The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1904-12-29
NOMAN'S SACRIFICE.

~~~~O~~~
~ UR next-door nclghbors have mr.
WI rived. Clay" said old Mrs. Grin.
die TO her son. the doctor. MS he
came I'm from his round OF visits with a
weary look on his pale. handsome face.
Arrived. have they. mother? IL
will be better than having nm old emp
~ house f5r neIghbors. you think, ell:
Well, I hope II may prove so"
The old lady shook her head doubt
ingly.
They seem 10 be only mca and boys.
except n slip OF a girl. who flttcd
about here. there and everywhere. Civ
Ing orders as though she had my gray
head upon her young shoulders"
The doctor laughed; but II was n
tired laugh. and the old ears. listening.
were kccn tn detect the sound OF wear
mess.
You are tired. my boy" she said.
NO, no." he answered. Not more
than usual. I,y the way. mother. | had
a letter from Marjorie to-day. They
talk OF coming here ncxt sunmer: but
she says IL Is impossible 40 carry out
my proposition vi a marriage In June
that her fathers eyesight Il failing
more and more rapidly. ana that she
could not think of leaving him.
slow long has your engagement
lasted, ClayT"
-Four years" lie said. dcSDondingly.
-Four years. AMI except for Mr..
Markham's health you would have
been married long ago. Why cnn he
not make his home with you:"
Il have proposed that 10 Marjorie:
but she will not hear OF IL. She has an
absurd idea that I might wake some
line day f%ancying him a burden. aud
all my eloqueace To the contrary has
been so long wasted that I have ceased
TO exercise It."
The umnion to dinner Mt this mo.
ment interrupted them. and after the
daintly served meal. seated before a
blazing fire. In dressing gown and slip.
pers. DIR. Clay Crindle mentally con.
graduated himself that his duties for
the "a hours were ended.
But his congratulations were prcma.
ture. a quick. sharp ring ut the bell
startled him from his reyerie.
A lad stood on the threshold as the
servant opened the door.
MY father has been suddenly taken
ILL.," he said. II saw the doctors sign
this afternoon. and sister Eva told me
TO ask him 10 come In at once. please.
We live next door-only moved In 10.
day"
"Ali right; l will be there In i've min.
utes." the doctor called out.
Again drawing on the boots he had
been 30 glad 10 draw or. mentally
matchmaking next-door neIghbors IN
general and this case In particular, he
started on his unexpected crrand.
He had no need TO ring the bell. The
boy who had come FOR him had sta.
toned himself at the open door. and
nlotioned him to the stairs.
At their head stood n girl. In that
moment he thought her but a child: but
her air OF quiet dignity. as she held
out a little, cold hand or welcome, and
simply said. my father you Will lind
very III. ] fear" made him glance again
into her face, to see II indeed his moth
er's words were not true. and on these
slight young shoulders was not set a
gray head.
Silently she led the way Into the
room where the sick man lay. He had
taken n heavy cold and had been sud.
denly seized with acute rheumatism.
Instantly DIR. crindle's professional
eye saw that the case was well-n
hopeless. lie forgot his fatigue. his
annoyance. MS he struggled with all his
skill to battle the grim enemy. but In
vain. As the morning sun came Green.
Ing into the room n long. low wall wei.
coined It from that dlmly lighted cham.
Der. where n dead man lay.
The doctor lifted In his arms the
slight. unconscious form. which had
stood by his side so brayely through
these long hours. and bore IL from the
place.
A week passed. The grave had 70.
ccived It's own: the house was silent
and gloomy. Eva took little note OF
anything save that a kind. mobLcrly
face IA constantly beside her. aud
that many times n day some one en-.
tered her room who brought with him
an atmosphere OF strength and rest.
She grew 10 look for his coming and
20 sink back into the old apathy when
he had gone: but she could not have
told whether he vas young or old. or
described his face or form. Yet Il was
this which made her look upon DIR.
Crindle and his mother rs old. tried
friends. When the mists scattered ut
last, and she knew that she must take
MP life again. this newly laid burden
resting In all Its WEAKNESS upon Il. IL
xas TO these friends she looked for ad.