The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1905-01-19
!. A HOMAN'S Sacrifice.

I ~ tR next-door neixhhorS have ar
" rived. Clay said ola Mrs. Grin
die 10 her son. the doctor. as be
came In from his round of visits with =
weary look on his pale. handsome face.
Arrived. have they. motherf II
viii be better than having an old emp
~ house for nelghbors. you think. Ell .
Well. hope II may prove so"
The old lady shook her head doubt
ingiy.
They seem TO be only men and boys.
except slip OF a girl. who fitted
about here. there and everywhere. CIV
ing orders as though she had my gray
head upon her young shoulders"
The doctor laughed: but IL was a
tired laugh. and the old ears, listening
were keen 10 detect the sound OF wear
mess
"You are tired. my boy" she said.
"No. no." he answered Not more
than usual Ry the way. mother. had
letter from Marjorie to-day. They
talk OF coming here next summer; but
she says il Is impossible TO carry out
my proposition of marriage In June
that her fathers eyesisht Is falling
more and more rapidly. and that she
could not think OF leaving him"
How long has your engagement
lasted. Ciayr"
-Four years" lie said. de~pondingIy.
-Four years. And except for Mr..
Markham's health you would have
been married long ago. Why can be
not make his home with your"
Il have proposed that to Marjorie;
but she will not hear OF IT, She has an
absurd idea that | might wake some
fine day fsncyinx him a burden. and
all my sloquence 10 the contrary has
been 50 long wasted that have ceased |
To exercise IT,"
The summons TO dinner at 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 congratula tious were prema-
turs- A quick. sharp ring at the bell
startled him from his reverie.
lad stood on the threshold as the
servant opened the door.
MY father has been suddenly taken
H." he said Il saw the doctors sign
his afternoon. and sister Eva told Inc
% ask him to come In at once. please.
We live ncxt door-only moved In to-
lay"
"Ali right; will be there In I've min
ties" the doctor called out.
Again drawing on the boots he had
'een so glad to draw OF. mentally ,
nextdoor nelghbors In ,
eneral and this case In particular. he {
tsrted on his unexpected errand.
He had no need to ring the bell. The Z
oy who had come for him had sta ]
Ioned himself at the open door. and
him TO the stairs. ,
AT their head stood a girl. In that I
'oment he thought her bur n child: but
er air Of quiet dignity. as she held !
az little. cold hand OF welcome, and Z
IMPLY said. MY father you win find .
Fry III. l fear" made him glance again
Ito her face. TO see II indeed his moth
IS words were not true. and on these
light young shoulders was not set a
ray head u
Silently she led tie way Into the /,
ON where the sick man lay. He had
ken heavy cold and had been sud "
My seized with acute rheumatism.
Instantly Or. Crindle's professional y
e saw that the case was weII-nigh
'peless- He forgot his fatigue. his =
lnOyance. as he struggled with all his =
III to battle the grim enemy. but In =
In As the morning sun came creep
< into the room a long low wall wei.
med II from that dlmiy lighted cham. i,
r. where a dead man lay. =
The doctor lifted in his arms the n
ghf. unconscious form. which had -
pod by his side so bravely through
csc long hours. and bore IL from the
ice. u
A week passed The grave had re-
wed its own; the house was silent
d gloomy. Eva took little note OF
ything save that a kind. motheriy
re was constantly beside her. and
1T many times a day some one en-
-ed her room who brought with him NJ
atmosphere Of strength and rest M
She grew to look for his coming and or
sink back into the old apathy when N
bad gone: but she could not hive no
q whether be was young or old. or W.
scribed his face or form. Yet II was
g which made her look upon DIR.
indie and his mother as old. tried M
ends. When the mists scattered at III
4, and she knew that she must take
life again. this newly laid burden
ting in all its WEAKNESS upon II, II or
y to these friends she looked for sd- tr