Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-06-30


ed him, with real though somewha
dilapidated straw mattress on 1t, b,
seldom slept. Without being moody
he was not talkative. He seemed Il
be silently consumed by some inward
longing.
HE is dying to see his sweetheart
poor boy!" was what the surgeon said
and what we all thought.
1t was the evening of the fourth day
after had sent my message to Sterling
Corners. Sitting by his couch. tanning
hint was intensely hot-I was
startled to hear him say in a hurried
whisper:
"You don't think she will get here In
timer"
To give myself time to frame an an.
swer, feigned not to understand.
Il am afraid will not hold out till
Dollie gets here. dreamed this after
noon that her mother was here by the
bed, and she said, You won't have to
wait much longer, Donald Her
mother is dead, you know, and think
it means that / am soon to CO."
Assuming a hopefulness that was
far from feeling l answered: 81 do not
so interpret your dream. I take 1t
that you will not have long to lie here
and wait before Dollie comes"
He caught hopefully at the sugges-
ton and seemed much better all night.
Early the next morning I went to see
a poor boy whose end was unmistak-
ably near and who called me mother"
l was detained some time and as my
return to my headquarters necessitated
my passing where Capt. Dee was quar-
tered, thought to serve him his
breakfast and then take an hour or
two of rest.
The surgeon met me, saying: "Dollie
has come and is waiting out there in
the kitchen. See her and then break
the news to him. He is very weak
this morning"
My heart beat fast; at last I would
see Dollie with her arms about her
lovers neck. I could imagine Just
the way he would look at her; he said
so much with his eyes.
l paused on the threshold of the
kitchen; she was not there-no one
but the cook, a strange man and a lit
tie child were in the room. Dollie
must have grown impatient and sought
him out; the shock might kill him.
Hurriedly l turned away, but as I
did so the child sprang forward and
caught my hand, exclaiming vehement
ly:
"Dollie wants her papa!"
In my surprise jerked my hand
away and fairly staggered backwards.
"You-Dollie?
1t was all l could say.
'Of course I'm Dollie," she answered
n an injured tone, adding piteously:
I want my papa, and he wants me-"
The stranger, an elderly gentleman,
low interposed by handing me my
,wn letter and saying:
II am S. B. Sterling, Donald Dee's
tepfather, and this is little Dollie, his
laughter"
"Certainly-yes, see," stammered,
nd I did, though as yet dlmly; it was
o entirely different from what / had |
And then I went to Capt. Dee. He
eemed restless and feverlsh, and I
ave myself time by wetting a cloth
nd placing it on his head.
BY and by said:
"If Dollie should come today, could
GU bear the joy of it?"
I'D like to try the experiment" and
ghost OF a smile fitted over his
IAN features. "Joy Is not as apt to
e fatal as either hope deferred or
ebel bullets, and 1 know something
f both Of these"
Then l said:
"Well, she is here"
/ can no more describe the unutter-
BILE look Of gladness that lighted his
ice than I can describe the rapture Of
he blest.
Thank God-and you"
A few moments later Dollie was
,vering his face and hands with kisses
nd he was hugging her with his one
I'M and calling her Sweetheart" over
nd over again.
For the time the grandfather and I
.ood apart and let them enjoy them
elves, the former telling me mean
lille of the unusual affection exist