Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1901-06-08
Ht Cife'$ end.

The wife was pale and worn with
watching, and even the trained nurse
was beginning to feel the strain ; but
the sick man, growing paler, weak
er, thinner day by day, lay upon his
pillows with calm, steadfast, up
ward look as if only waiting for the
end.
Beauty and luxury were all
around him. The room was furnish
ed in that soft, pale gray that
shadows into rose. The walls We're
gray with pink and blue tinges here
and there, and the carpet was OF
heavy gray velvet. From the long
windows hung silken curtains of
grayish pink that swept the floor
like some fine lady's train. On a
small inlaid table that stood close to
the sick mans bed bloomed in a crys-
tai vase a few pale roses and spray
of purple heliotrope. Paintings of
rare art hung on the walls. The bed
was of rosewood, exquisitely carv-
ed, and draped with pink and gray.
a poet, an artist, or at least man of
exquisite refinement of taste must
dwell here.
The wife came softly to the bed
side. She was large, fair woman,
with reddish-gold hair and sweet,
serious brown eyes. He smiled up
at her-he had a beautiful smile
and his blue-gray eyes looked kindly,
almost tenderly, upon her, but not
with that look between man and
wife which means the soul-speech
that is so well understood. All! he
had not that TO give her. Faithful
to her in all things; doing his duty
bravely day by day to the woman
who bore his name, still in that
mans lite there lived a past, untor-
gotten, in which the wife bore no
part. AZ past that had made his
physical self sympath1ze with that
mental pain which had tortured for
years; and now in his prime he lay
stricken unto death, but always
with the brave, upright spirit that
concealed all pain.
She laid her white, shapely hand
upon his, and again he smiled-that
sweet, brave smile-but he did not
press the palm against his own. She
did not notice the omission. She
was true and beautiful woman,
but not given to sentiment of any
kind. The even tranquility of her
life satisfied her.
"The doctor spoke to me about
Sister OF Charity coming to help us
as nurse" she said presently in her
rich, full tones, "Sister Mary, he call
ed her. He says she is wonderful
woman, so capable and rehned-a
perfect tower of strength. We ex-
pect her tonight"
"Well, you must see that she is
made comfortable he answered,
with that untailing courtesy which
was part of his unselfish nature.
eyes, need sleep, the doctor says,
so when she comes will send her to
YOU"
She bent gracefully down and
kissed his broad, blue-veined brow.
When she was gone he lay there
quietly tor while, his eyes gazing
earnestly far, far beyond, and once
his lips moved as if in prayer; then
the lids fell and he slept.
And as he slept a small woman in
the grab of the Sisterhood came and
took her place by his side. She had
a pale, intellectual face, with deep,
dark eyes that looked pityingly out
upon the world. She laid her hand
"a hand no larger than a child's,
and creamy and soft and well kept,
but with nervous uttering of the
fingers that seemed almost out of
keeping with her calm, still look
upon the sick mans forehead. AS
her hand touched his brow a beauti-
full smile came over the sleeping
mans face, and he whispered broken
ly: ut must be heaven, love, for l
Ieel you, see you again. l smell the
breath of wild honeysuckle and
heart-leaves and white dogwood
flower blossoms overhead"
Then his words became unintelli-
gible, and the Sisters pale face look
ed marble-lile in the dim light, but
she only placed cooling liquid to