El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28
HiSBlue Eyed Patient

Among the cots in hospital one was
empty. 1t was No. 16. Its last occupant
had been discharged that morning, and it
was now waiting to be utilized again.
Presently a noise is heard at the end of
the long hall, and some one is being
wheeled in. No. 16 has new occupant.
Weak and pale upon her pillow lay a suf-
ferer young and fair, while on her snowy
forehead clustered soft curls of golden
hair.
No. Is was wholly unconscious of the
pretty picture she made. She lay there
softly moaning. A cruel wheel had
crushed her, and she had been brought
bleeding and suffering to that great home
for sufferers-the hospital. Tenderly the
doctor dressed the wounds and gravely
watched her first signs of returning con-
sciousness. He was rewarded; the long
lashes moved and beautiful pair of blue
eyes looked up at him. They seemed to
look into his soul. Never before had
grave DR.. Edgar Canton been so thor
oughly moved.
He walked to the head Of the bed and
softly asked if she wanted anything.
"Where am 1? Oh, where am L? Why
can't l move? I'm SO tiredr' The beau
tiful eyes closed again, and she had again
lost consciousness. Week after week
that terrible fever seemed to tear the
life from the young sufferer. Day after
day DR. Canton came and watched his
patient and listened pityingly to her raw
ings.
1t was there he learned the story of
her Hfe-how the dear mother had died
and left an orphan, this beautiful girl;
it was there he learned that after
months of fruitless searching, she had at
last found employment as bookkeeper
for a down town firm.
10 EcFa ,,-l,i boz
mind added column after column of mag
mary figures. But one night she fell
into deep. peaceful. dreamless sleep.
Morning came, and with it new life for
MilliCent Everton. Slowly she began to
improve; she noticed the surroundings,
her fellow sufferers. the white capped
nurses and the doctors.
For each and every one she had the
same wan, little smile, but there was one
whose coming seemed to be the only sun
beam Of her life. How eagerly she
watched for his coming, and how those
blue eyes lit up as she saw his handsome,
grave face. Every day he came to her
and spoke kind words. She wondered
how it would all end. All, too well she
knew that in a few weeks she would
again begin the wearisome life of the
past, He would forget her. but through
all her suffering she knew she could new
er forget him. She could never forget
those dark eyes as they looked tenderly
into hers-yes, in all the years to come
there would be one bright spot she could
remember.
One morning she watched for his COM
ing in vain. A new doctor came in his
place. and, although Millicent would
have rather died than confess it, two
great tears rolled down her cheek. One
of the nurses came to her and placed n
large bouquet in her thin hands. They
are for you," she said. "Shall l put them
In waterr' Milhcent gazed thoughtfully
at them and wondered where they came
from. Suddenly tiny piece of paper
caught her eye. 1t was a note addressed
to her. Her trembling fingers could
unfold it. Involuntarily her eyes
went down the page to where the name +,
was written in a bold, plain hand, ED !
gar Canton
Softly she read the following lines:
Dear Little Friend-I nm called away to a dis :
tant city, but cannot go without bidding you
goodby. / cannot to you, as / start Mt
midnight and by morning will be many miles
from here. When / return, you will be almost
well again Dear little girl viii have some
thing to tell you when get back. Try and 81
you can guess what it Is. 1 shall be home the
last day of the old year. Until then I In yours.
EDGAR CANToE-
How happy she was, and how she long ,
ed for his return! She dared not think p,
Ol Wnal NE udu 10 teli ner- Inc Gays d
passed quickly, and one morning she was
surprised. when the doctor told her that
Ia week she would be able TO leave the |
hospital. The week passed, and the day |
of her departure came. Where was she
TO go? She had only a few dollars and !
no work. Over and over again she tried
to think. Yes, she had better go to her /
old lodgings. The landlady was kind |
and she could pay her board for few |
weeks and then perhaps get employment |
Millicent sat with her head on her arm !
OF DR.. Canton. She knew that !
he had probably returned, and she won |
dered if she should ever see him again. /!
Just then some one knocked at the door
of the room. Thinking it was Mrs. !
Blake, the landlady, with her tea, she
simply said "Come in without even lift !;
ing her head.
No tea tray was put on the table, and
Millicent, hearing no one, looked up.
Two strong arms encircled her, and, with
one glad cry, she recognized Edgar Can :
ton. |
Darling little Millie. you have guess )