Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-12-13
Love Is Strong as Death
BY KATHERINE ]. MURRAY.

tioN csiilS On tnc sNtSAs ~ -
chilly evening in October, and there
Is a cold breeze, Yet | am not cold.
! was half frozen an hour ago, ana
made the nurse put this heavy stun
Der robe over my nigntdress aud my
bedroom slippers on my feet. And
saw tears IN Aunt Aliee's eyes-l
don't know why.
| had been burning up with fever
and parched with thirst. i had been
IN so long-noarly three weeks. she
ought TO be glad 10 see that fever
leave me. should never be better
while Il stayed.
Now here am on the street, and
| don't see how il happened. | must
have walked in my sleep They
have watched me so closely, too.
How is II they did not see me gog
Aunt Alice has hardly been out OF
my sight for the past week, and one
nurse or another was always there.
must look odd in my slumber robe
and slippers, but IN keep on In the
shadow, and nobody viii notice. OF
course, ! cannot stay out long, but II
is so good to feel the fresh air once
more.
feel so well-so strong, No more
fever, no more aching body and limbs.
| know never shall be Ill again.
Something worried me a grea; deal
before was in. Indeed. ! think II
made me IN, but can't remember
what il was, so il does not matter.
Nothing worries me now. and | feel
SO light-so happy.
Oh, that muddy crossing, I'll sure.
ly wet my feet, III pick my way
over; don't want TO go home just
yet. Why, what frightened that
horse? Was II my white dress? How
he rears and plunges, and now he
has bolted down the street. But |
am safely over. must have grown
thin while was IN. for have stepped
so lightly | did not leave a track in
the mud, and my slippers are quite
dry.
Here comes our nextdoor neighbor,
with her noble English mastiff. Rex
is such fine dog, and he and | are
great chums. Last night heard him
bowling something unusual for him.
! don't know what his mistress will
think TO see me out In this dress.
without a hat. Good evening, Mrs.
Vincent; I'm so glad to be out againl
She does not answer, yet she must
have seen me. Perhaps she did not
recognize me. But then Rex would
not let me pat him, but howled and
ran away. Surely the dog would
know me, even if she did not. Its
very curious; ] can't understand it.
oh, there's the doctor with his as
sistant and he's driving at a furi.
Gus rate. Can it be Aunt Adee mas
sent for him? I'm afraid so; and
now ! must go straight home, for they
have missed me.
Here comes Judge Stilwell and his
nephew, the young artist who paint
ed my portrait last year. | thought
ii would be a dreadful bore; but
Aunt Alice wanted 1t, so | sat to
please her, and | was really sorry
when he finished l had not
seen him since. | waited, but he
never came I'll let them pass and
| then follow, for he must not see me
in this dress. They are following the
doctors and can hear them talk
! ing.
She has been i'll for several weeks
| It was some sort of low fever. She
! was not thought TO be in danger
Gus condition until few days ago:
but | heard this morning she was
very low, and they feared she would
not last through the day"
That's the old judge What woulf
he say if he knew the sick girl wa;
walking close behind him? But
| didn't know | had been in danger Of
| death.
Il am greatly grieved and sur
prised to hear it. She was the very
| picture of beauty and health when
painted her portrait"
That's Willis Vernon, the artist
] NOW the JuuSt is tdlhlHS.
The doctor drove by at the tot
of his speed and turned up the stree
where she lives. That looks as i
there had been a change of some
kind"
Suppose we walk up there and in
quire. | should be very sorry t
hear"
Why should his voice falter? HI
never cared for me, and my hear
broke when | found that out. Tha
was what made me i'll. | remembe
now | want to laugh, but I'm afrai'
they will hear. How perfectly al
surd to think that | should die! Tn
Judge looks at him a moment an,
then says:
Very we'll; but | did not know
you were so much interested VIII.
The dead leaves rustic under thei
feet but my dress makes no noise a
it brushes over them. The two me
walk on, and for few moments tn
artist does not speak, and when h
does, | can barely catch the 10y
tones:
Frankly, uncle, | was deeply IL
terested-too much so for my ow
peace of mind
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