The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-03-28
was considered bsyond a nurses care.


Pleasant days she took the children
TO the park, and, while she sewed and
minded them, she could also feast her
eyes ON the beautiful trees and green
sward and the blue skies; so blue,
Wealthy thought; skies anywhere else
were never so blue as those. Little
by little she learned that the best of
us all, in one way or another, work
more or less, and she argued that, per-
haps, hers was not such hard lot as
il might have been, in spite of the
fact that she was obliged to be busy
at something all the time. She was
thankful for what she had, and worked
and sang and made the best of it.
And so it went on for six months.
July came and Doctor and Mrs..
Dunning aud Lou went away to cool
Birchlands.
doctor Edwards is coming to
Birchlands this season." reported
Mrs. Dunning at the end Of the fort
night.
''Very wealthy family. Bernard,
the Oldest son, has studied in Europe
and has returned ond taken his
fathers practice. Every one is speak
ing of the celebrated Doctor Edwards
an excellent parti for Lou"
Lou matched her pretty eyes with
prettier ribbons, and when he called
she rustled to greet him in the fleecy
raiment that had cost Wealthy hours
of patient endeavor to think out, and
fit, and make-a creature of n dream
and fair to look upon, ''as beautiful
as fancy" Doctor Edwards thought.
But in the chain of circumstances,
there were other incidents.
In the city the oppressive heat was
telling ON poor, puny Arthur, and one
day Wealthy, nurse, housekeeper and
commander-in-c chief, found another
care on her hands, n sick boy.
Gently she quleted him, tendelly
she cared for him, but at dusk she
stood desrairingly by his bedside, with
the realization that the disease was
beyond the scope of her immediate
prescriptions and fully aware that the
boy was on dangerous ground.
What could she do? Send for her
uncle? He was miles away, and
Arthur might die before his father
reached him.
Send for doctor? Where? Neither
she nor any of the children knew the
location OF any physicians office in
the city.
Speak to tho neighbors? Yes, but
it is August, and they are all away.
Completely baiied in this labyrinth
OF perplexitios, suddenly bright idea
occurred to her.
Looking hastily ont of the window
she saw bright light away down he
street on the opposite side.
"That must be Doctor Edwards
that have heard so much about, l
know" she said. And shortly after
ward, Doctor Bernard Edwards, pro-
fessonal, indeed, but handsome, fine
eyed and kind, was obeying an urgent
summons up the street
He stayed all through the hot night
with the sick boy, soothing and help
ing him and tightening for poor
Wealthy what otherwise would have
been a season of multitudinous terrors
and when morning dawned once
again, Arthur's life was saved.
And during that night he had be-
come interested in the faithful, lovely
young girl.
Doctor Edwards always looked
grim reality straight in the eye, and
he found out what her position was in
that house, and such distaste for Lou
Dunning's frivolous beauty came over
him at the disco, cry that he hoped he
might never see her again.
He stamped and stormed little
and in his righteous wrath he spoke
some certain truths of the Dunnings.
at is too scandalously balv' ho
wound up.
"You might marry her." suggested
| grouty old Doctor Edwards, who had
| got the benefit of his sons late re-
searches.
"Have half a mind to-" said
| Bernard.
Evidently he had whole mind to;
for the next day, before the gray dusk
was fairly out of the sky, and long
before the children were awake,
Wealthy, standing weary and alone
by the chamber window, found her.
self clasped tenderly in pair of strong
arms. Lovingly the tall doctor stopped
and tenderly kissed the little girl.
"Wealihy, "he whispered, Wealthy
look at me, darling! l have some-
thing to tell you, and waut you to
answer me a question"
Somehow it took long time; but
at the end of the narration, though
Wealthy was in food of tears, the
tired head rested against Doctor
Edwards breast, aud with a Joy that
could not be told, she answered Eyes
to his question.
When tho Cummings came back
there was Il heavy gold ring on Veal.
thy's hand but Doctor Bernard Ed
wards called berore they had time to
notice it.
~ have to apologize for not keep
ing my promise of returning to Birch.
wood, but professional duties prevent
od," he said. Perhaps, too, I should
make excuses for falling in love with
| yOur uiena Int that alao I cnuld moi