Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-08-22

as Frances. Once, as though yielding
to a noble impulse, she placed her
arm about the girl and said:
any child, you have surprised and
gratifed me of late. If had known
you years ago we should never have
bsen less than friends. Try to forget
the days when seemed unkind, please,
and do not cherish engsr towards an
old woman" Frances tried to forget,
but always IN the presence Of Mrs,
Brookin she felt constraint. She
seemed ever to have entered an atmos-
phere that had been stripped of its cleo
tricity. Try as she might, it had been
impossible TO respond unreservedly to
her advances; the best she could do
was to meet them with courtesy.
The presence Of wounded men in the
house gave Raymond for a short time
an opportunity to see some thing OF
Frances, and he, too, became famous
nurse. But one day Frances assured
him that If ne should prove us good a
fighter as he was nurse promotion
would follow; then he camN less often.
Twice before she had been una bic to
resist the temptation to touch the raw
place; once abe had asked him directly
how il was that a man could keep out OF
a war in which other men were win
ming fame; and once, in reply to his
question: will you ever like me,
Erances?" she said: "A Virginia
woman should not be expected to like
civilians overmuch when Virginia soil
is invaded" At length, to avoid him.
she gave more OF her time to the hos
pital, yielding the care of those in the
home to her stepmother and the
trained nurses. Mrs. Brookin won
golden opinions in those days. A week
seldom passed without the appearance
of her name in print coupled with Law
iSh commendation.
DR.. Brodnar, busy every hour of the
twenty four in which mis- giant
strength could sustain him awake. had
but little time to spare for Frances;
but one day in the hospital he got a
brief report of the girls new expert
ence.
"If | had not discovered that l am
better at saving off legs than fighting
scheming women, my child, | should
say that you have never been in so
much danger as now; but have re-
tired as an adviser Of young women.
BY the way, have you decided that you
will come out and keep US company at
home? My wife sends an invitation not
less than once a week"
No" she said, sit would seem like
running. But tell Mrs. Brodnar l am
very grateful for her Kindness"
"All right. Come when you please;
ard, Frances, call me fool as often as
you wish. but be careful what you eat
in your stepmother's house-and take
no medicine there. How have you sat
isied them about the night when .
friend of ours got his wound?"
"Thcy have never been satisfied, l
think. They tell me am full of
whims. and perhaps they class that
night among them. You have not
heard"
mot a word Good BY" DR.. Brod-
mar in the brief meetinQs with Frances
would never discuss Somers. 1t is
had been an immense disappointment.
Frances was bound to receive Brod-
mars hint unfavorabiy when she con
sidered the new and continued kind
ness of her stepmotheT. Often the lat
ter said:
when II Il oil over, my child. this
cruel war, these scenes of suffering.
90,
somewhere for year Of rest The
idea seemed TO be fsvori,e one with
her; she told all Of her acquaintances
that she and poor dear Frances"
were going abroad as soon as hostili-
ties closed; that the child was simply
worked down. And in the face OF this
t. nder solicitude and the old ladys de-
votion to confederate sufferers, peo-
pie shook their heads and acknowl-
edged that one should not always be-
lieve the unkind things whispered of
neigh Dor. From the isolation of sus-
pected person, in year Mrs. Brookin
achieved immense popularity and won
the confidence of even the highest Of
ficials, in whose home circles she was
as welcome as they were in hers. How
welcome they were might be estimated
from certain government records, il
the records were accessible ana posi-
BILE of transla ton now.
Holbin had heard Of Frances latest
within. the union soldier. He had not
intere sted himself in the latter's vel
fare, but he made his appearance in
the wingroom on the day after Louise
had been pacifed, and. finding only