The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-07-01

messes he scarcely ate at all; and
though a real bedstead had been loan
ed him, with a real though somewhat
dilapidated straw mattress on 1t, he
seldom slept. Without being moody,
he was not talkative. He seemed to
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 I 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
time?"
To give myself time to frame an an
swer, 1 feigned not to understand.
81 am afraid l 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 I think
it means that l am soon to co."
Assuming a hopefulness that I was
far from feeling I answered: II 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 l went to see
a poor boy whose end was unmistak-
ably near and who called me mother"
I was detained some time and as my
return to my headquarters necessitated
my passing where Capt. Dee vas quar-
tered, l 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
Ills morning.
My heart beat fast; at last 1 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.
I paused on the threshold of the
kitchen; she was not there-no one
but the cook, a strange nan and a lit.
tie child were in the room. Dollie
must have grown impatient and sought
him out; the shock might kill him.
Hurriedly I. turned away, but as ]
did SO the child sprang forward and
caught my hand, exclaiming vehement.
ly:
"Dollie wants her papa!"
In my surprise 1 jerked my hand
away and fairly staggered backwards
"You-Dollie?"
1t was all I could say.
"Of course I'm Dollie," she answered
in an injured tone, adding piteously:
II want my papa, and he wants me-
The stranger, an elderly gentleman
now i%nterposed by handing me my
| own letter and saying:
II am S. B. Sterling, Donald Dee's
stepfather, and this is little Dollie, hi.
daughter"
"Certainly-yes, I see," I stammered
and l did, though as yet dimly; it was
so entirely different from what 1 had
expected.
And then 1 went to Capt. Dee. He
seemed restless and feverish, and
gave myself time by wetting a cloth
and placing it on his head.
BY and by I said:
IF Dollie should come today, could
you bear the Joy Of it,"
I'D like to try the experiment" and
a ghost of a smile fitted over his
wan features. "Joy is not as apt to
be fatal as either hope deferred OF
rebel bullets, and I know something
Of both of these"
Then I said:
"Well, she is here"
I no more describe the unutter-
able look Of gladness that lighted his
face than I can describe the rapture OF
the blest.
Thank God-and you!"
A few moments later Dollie was
covering his face and hands with kisses
and he was hugging her with his one
arm and calling her sweetheart" over
and over again.
For the time the grandfather and
|. stood apart and let them enjoy them
selves. the former telling me mean
while of the unusual affection exist
ALI H.