The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1901-03-02
Observation-Disclosures i
H.-, n H3 IL 81 ss
20 . o Z
Or Under a Spell.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
AT Gle Providence."


French town of D., our story re-
opens. 's....
Ten weeks have passed since the
wires thrilled to America the terrible
news of the Ocean Queens total
wreck. and the excitement-loving pub
NC are already weary of the oft-repeat-
ed story, and athirst for new ONE.
But in the quiet precincts of simple
little D. it still remains topic Of
undying interest, and the heroic men
who braVed all the terrors of that
dreadful night, to rescue the few sur
vfvors on the doomed vessel are at the
pinnacle Of civic popularity.
Silver medals have been voted them
already by the mayor and council, and
G. detailed account of their heroism de-
Dosited with the archives Of the town.
for the edification and Improvement Of
future generations, while the daily pa
9ers containing descriptions of the
event are in demand by young and old.
But the waves Of interest break 81.
IDENTIFY against the whitewashed walls
of the little hospital, where the good
Sisters, SO quietly and skillfully, tend
their heaven-sent charges.
No daily papers or daily gossip ever
penetrate those sunny, peaceful wards,
where life seems no longer a struggle,
death no longer doom.
ale Providence" was the appropriate
name of this quiet haven, that had
'proved a Providence, indeed, to many
@ storm-tossed wanderer who had
sought refuge within IT'S shelterins
walls: and in LIE Providence we re-
sumo our story.
One of these waits was tossing rest
1essly upon a fever couch, on this
bright autumn evening. The little bay,
with it's fleet Of whitesailed fishing
boats, stretched before the hospital
windows like a sheet of molten gold.
Over the western waters the sun was
setting in clouds of rose and purple,
and the silver chimes Of the Angelus
were floating from a hundred different
spires, as Herbert Give opened his
eyes, now cleaning, fever-bright, in
their cavernous sockets. and felt him
self drifting, rs it were, from a mighty
distance back to unfamiliar earth.
The low. white walls of the room in
which he lay, the bright-colored relig-
&ous pictures hanging around the
quaint, diamond-shaped windows, the
polished floor and the tiled hearth-all
seemed to him bits of some strange
painting suddenly brought before his
eyes, and Of which he formed no part.
The slight, black-robed figure seated
by the window, whose features We're
nearly concealed by the closely-frilled
cap and flowing veil, was but portion
of the shadowy, unfamiliar scene, that
seemed as yet to be a remnant of his
:fever-dream
''Sybil!' he murmured, in a low, weak
&c Wi n
glance of bewilderment he added:
S'Where am II"
"In the hospital of LIE Providence
answered the nun, as, with deft
movement. she let the veil fall closer
around her face. monsieur has beef.
very ill.,"
''Sybil!" repeated Herbert, in the
same beWildered tone, as if he were
dimiy grasping at some broken clue;
<'where is Sybil?"
"Monsieur has forgotten an
swer came very softly and sadly from
beneath the dropping veil-"he is here
AaIore
eAlone?' repeated Herbert slowly
"not alone? She was with me in the
wild, dark waters! 1 held her in my
arms as the angry waves dashed over
us--I clasped her to my heart, and felt
that even death was sweet! And she
has gone-gone? Left me again-left
:Ele to live
The hopeless pathOs Of his voice must
have touched some chord in his list
~ers Heart, for she trembled visibly, and
for a moment was silent.
When. at length she spoke, it was in
"a quiet, measured voice.
monsieur is young to weary of life.
They will tell him here it is always a
good Sift-One to be used we'll and
wisely, and never-no, never-cast
sawav." II
He turned YEARLY on his pillow; the
feeble thread that was guiding him
back to life was broken.
Sybil, Sybil! What echo had he
heard of her voice that made him be-
3ieve she was near?
Weak and weary as a broken-hearted
child, Herbert turned his face from the
sunlight and wept. .......
The nun gaZed at him for a moment,
while her slight form trembled like an
aspen in the wind; then, drawing her
veil close around her, she hurried from
the room. ~! ~-.% -.
A tall. thin, elderly woman took her
place at Herbert's bedside and held a
draught to his lips-a cool, pleasant
draught, that seemed to steal thought
from his brain-that STEPPED all his
senses in a delicious languor of repose
He slept again. and when he aWoke
new life and vigor was infused into his
frame. He looked about him, and be.
gan to realize the present, to remem.
Dcr the past.
A screen was placed beside his bed
TO screen it from the moonlight that
was flooding the little chamber. Tive
shadows were cast upon the serena
tall woman, seated by the window, q
sIighter, smaller figure kneeling at he1
feet
Low and guarded as were their voices
their words drifted to Herbert's ears
The taller woman seemed speaking
GraEely:
Tt is very hard my child very
BARD; but it must be. / have listened
to you yielded to you, unWisely anl
;imprUdertly, perhaps, because I felt
y th0Gght life was past. But now
asw--''
II must go, concluded the other il
tune that made her listeners heart
# ards culver tsAh, Sister, II know