he was haunted all the
night by Gaspard's name
In the sick-room matters went on
very hopefully. Esperanco 49, some
nourishment, and then fell again into
a long, dreamless sleep, and in the
morning the doctor was so we'll sat
1sfied with her Improvement, that Cor,
nelia began to take heart again. She
slept az intervals through the day
and did not take much notice, but on
the following day she was much NOR
herself. In the afternoon, when thi
nurse was lying down, Cornelia was
startled by a sudden question in Es-
perance's weak voice, the English
words coming with a sort of hesitg
ton:
"Gaspard does not know that I
am i'll, does he?"
Cornelia crossed the room to tn
bedside.
mo, dear; but now you are better
will write
Perhaps I shall be well enough
soon to put in a letter. What day
is it?"
1T is Saturday, the 18th of july.
We will write by the next mail, on
Friday"
Esperance was to weak to talk any
more. She lay musing over Corne-
las words, greatly surprised to find
how long she had been i'll. But she
had still many days of pain and weak
ness to look forward to, for although
she was out Of danger her recovery
was very slow and wearisome. She
was as helpless as baby. and
though good and patient, she coulo
not withstand the sense of aching
loneliness that weighed upon her
spirits. Every one was kind to her.
but she longed unspeakably for Gas
pard, and day after day she lay cry
ing quietly, wiping away her tears
and trying to smile when any one
spoke to her, but far too weak to be
able to control herself.
She saw a good deal of Cornelia.
for the nurse always went to lie down
in the afternoon after her nights
watching, but unluckily she was "a
Their in awe of her, and Coneiia her
self though extremely anxious to be
kind, had not the quick observation
and ready tact which are needed in
sick nursing. She would sit hour by
hour reading quietly, taking the great
est pains TO make no noise, when per
haps Esperance was very low-spirited
and wanted little cheerful talk or
at another time she would carry on
long whispered conversations with
some unseen servant at the door,
thereby disturbing and exciting the
invalid far more than if she had
spoken aloud. Her diffidence, too,
was a great hinderance. for she never
ventured to do anything for Esper-
ance without an anxious questioning.
Would you fancy this?" or, Shall
give you that?" till the poor child
was so worried that she would mega
tive everything rather than be trou-
bled with the decision.
To be continued.
CUPID IN A CANTEEN.