The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-01-07
A NOMAN'S Sacrifice.


~ UR next-dOor ueighbors have ar
vi rived. Clay" said old Mrs. Grin
die to her son. the doctor. as he
came In from his round OF visits with a
weary look on his pale. handsome face.
Arrived. have they. motheF1 IL
viii be better than having an old emp
~ house for nelghboFs. you think. eh
Well, | hope II may prove so"
The old lady shook her head doubt
ingly.
They seem to be only men and boys.
except slip OF a girl. who dltted
about here, there aud 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 to detect the sound OF wear
mess
You are tired, my boy" she said.
mo. 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 II Is impossible to carry out
my proposition OF a marriage In June
that her fathers eyeslght Ii failing
more and more rapidly. aud that she
could not think OF leaving him"
How long has your engagement
lasted. .ClayT'
-Four years" he sald. deapOndtngly
-Four years! And except for Mr.
Markham's health you would have
been married long ago. Why can he
not make his home with your
Il have proposed that to Marjorie.
but she will not hear Of II. She has an
absurd Idea that I might wake some
fine day fancytng him q burden. and
all my eioquenes to the contrary has
been so long wasted that have ceased
U exercise It.
The summons TO dinner 1T this mo.
ment interrupted them. and after the
dalntily served meal. seated before a
blazing IRE, in dressing gown aud alp
pera. DR. Clay Crindle mentally con.
/ graduated himself that his duties f0r
the "a hours were ended
But his conRratulatiou were prema
ture. A quick. sharp ring At the bel
startled him from his reveris
A lad stood on the threshold as tbs
servant opened the doOr.
My father has been suddenly taker
Ill.," he said. II saw the Doctors algr
this afternoon. and sister Eva told ms
to ask him to come In at once. please
We live next door--only moved In to
day"
IAN right; I will be there In I've min
utes," the doctor called out
Again drawing on the boots he hnf
been 50 glad to draw OF. mentally
matchmaking next-door nelghhors II
general and this case in particular. b,
started on his unexpected errand.
lie had no ueed to ring the bell. Tn
boy who had come for him had sta
toned himself At sthe open door. AM
motioned him to the stairs.
At their head stood a girl In tina
moment he thought her but a child. bu
her air Of qu,st dignity. as she he'll
out a little. cold hand OF welcome. an
simply said. My father you will nm
very III, | fear. made him glance aRaI
into her face. to see II indeed his moth
er's words were not true. and on thes
slight young shoulders was not set
gray head.
, Silently she led the way into tn
room where the sick man lay. lie ha
taken a heavy cold and had been aus
denly seized with acute rheumatism.
Instantly DF. Crindle's professloni
eye saw that the case was welI.niR
hopeless. He forgot his fatigue. b
annoyance. as he struggled with all h
skill to bafiie the grim enemy, but
+ vain. As the morning sun came cree
a ing Into the room a long. low wall we
coined It from that dimly lighted chan
e Der. where a dead man lay.
n The doctor lifted in his arms II
slight. unconscious form. which be
stood by his side 50 bravely throus
these long hours. and bore It from Il
place.
= week passed The grave had T
! ceiYed It's own: the house wns slle
=, and gloomy. Eva took little note
anything save that kind, mother
face was constantly beside her. al
that many times a day some one e
>, tered her room who brought with hi
;. an atmosphere Of strength and rest.
y She grew to look for his coming al
to sink back into the old apathy VIII
he had gone; but she could not In
e told whether he was young or old.
described his face or form. Yet # "
this which made her look upon I
u Crindls and his mother as old. tri
Z friends. When the mists scattered
last, and she knew that she must IA
n up life again. this newly laid buri
\, resting in all its WEAKNESS upon Il,
vas to these friends ahs looked fOr /