Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-12-15

oNuti tllu Vi Aut toOu ~
may, instead OF refreshment it was a
serious laSor--in ten minutes he had
with difficulty spelled through two
or three lines-it was like learning TO
read over again.
Every time the doctor came he was
was his wife, and when might he sec
her? Esperance's recovery had been
very slow and protracted, and the
meeting was postponed day after day
till Claude's patience was fairly ex-
hausted. One morning he worked
trying to prove how much better Il
would be for both of them TO see each
other that the doctor Began to wayer.
Esperance had had bad night, how
ever, and was really not equal TO any
exertion. Mr.. Maclaren would not
suggest it to her, but he asked If she
would spare the baby.
Claude was still talking 1ercely TO
Gaspard of the folly and uselessness
of such precautions, when his door
was opened and the doctor looked in
once more,
Mrs. Magnay sends you a small
deputy" he said with a smile, then
standing back he made way for the
motherly nurse, who walked in with
an important air, and placed small.
closely wrapped bundle on Claude 5
arm. The baby was asleep; he un-
folded the shawls. and looked long
and earnestly at the little face Ii
was doubtless much like other baby
faces, but TO his eyes a likeness was to
be traced in every feature. The little
pointed dimpled chin, the small mouth,
the well-formed nose, at present al
most out OF proportion to the rest of
the face, the soft, dark. brown hair,
very noticeable in such young baby,
all served to make his little girl very
comforting deputy
"She will be very like Esperance,
he said, glancing up, and Gasparl
fancied there were tears in his eyes.
but he hastily stopped down again and
kissed the little unconscious forehead
gratefully, almost reverently.
II believe Esperance has been com
forting herself with the small wo-
mans likeness to YOU" said Gaspard
with laugh Time will show which
| is right, but her eyes are certainly
yours"
She was obliging enough to wake
before long. and slowly to lift her
sleepy eyelids. and Gaspard was GER
tainly right. The eyes, which had
| been Esperance's comfort for the last
| five weeks. were not the least like the
De Mabillons-the color OF Smyrna
raisins as the London doctor said
| but large, well-opened dark blue eyes,
already expressing something of
Claude's ready observation and in
| telligence.
| 1t was two or three days after this
| that Esperance was allowed to make
| her first visit to the sick-room. Gas
pard brought her to the door, just wit
Messing the dawning JOY of each face
| the glow Of color which rose to Es-
perance's cheeks, and the bright eager
welcome from Claude; then he left
them to their happiness, and went to
see Dean Collinson.
One of the deans many schemes was
to induce Mr.. Seymour to part with
! Gaspard. He could not endure the
! thought Of his return TO Ceylon, and
| he had written some time before to
urge the coffee-planter to transfer him
20 the house of business in London.
Mr.. Seymour was fond of Gaspard
and of course grumbled at the pro-
posal, but 1t happened that at that
time the change was really feasible.
Mr.. Seymour's younger brother had
| just died; Gaspard was fully compe-
tent 10 take his place, and although,
owing 10 his want of capital, he could
not at present be received as q part
ner, yet the coffee-planter limited that
in time this difficulty might De sur
mounted. The salary was a good one,
and the dean suggested the change
hopefully. Gaspard did not take long
10 make up his rulnd. English fogs
and yapors with Esperance, and the
perfect climate oil Dickoya without her,
was TO him choice which required
lille Weighing; the decision 10 stay
in England was a once made, and Es-
perances delight warmed the dean :
heart.
i; was while she was talking TO him
Oh this subject one afternoon in
March hat she resolved to speak 10
him OF what had long been on her
mind. You are doing so much 20
make me happy, uncle. she said with
momentary hesitation, 1T seems
almost wrong to ask you to do some
thing else, and yet there is one thing
which | very much want"
My dear," exclaimed the dean
''let me hear 1t at once; if It is any
thing | can do ! shall be delighted"
Il am not sure whether 1t u.s." said
Esperance, musingly, but hope IT is.
! want Bertha to come to Rlichestec,
uncle. want George and Bertha 10
De at baby's christening"
The dean paced up and down the
room three or four times In silence;
then he stopped, and taking Esper-
ance's hand in his, he said. gently:
YES my dpar ynu ripbt- h 4 =