Middletown transcript., 1901-01-26


she made up the fire, which burned
badly; and she Strengthened the sheets on
his bed, and turned the pillows.
He soon sank to slumber again, breath
ing heavily, and turning uneasily in his
sleep. The house was singularly still,
and no sound of the dinner party below
reached the nurse in the corner room
above. When she happened to go into
the dressing-room she found there await
ing her tray with several dishes from
the dinner table. She was glad to have
something to eat, and she sat down by
the window to enjoy it. The thick soft
snow had silenced nearly all the usual
street sounds. The carriages that went
up and down the Avenue were as in
| audible as though they were rolling ON
felt. But sleighing parties became more
frequent, and she found suggestion of
pleasant companionship and of human
activity in the jingle of the bells. Once
fre-engine sped swiftly past the house,
its usual roar deadened by the heavy
snow, and its whistle shrilling forth as it
neared the side streets, one after another;
ten minutes later it came slowly back.
The nurse was glad that there was only
false alarm, for she knew how terrible
a fire would be in a crowded tenement
house on such night.
She finished her belated dinner few
minutes after the deep tones of the clock
in the hall had told her that it was ten,
and that there were left of the old year
but two hours more. Except when the
sick man walked with cough, the next
hour was wholly eventless:
And yet, when it had drawn to an
end, the nurse thought that it would
count in her life as important beyond
most others, for it was between ten and
eleven that she made up her mind to
marry the rich man who wanted her for
his wife, and whom she did not love.
The resolutions once determined, she let
her mind play about the possibilities of
the future. She would not be married
till the spring, of course, and they would
go to Europe for their wedding-trip.
Then, in the fall, she would persuade
him to move to New York. He was fond
of his own town, but he would get used
to the city in time; and they could buy
new house, overlooking Central Park
perhaps in the same neighborhood as the
one where she was sitting in the hazy
light Of the sick-room She smiled un-
| consciously as she found herself wonder
ing whether her patients beautiful young
wife would call on her if she purchased
| the house next door.
1t was a little after eleven o'clock when
she again heard a rustling of silken stuffs
in the room by the side of hers, followed
shortly by the voice of the servant in
the street below calling the carriages of
/ the departing guests. But some Of Of the
diners still fingered, for it was nearly
half an hour later before the door of the
sick-room opened and the sick mans
wife came gliding in again with her LAM
guorous grace.
He fixed his eyes upon her at once,
and smiled with contentment as she
came toward him.
you've been asleep, haven't you?"
she began. ''I'm SO glad, for of course
that's SO good for you. We all missed
you downstairs, and everybody asked
about you, and said they were SO sorry
you were not there. You must hurry up
and get well; and I'll give another din
ner like this; for it was a great success.
The flowers were superb-and don't
think any of the women had hand
somer gown than I did. And I know all
of them together hadn't as elegent dia-
monds don't believe anybody at the
dance will have as many either"
"sit down by me here and tell me
all about the dinner" said the sick hus-
band.
"Oh, can't wait now," the young
wife answered "I must be off at once
I've simply got to be there in time to see
the old year out and the new year in.
They say Mrs. Jimmy has surprise for
us, and nobody at dinner had the slight
est idea what it could possibly bep'
care gou going to the dance tonight"
asked the man in the bed; and the nurse
saw the pleading look in his eyes, even if
his wife failed to perceive it.
"Of course I am," was the wife's re-
ply. 81 wouldn't miss it for anything.
/ think it's lovely idea to have dance |
ON New-Year's eve, don't you? do wish |
you were well enough to go, and I'm GER
tain sure Mrs. Jimmy will ask about you
she's always so polite. You won't miss |
me-you will be asleep again in five min
utes, won't your
Perhaps" he answered still clinging
to her fingers. 'sI'll try to Sleep"
''That's right" she responded, with
drawing her hand and going toward the
door, '1'll trust you to the nurse.
She'll take better care of you than
should, Pm afraid. I never was any
SOOu WH6h pCOplC WCAC oACA. 4NOW SOOu-
by. I'll come in and say goodnight, of
course. / shan't be late, either-Ill be
home by three-or before four, anyway"
And with that she glided away, ssmil-
ing back at her husband as she left the
room. He followed her with his eyes,
and he gazed at the door fxedly after
she had gone. There was hungry look
in his face, SO it seemed to the nurse, as
of one starving in the midst of plenty.
With the vain hope that the vision of
beauty might yet return, he lay silent,
but listening, intently until he heard the
sharp slam of the carriage doors. Then
be relaxed and turned restlessly in bed,
1t was then half past eleven, and the
nurse took his temperature and admins.
tered another capsule, as the doctor had
ordered. It seemed to her that he was
more feverish and that he was coughing