Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-05-12
CHATTER XIX.

utter hopeleSSneSs of despair. At the
morrow's early dawn he would be there
to claim her as his bride, and though he
was noble and good, there was in her
heart nc answering chord of love, and
she knew that without such love heir
union would be nnholy. On the table at
her side lay her bridal dress, the gift OF
Richard Delaield, who, witOut shad-
ow on his brow, or a wavering IN the
tones of his voice, had asked her TO dc-
cept it as a token of the esteem he should
ever feel for her Alas. poor Rosa, as
your tears fell like ram upon the orange
wreath which seemed to mock your woe,
how little did you dream of the anguish
it cost the donor to say to you the words
he did, or that your sorrow was aaught
compared to his.
Slowly the hours of night wore away,
and as the moon rose higher and higher
in the heavens, her rays fell upon the
bowed form of Rosa, who, with clasped
hands and bloodless cheeks. sat praying,
weeping. thinking, and praying again,
until at last there came over her trou-
bled spirit a calm which ere long resolv-
ed itself into fixed determination.
"She would tell him all-how she loved
Richard Delafeld. and how, though that
love were hopeless she could not call an
other her husband" And he would re-
lease her-she knew lac would
1t was strange how calm this resolu-
ton made her Rising up from the
crouching posture she had assumed in
the first abandonment Of her grief, she
walked to the open window, where she
stood gazing out upon the starry sky,
until at last, sick and faint with the
sweet perfume of the night air, she turn
ed away, and shuddering, she knew not
why, sought her pillow. 1t was now
the first of June, and in that Southern
cline the air was always hot. sultry and
laden with disease. For two weeks
fearful epidemic, whose nature the oldest
physicians did not understand, had been
raging in the towns adjoining, and many
who in the morning rose up full of life
and vigor, were in the evening no long
er numbered among the living, so rapid
was the work of death. In great alarm
the terrified inhabitants had fed from
place to place, but the destroyed was
on their track, and the ''brain fever,
as it was termed, claimed them for its
victims.
AS yet there had been no cases in
Chester, but the people were in daily
dread Of its arrival Mrs. Lansing, on
the contrary, though usually alarmed,
even at the mention of a contagious dis
ease, expressed no fear, and went IN
with the preparations for the party, un-
conscious of the dark cloud lowering
near But when on the morning succeed
ing the night of which we have spoken,
she heard, in passing Rosa's door, the
sound of some one talking incoherently,
while at the same time a negro girl came
rushing out. exclaiming: Young miss
has now got the brain fever, and gone
ravin' madw she fed in wild alarm to
the furthest extremity of the building,
and gathering her frightened children to-
gether, with Ada, around her, she called
to the terrified servants from the win
dow, bidding them go for her brother
and tell him as he valued his life not
to venture near the infected room, but
to hasten with all speed to her. And
there, trembling weeping, and wringing
7 her hands in fear. the selfish. cold-heart-
ed woman stayed, while, parched with
tfever end thirst, the suffering girl lay
mos .hng in her pain; now asking for
water to cool her burning brain, and
again clasping her thin white hands con-
vulsively upon her brow, as if to still its
agonized throbbings.
But one there was who did not forget.
In her excitement Mrs. Lansing failed TO
notice the absence of little Jessie, who
going fearlessly to the bedside of her
beloved teacher gently bathed the aching
head, and administered the cooling
draught, while with childish love she
kissed the ashen lips, and smoothed back
the long tresses which tioated over the
inflow. In the hail below there was
4 IL. l.,
groom's voice was heard, asking for his
bride. but his cheek blanched TO mar
BILE whitenes when told that she was dy-
ing in the chamber above. In moment
he had her in his arms-his precious
Rosa-dying-dy believed, for he,
too. had heard of the strange disease, and
he thought there was no hope. With
bitter cry he bent over the unconscious
girl, who knew him not, for the light of
reason was obscured and darkness was
upon her vision.
Can nothing be done? Is there no
helpY' he exclaimed wildly; and little
Jessie. awed by his grief. answered, as
she laid her soft. white hand on Rosa's
forehead, God can help her, and maybe
Uncle Dick can. mean to go fcr him."
and gliding noiselessly from the room,
she was soon on her way TO Magnolia
Grove. looking. with her golden curls
floating over her bare white shoulders,
as if she were indeed an angel of mercy.
Alone in his library sat Richard Della
field. his arms resting upon the table.
ana his face buried in his hands All
the night long he had sat there thus, mus
inc sadly of the future when she would
he ghg mi hN a, k,.
had She crossed his path-that little.
humble girl? and why had he been per
rnitted to love her so madly. or to dream
of time when he could call her his
own. his Rosa. his wife?" Again and
again he repeated those words 10 himself.
aud then as he thought whose she would
be when another sun should have set,
le groaned aloud. aud in deSpairing tones
cried out, How can l give her upg'
The sun had r;Sen and. struggling
through the richly curtained window. fell
unou his bowed head; but he did not
need II. He WAS sleeping NJ last, ana in
his dreams another than DR.. Clayton
had claimed Rosa for his bride. even
Death. and without a tear he laid her in
her coffin. and buried her where the soft
signing cedar and the whispering pine
would overShadow her grave. From that
dream he was reused by Jessie, who
shrieked in his ear. Wake. Uncle Dics.
and come Miss Ice is dying with the
fever. and there is nobody to help her.
With firm step and composed manner
he Went with Jessie to Cedar Grove,
going Immediately TO Rosa's chamber.
where. for a moment. he stood appalled,
At the scene before him. She had fear
fully changed since last he saw her for
the disease had advanced with rapid
strides, and now utterly insenSible, and
white as the wintry snow. she lay with
her head thrown back. and her lips apart,
while her hands nervously picked at the
hedciothes around her, Many time
had Dr. Clayton heard that this was a
sure omen Of death. and though he had
ever laughed az il as an old w0man's
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