The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-03-01

Where she lay sleeping so peacefully.
Then he turned to go to his couch. Be-
fore he had reached the door she had
started up and was calling him back.
You are sure you have put 1t up"
she said. with look of blank terror at
the window. 1T will not fall open In
the night. the shutter-you are sure?"
He comforted her. Yes; it was tight
ly fastened.
even If 1t Is shut" she saiu In
whisper. you cannot keep 1t out! You
feel 1t coming In at o'clock, creeping.
creeping, up, up, deadly cold" She
Murdered.
He thought she was wandering and
laid her little trembling body down
among the blankets.
Il dreamed just now that 1t was not
put up" she said. looking into his
eyes. land it crept right in. and | was
alone with It."
What do you fearY' he asked ten
Derby. s
"The gray dawn" she said. glancing
round at the window. 81 was never
afraid of anything, never when was
a little child, but have always been
afraid of that. You will not let it
come in to mew
''No. no; will stay with YOU" he
continued,
But she was growing calmer. "No;
you must go to bed. only awoke
with a start. You must be tired.
am childish; that is ALL" But she
shivered again.
He sat down beside her. After some
time she said, "Will you not rub my
feetw
He knelt down at the foot of the
bed and took the tiny foot in his hand.
1t was swollen and unsightly now. but
as he touched it he bent down and
covered it with kisses. ~.
"It makes it better when you kiss it.
Thank you! What makes you all love
me soY' Then dreamily she muttered
TO herself: ''Not utterly bad, not quite
had. What makes them all love me
soY
Kneeling there, rubbing softly. with
his cheek pressed against the little
foot, Gregory dropped to sleep at last.
How long he knelt there he could not
tell, but when he started up awake
she was not looking at him. The eyes
were fixed on the far corner. gazing
wide and intent, with an unearthly
light.
He looked round fearfully. What
did she see there-God's angels come
to call her, something fearful? He
saw only the purple curtain with the
shadows that fell from it. Softly he
whispered, asking what she saw there.
And she said, in voice strangely
unlike her own: Il see the vision of
poor weak soul striving after good. 1t
was not cut short, and in the end it
that holiness is an infinite compassion
for others; that greatness is to take the
common things Of life and walk truly
among them; that''-she moved her
white hand and laid it on her fore
bankruptcies is great love and
much serving. 1t was not cut short.
and 1t loved what it had learned-it
loved-and"-
Was that all she saw in the corner?
Gregory told the landlady the next
morning that she had been wandering
all, night. Yet when he came in to
give her her breakfast she was sitting
up against the pillows, looking as he
had not seen her look before.
Put it close to me-" she said. land
when / have had breakfast am going
to dress" a......
She finished all he had brought her
eagerly.
81 am sitting up quite by myself"
she said. "Give me his meat" And
she fed the dog herself. cutting his
food small for him. She moved to the
side of the bed.
''Now bring the chair near and dress
me. 1t is being in this room so long
and looking at that miserable little bit
of sunshine that comes in through the
shutter that is making me so ill. AL
ways that lions paw" she said, with
look of disgust at it. "Come and dress
me-" Gregory knelt on the floor be-
fore her and tried to draw on one
stocking, but the little swollen foot re-
fused to be covered.
'''It is very funny that l should have
grown so fat since have been so ILL.,"
she said, peering down curiously. per
haps it is want Of exercise" She look
ed troubled and said again, Perhaps
it is want Of exercise" She wanted
Gregory to say SO. too, but he only
found larger pair and then tried to
force the shoes-oh. so tenderly!-on
to her little feet.
"Therew she said. looking down at
them when they were on with the de-
light Of a small child over its first
shoes. II could walk now. How nice
it looks!'
mo" she said, seeing the soft gown
he had prepared for her; II will not
put that on. Get one Of my white
dresses. the one with the pink bows.
l do not even want to think | have
been ILL., 1t is thinking and thinking
of things that makes them real" she
said. when you draw your mind
together and resolve that thing shall
not be, it gives way before you; it is
not Everything is possible If one is
resolved" she said. She drew in her
little lips together, and Gregory obeyed