Hutchinson gazette., 1899-06-29


messes he scarcely ate at all; and
though a real bedatead had been loan
cd him, with a real though somewhat
dilapidated straw mattresa on 1t, he
seldom slept Without being moody.
he was not talkatiVe. He seemed to
DO silently consumed by some Inward
longing.
"Ho is dying to see his sweetheart-
poor boyl" was what the surgeon said,
and what we all thought.
II was the evening OF the fourth day
after had sent my message to Sterling
Corners, Sitting by his couch, tanning
him-lt was intensely hot--I was
startled to hear him say In hurried
whisper:
"You don't think she will get here In
timer" +
To give myself time to frame an an
swer, | felgned not to understand.
II am afraid / Will not hold out till
Dollle gets here. Idreamed this after
noon that her mother was here by the
bed, and sho said, You won't have to
walt 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 answered. 81 do not
30 interpret your dream, / take II
that you will not have long to lie here
and wait before Dollie comes"
He caught hopefully at tho sugges-
tlon and seemed much better all night.
Early the next morning went to see
a poor boy whose end was unmistak-
ably near and who called me mother"
| 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.
Tho 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 l would
see Dollie with her arms about her
lovers neck could imagine Just
the way he would look at her; he said
so much with his eyes.
paused on the threshold OF the
kitchen; she was not there-no one
but the cook, strange man and a lit
tie child we're in the room. Dollle
must have grown impatient and sought
him out; the shock might kill him.
Hurrledly turned away, but as I
did so the child sprang forward and
caught my hand, exclalming vehement
ly:
"Dollie wants her papal"
In my surprise l jerked my hand
away and fairly staggered backwards.
"You-Dollle?"
II was all 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 interposed by handing me my
own letter and saying:
II am s. B. Sterling, Donald Dee's
stepfather, and this Is little Dollie, his
daughter"
"Certalnly-yes, see," l stammered,
and l did, though as yet dlmly; 1t was
so entirely different from what l had
expected.
And then l went to Capt. Dee, He
seemed restless and feverish, and l
gave myself time by wetting a cloth
and placing 1t on his head,
BY and by said:
"If Dollle 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 or
rebel bullets, and l know something
OF both OF these"
Then l said
well, she Is here"
can no more describe the unutter-
able look of gladness that lighted his
face than can describe the rc ture Of
the blest
THANK God-and you!"
A few moments later Dollie was
covering his face and hands with kisse0
and he was hugglng her with his one
arm and calling her sweetheart" over
and over again.
For the time the grandfather and I
stood apart and let them enjoy them
ealvaa tho fnrmar falling mo nnean.