The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-05-18

OF carpet. nau seen haI.a1o1a 1ioo1ie,
before shorn of every comfort, but never
one so cared for in its last extremity by
hand and eye. Even the brick On which
the table stood was washed and resem-
bled one from child's toy box.
'sThat is a good sign, her sleeping, IS
it not, sir?'' whispered Rebecca eager
ly. We had entered very softly, and
doubtless the ear cf the Invalid bad
only caught the footstep she expected,
but when her sister spoke she answered
in faint, reproachful tones:
81 am not asleep, and you have broken
your word, Rebecca. y
s.It was not my fault, my darling;
indeed it wasn't Oh, did not tell you,
doctor, how it would be-" And tho
great, gaunt woman wrung her hands
distressfully.
s.It was not your sisters fault that 7
am here,'' I interposed gently. "She
would have had me believe that she
came to consult ne on her own account,
but saw through her. 1t was my duty
to come, and it will be pleasure to me
if can do you any good. -
I had caught sight for moment of
the face of an angel, or rather, as it
seemed to me, Of one that was about to
join the heavenly choir, but even while
was speaking she had put up both her
hands before it. It was poor p-otec-
tion, for they were so thin and fragile
that one could almost see through them,
but the gesture was eloquent enough.
"You need not be afraid of the dec
tor, my dear. He is not like any one
eIse," said Rebecca soothingly, COM
pliment evidently addressed to my pro-
fession and not to myself. "She'll come
round after bit, sir, - she whispered
encouragingly, "but she has not seen
stranger--not to speak to-for years,
and your coming is terrible trial to
her,
nodded indiferently, as though such
shyness was common trait, for it is q
point of honor with us doctors never to
be surprised, but to say, Just SO, " and
incline the head at the angle Of assent
when a case is introduced to US, whether
it be mumps or the leprosy. Moreover.
could have waited patiently for some
time to get glimpse of that face again.
It was the face of a girl rather than ct
young woman. though. paradozical as
this may seem, there was little Of youth
in it. The continuance of some distress
ing emotion OF possibly of physical pain
had, as it will do, driven youth away
from it, and instead of "the vermeil
hue of health" had given it an InEat-
ural flush, as when autumn lays It's
fiery finger On the leaf in springtime,
but the features were perfect and the
large blue eyes the most Beautiful l had
ever beheld. They had cnly expressed
shrinking and afrigh5 at my presence,
but it was easier to imagine them as
the natural homes of love and tender
ness. Around this picture the beauty OF
which had something unearthly about
it, or rather, as it struck my profession
al eye, was only to be for short time
on earth, that cleaning hair made
Golden frass::::S.:.
a greater contrast to her sister 1t was
not possible for one woman to be to an
other. Presently she seemed to recover
herself little. and 1 ventured to put
to her few questions founded upon
what Rebecca had told me. She an
swered them very gently, bat IN SO III
different tone that they might we'll,
as in her case, have he'd 20 personal
application. This was a bad sign, for
her disease was consumption, where II