The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-10

first thought was to give him food, and
she looked about the room again in search
of anything to eat. On the one table was
a piece of bread and jug containing milk.
But the bread as she touched it was hard
and dry and the milk was sour. There
seemed to be nothing else, and her inten-
tion being thus frustrated, Tilda thoughts
took new turn.
'He'd better have the doctor she
said to herself s'That the best.
She went out of the room and down the
stairs, and at the bottom she paused She
did not know where the nearest doctor
lived. She had no intention of wasting
time, and she had just made up her mind
to knock at the nearest door and ask direc-
tions when woman pushed open the front
door. To her Tilda put her question
The woman was a tousled, dirty, un-
comfortably stout person, but she happened
to be in high good humor, having Just
come in for substantial Christmas dole.
She made 'Tilda explain the situation at
some length, and eyed her curiously.
'What i'm upstairs p she said. L
keeps hisself to hisself, he does, and that's
wot comes on it, yer see. Els been
lyin there these three days, like nough
An you re friend of is? Lor Well,
You run along to Dr. Mason, third turning
on your left, first 'ouse, an see if ell
come
'Tilda was gone in an instant. She
never stopped to take breath until she
found herself at her observation-disclosures
ed with gentleman who was in the act of
opening the door with latchkey.
please, are you the doctor?' gasped
Tilda.
!; !: i: x
II don't know how you think you re
going to get your fees, let alone other
things =
The speaker was the singer, and the day
was Christmas Eve, fortnight later.
The singer, gaunt and pale, but with re-
turning strength in his voice, lay in his
bed, By his side stood the Doctor and
at the foot of the bed was 'Tilda, sur
prisingl neat and trim little Tilda. though
pale and thin, for she had tidied her hair
and her dress on the day when the singer
recovered consciousness, and she had kept
up the habit
The doctor was young man with a
strong and kindly face. He laughed at
the somewhat grim observation.
1T WASH my fault that you didn't go
into the hospital, you know, he said.
But we've pulled you through-that's
the main poipt-thanks to your little
nurse.
He glanced at Tilda as he spoke, and
rosy flush of delight spread over her face.
But the singer moved uneasily.
- Tilda, he said ''do you mind going
downstairs for bit? I've something to
say to DIR. Mason"
But when the door was shut upon her
the singer did not speak The doctor
walked away to the window, and there was
Il long silence. 1t was broken at last by
DIR. Mason. He turned abruptly to his
patient.
Look here, he said; ''there's no need
to tell me anything. You We been deliri-
Gus, you know, and-I know the kind of
story. Will you take another chance if
it's offered you? That's all | want to
know
The singer was lying with his face to the
wall, and he did not turn round
''Ies, he said.
''Then I'll see that you have it. 1t
won't be much, you know-not the right
thing-but it will keep you.
And 'Tilda 2 said the singer, stretch
inc out his hand, still without turning his
head
And 'Tilda, said the doctor, laying
his hand in the thin fingers
The doctor was gone when Iilda came
in again, and the singer was lying very
still. She had little basket in her hand
and a sprig of holly,
II met the district lady downstairs"
she said joyfully, land she gave ME these.
There's jelly in the basket, and oranges,
and all kinds You'll have bit of
Christmas after all =
The singer moved.
""Tilda," he said ''come here and sit
down.
'Tilda obeyed, carrying her holly in her
hand.
. Tilda,' he said, ''have you ever
thought of what will happen when L get
well p
She started painfully, and the color died
slowly out of her face, leaving it very
white Through all the days of his illness
she had lived from hour to hour, and the
future had no existence for her. He felt
her hand begin to tremble. and his fingers
closed suddenly round it.
1--WE shall be married, Tlda, he
said. That what will happen
And, after all, this was what Christmas
had held in store for Tilda.