Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-12-09
How is she? My Aunt Maggie-is
cy,a v,nv1, a, o,y a=if lisfs.s

hVM 10 Sue5 my AullL N1ukSle-lS
she very ill.,"
Jest alive-that's all. The preacher
he's up there now-be you her sis
ter's gal-what she brung up?'
"Yes, yes. What room is she In?
Oh, takes me to her. 1t is SO long
since was here feel like stran-
ger"
what Rendered We from comm
sooner, miss?" asked a rasping voice,
which Eyangeline remembered us be-
longing to a layer-out of the commun-
ity. Threading her way through the
crowd. the girl sought the room where
her sick relative lay, a strange sound
Of monotonous singing leading her
thither. There, tossing and dellrious,
lay the sick woman, burning with fe-
yer. The room was crowded with
neighbors who gathered at a
death with the scent Of hawks, vet
who felt-each of them-that theirs
was religious duty. There. too, was
Peter Grant, lining out hymn, which
was only sung to the dying. As Evan
geline entered they We're chanting mo-
notonously these hopeful lines:
For while the limp holds out to
Iarn,
The West sinner may return"
Women with corrugated brows and
nasal tones sang the words in weird
discord, to which the preacher added
robust and melodious bass.
Evangeline held up a vigorous hand
and bade them stop.
Don't you see that she is far too
i'll for this sort of thing? All leave
the room, please, and let her have air,
will take care of her now"
"She should be permitted to make
her peace with God" the Rev. Peter
ts..aAl sl,u-e. i,.-st,:..z froc habit cad
partly from conviction. He knew who
this young woman was now, and dared
to combat her aggressive action.
"She never had any falling out with
Him." Evangcline said reyerently,
but now that you know who l am
and why ! am here, you will leave her
to me. am her nearest relative, but
more than that am trained nurse
and thoroughly familiar with fever
case. Where is the doctor-she surely
has medical careg'
'.He has given her up" said one Of
the retreating women, with a sly salts
faction.
"Given her up! How dared he? And
why do You speak Of such possibility
before her?p
"Oh. she doesn't sense anything
that is said now" complained one Of
the cronies, taking a reluctant depart
ure.
The preacher took himself of with
the others. but he gained reluctant
consent to call the next day to learn
how the sick woman was doing. He
did not really expect to find her alive,
and his slow. well-regulated faculties
received healthy shock when vangie,
ideal in her nurses gown and white
cap and apron. informed him that she
had moved the sick woman from the
south room to the north room, from
which the stuffy carpet and obstruct-
ing furniture had been removed.
II have telegraphed for ice and a
modern doctor. and she is drinking
cool spring water, and is better al
ready. Have you never heard Of Aunt
Maggie's goodness and charity to oil
who need help and consolatlon-how
she brought up poor orphan child,
gave her home and the love of a
mother, teaching her the value Of
right living and unselfishness? was
that child. And l am not going to let
her dle-not yet"
And may not see her again?"
ooh, yes. You may come and
preach the gospel of cheerfulness to
her when l think her strong enough"
and Eyangelinc gave her would-be
Gabriel a wicked little smile, that the
man-not the lninister-understood
perfectly. 1t certainly is wonderful
how that rascally god Cupid delivers
his darts regardless of time and place.
Chicago Record Herald.