The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-01-17
through the winter ltm be a u,es,,.,,

went up 20 his coy bedroom and
Cropped :ito big cushioned rocker.
The mans fool who thinks he car
run away from human suffering" lie
muttcred bitterly.
Then the tidy bed, with It's immacu-
late coverings, woOed his tired bones,
and minute or two later he was en-
| J0ying the first afternoon nap he had
taken for many years.
| He awokc toward dusk feeling rather
ashamed of his long sleep. And yet
only few hours later he found lie
was quite ready for the ali night
nap. He was sleeping soundly at S
o'clock when the widow called him
he arose with n start, glancing first nt
his watch and then ut himself in the
bureau glass. He looked ten years
younger.
"Sleep is knitting up the ravclcd
sleeve Of care for you all right. old
| fellow" he snid.
Then lie quite HstOnislied himself by
| having an appetite for breakfast, and
| after breakfast he walked forth again.
| He remembered the old soldier, how
ever. and went the other way
AS he passed the last cottage in this
new direction Il young woman came
through the gate. She was accomDa-
MED by weakened little boy, who
clung tightly to her hand. He was II
cripple. One OF his shoulders dropped,
ana his head bent over it, His legs
were spindly and weak and he shuf-
fled along with the appearance Of de-
crepit old man.
fpr
ricd forward. Just as lie was about to
pass the pair the girl turned and look
ed back. She was conlcly young wo-
man Of perhaps six and twenty, with
clear. honest eyes and pretty nut
brown hair and IL singularly gentle cx-
preston.
When the surgeon came back from
his long stroll along the ridge, the
young woman and the boy were seated
on Il low stone wall half way I'D the
hill. AS the surgeon passed, the little
fellow, whose llend rested comfortably
against the girls arm, laughed shrilly
over some story his companion was
reading aloud from n book in her Ian.
The surgeon thought Of that picture
q good many times during the day. He
saw it again the next day and the next.
The boys misfortune worried him. His
fingers twitched to examine into his
ailncnt He felt that the lad could be
helped. He tried to crowd this feeling
aside. lie told himself that he was an
idiot to let sentiment bother him In
such ridiculous fashion.
But you always were n fool about
Children" he grOwlcd to his reflection
in the bedroom glass.
On the fourth day he spoke to the
girl.
She and the little cripple were sit
ting on the low stone wall where thew
usually rested on the way up the hill.
Pleasant afternoon" said the sur
geon, as he lifted his hat. The girl
looked up. She saw before her a tall
man, little stopped. n little gray. n
little careworn. She gravely bowed.
She took no offense at his unceremoni- |
Gus speech. The niceties Of social usage |
are not 80 strictly observed in the |
country. II am interested in your lit |
tie companion" the surgeon went on.
He might have added that he was also |
interested In the dark eyed. self pos-
sessed young woman.
8
the girl, "but he is q very good and |
very patient boy"
The surgeon sat down on the wall by
the lad and lifted him on to his knee.
He did 1T so quickly, SO deftly, so gen
tly, that the girl looked up ut the kind
ly face in surprise. She saw the large
white hand Of the stranger pass softly
but firmly across the twisted shoulder
and adown the weakened spine. She
saw frown replace the kindly smile.
"How long ago was he hurt?"
Three years." said the girl. "He is
IL now. It was runaway. He and
our mother were thrown from the
wagon, and she was killed." The girl
paused and turned her head away.
What treatment did he haveY
"The best we could secure-a doctor
from Bridgeville."
The strangers frown deeoened.
ut was botch work." he said, almost
'"The boy should never have
been like this
The girl turned quickly.
"Then you are surgeon?" she said,
with a wondering fash in her dark
eyes.
The stranger family smiled.
Murder will out" he i'd. "I didn't
mean to hear that ii for a solid
month of forgetfulness. But never
mind. intend to see this matter
through Come, I must examine the
boy more ut my leisure"
His eyes sparkled as he arose with
the slight figure Of the child in his
arms, anu together they passed down
the hill.
AIf you are surgeon" said the girl
after q little hesitation, perhaps you
will be kind enough to give me some
advice on subject that-that deeply
interests me. 1t is my ambition to be-
come hospital nurse. feel that am
called to the work. have had lit
lie experience in nursing here in Mar
on, and when they had typhoid cpl
1emic in Milburn they sent for me to
come over. But what I need is
chance In some city hospital" Sine