The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-06-16
ON THE BORDER


An old man sat In dinliy lighted
room, his hands clasped with a tight
grip, his head bowed. on his face ev-
cry evidence Of distress. ON bed lay
a young giis She was either uucon-
sclous or sleeping, for she was very
low. aud it was impossible to tell
whether II was sleep or coma.
They are fighting at the front" the
old man unused. and IL anything
should happen to Bert 1t would turn
the scale. But If anything does hap
pen she must not be told StiIl w~lld
1t not be better for her To know il and
die instead OF living Oh the life or
desolation III store for her.
The doctors opinion that she will
weather the storm and act well have
little confidence In. Is II his opinion.
or does he say II to keep me ups''
The nurse came III and begged the
old man TO 80 70 bed. lie refused, tell
ing her to 20 into room across the
hall, lie down and leave him to watch
alone, If anything important occurred
he would call her. She went over to
the bed, laid her hand on the sick girls
forehead and looked at her long and
anxiously Then she turned and told
him that II was not best she should
leave, But be firmly refused to 10
himself, and she took hook and went
into the room he had indicated.
Ever since her mother died. he
unused on. she has been all | have had
to live for Sometimes II seems to me
that all the love she has had for me
has been merged in her love for Bert
That's natural. All the love had for
my parent was nothing compared with
the love bore her mother, And when
her mother died gaveNft all TO my
/, little girl.
II wonder what's going on down
there Last nights dispatches were
that fight couldn't be put Off twenty
four hours. We know what they do
almost MS soon as they do 1t. Bert
must take his chances-one out OF
three or four or fye, | suppose while
here lies tile girl he loves and who
loves him, having not one chance IN a
dozen. II he dies she Will never smile
again. If she dies ! viii never smile
agnin. but he he is young He can
forget or replace the old with the new"
| Curious thoughts run through the
mind Of one Ia suspense. The old man
fen to eonjnrlng up all sorts of posi-
I bile happenings. He fancied his girl
again In health, her lover safely re-
turned, their meeting. In their happi-
ness he forgot that he would be left
nlone or remembering 1t was mitigated
that they were happy. He pictured
/ Bert physical wreck coming to ind
the girl he loved gone; the young mans
agony. followed hy settled gloom.
This came The nearer home 70 him. for
| It was what he would have to suffer
himself.
| Then he went hack to the period
when she whose life hung by thread
was jumping her rope. rolling her
hoop. He saw her grow from child to
maiden, from maiden 10 woman. How
quickly II had all come about. And
now IL she died, what had all his ef-
forts 10 raise her. her studies. her nc
compllshments. avaiicd? All swept
away at The censlng Of heart to beat.
And her longer life. what OF It? Every
effort he had made or should make
would he neutraIized
The patient stirred. The watcher was
about TO 20 into the other room and
call The nurse when the girl suddenly.
with strength that astonished him.
sat UP and Fixed her eyes on vacancy
or. as It seemed. some one In the center
OF the room.
Bert. oh, Bert. Have you come"
She stretched forth her arms, and
the focus Of her vision seemed to draw
nearer 10 herself. Her arms folded,
she raised her face as though for a
kiss. then fell back on the pillow.
The old man sprang to the bedside
and was Joined a moment later by the
nurse. who qnickiy slipped her arms
under the Invalid and raised her. See.
ing no sign of life. she placed her hand
on the girls heart Then she looked up
and said:
shes gone
! The old man went 10 table, sat
down aud placing his arms on II, rest
ed his head on them. The nurse laid
the dead girls arms beside her, turn
Ell, looked AT the old man piivingly and
left the room. The case was closed for
her. aud in day or two she would be
ready for the next one.
The old man remained where he was.
The clock struck the hours successive
lly-4l, .. 3. 4. q. Then there was the
sound Of boys running IL the street
below aud shouting:
Extra Great battle at Santiago
The old man started up Going into
The hall. he rang for servant One Of
them had been up all night 20 summon
doctor II needed He responded at
once, and his master ordered him TO
bring him paper In IT was a tele-
gram announcing the last battle OF the
| Spanish American war. with a partial
list Of the killed and wounded. Among
The former was the name Lieutenant
Albert Hibbnrd
As the old man read II something like
n smile fitted across his face
Thank Cod lie said. they have
gone togetherl Providence, who re-
leases the young and leaves the old to
endure, has permitted me TO witness
ficlr caress on the borderland Of Inn
mortality"
An account Of the death OF LIeuten-
snt Hlbhard was afterward furnished
! The father of the airl he loved There