The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-01-29

- 0WEN'S hope and bright cour-
WR age. in spite of all her pain
were wonderful TO witness
1 But all this CHEEKY hope and
courage and patience snuffed out as
candle. leaving noisome darkness to
settle down in that sick room, from tne
day of the doctors consultation.
The verdict was clear and final Inc
old doctor. who loved Gwen as his
own, was inclined TO hope against
hope but Fawcett, the clever young
doctor from the distant town, was
positive in his opinion The scene is
clear to me now, after many years.
We three stood in the outer room, the
Duke and her father were with Gwen.
So earnest was the discussion that
none of us heard the door open just as
young Fawcett was saying in incisiye
tones:
"No! / can see no hope. The child
can never walk again"
!, There was cry behind us.
"What! Never walk again? It's
lie!" There stood the Old Timer, white
fierce, shaking.
"Hushw said the old doctor, point
ing at the open door. He was too
late Even as he spoke there came
from the inner room a wild. unearthly
cry as Of some dying thing. and as
1--WE stood gazing at one another win
awe stricken faces, we heard Ovens
voice as in quick, sharp pain.
Daddy! Daddy! Come! What do
they say? Tell me, daddy. 1t is not
true! 1t is not true! Look at me,
daddy!'
4 She pulled up her fathers haggard
face from the bed.
"Oh, daddy daddy, you know it's
true, Never walk again"
- She turned with pitiful cry to the
: Duke, who stood white and stiff. with
sarms drawn tight across his breast, on
the other side of the bed.
! ooh, Duke, did you hear themS You
told me to be brave, and I tried not to
cry when they hurt me. But I can't
be bravel Can 1, Duke? oh, Duke!
Never to ride again.
She stretched out her hands to him.
But the Duke. leaning over her and
holding her hands fast In his. coulo
only say brokenly over and over
"Don't, Gwen! Don't, Gwen, deari"
But the pitiful, pleading voice went
on:
"Oh, Dukel Must l always lie here
Must 1? Why must II"
God knows" answered the Duke
bitterly, under his breath. 81 don'tw
She caught at the word.
"Does hep she cried eagerly. Then
she paused suddenly, turned to me and
said, do you remember he said some
day could not do as liked?"
/ was puzzled.
''The PilotP' she cried impatiently
'Don't you remember? And l said
should do as / liked till died.
nodded my head and said, But you
know you didn't mean it."
"But did, and do she cried, with
passionate vehemence, land l will dc
as 1 like! l will not lie here! l will
ride! l will! l will! l will?' and she
struggled up, clinched her fists and
sank back faint and weak 1t was not
a pleasant sight, but grewsome. Her
rage against that Unseen Omnipotence
was so defiant and so helpless.
Those were dreadful weeks to Gwen
and to all about her. The constant
pain could not break her proud spirit
she shed no tears, but she fretted and
chafed and grew more imperiously ex-
acting every day. Ponka and Joe she
drove like slave master, and even her
father when he could not understand
her wishes, she impatiently banished
from her room. Only the Duke could
please or bring her any cheer, and even
the Duke began to feel that the day
was not far off when he. too would
fail, and the thought made him despair.
Her pain was hard to bear, but harder
than the pain was her longing for the
open air and the free. flower strewn.
breeze swept prairie. But most pitiful
of all were the days when in her utter
WEAKNESS and uncomfortable unrest
she would pray to he taken down into
the canyon
"Oh, 1t is so cool and shady" she
would plead, land the flowers up in the
rocks and the vines and things are all
so lovely. | am always better there. !
know | should be better" till the Duke
would be distracted and would come to
me and wonder what the end would be
One day, when the strain had been
more terrible than usual, the Duke
rode down to me and said;
4 Look here. This thing can't go on
Where is the Pilot gone? Why doesn't
he stay where he belongs? l wish to
heaven he would get through with his
absurd rambling"
He's gone where he was sent" re
piled shortly. you don't set mucl
store by him when he does come round
He is gone on I'm exploring trip through
the Dog lake country He'll be bach
by the end of next week"
II say, bring him up, for heavens
saker said the Duke. HE may be o.
some use, and anyway it will be new
face for her. poor child Then hi
added, rather penitently: Il fear thii
thing is getting on to my nerves. She
almost drove me out today. Don't lay
it up against me, old chap
1t was a new thing to hear the Duk'
confess his need of any man, much les'
penitence for fault. felt my eye
growing dim. but | said roughly: