The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-12-06
| ON THE BORDER
[Original.l

cry evidence of distress. On bed lay
a young girl. She was either uncon-
scious or sleeping, for she was very
low, and it was impossible to tell
whether it was sleep or coma
They are fighting at the front" the
old man unused, and if anything
should happen to Bert it would turn
the scale. But If anything does hap
pen she must not be told Still. would
1t not be better for her TO know it and
die instead of living on the life of
dcsolation in store for her?
THE doctors opinion that she will
weather the storm and get we'll have
little confidence in. Is it his opinion,
or does he say it to keep me up"
The nurse came in and begged the
old man to 90 to bed. He refused, tell.
ing her to go into Il room across the
hall, lie down and leave him to watch
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 it was not best she should
leave. But he firmly refused to 90
| himself, and she took a book 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 it 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 l bore her mother And when
her mother died | gave it all to my
| little girl
81 wonder what's going on down
there. Last nights dispatches were
that a fight couldn't be put off twenty
four hours. We know what they do
almost as soon as they do it, Bert
must take his chances-one out of
three or four or five, l suppose-while
here lies the girl he loves and who
loves him, having not one chance in a
dozen. If he dies she will never smile
again. If she dies | will never smile
again but he-he is young. He can
forget or replace the old with the new
Curious thoughts run through the
mind of one in suspense. The old man
fell to conjuring up all sorts of post
bic happenings. He fancied his gir
again in health. her lover safely re
turned, their meeting. In their happ
ness he forgot that he would be left
alone or remembering it was mitigateG
that they We're happy. He pictured
Bert Il physical wreck coming to fine
the girl he loved gone; the young mans
agony. followed 10y settled gloom
This came the nearer home to him. 70
it was what lie would have to suffc
himself
Then lie went back to the pcrio,
when she whose life hung by q thrca,
was jumping her rope, rolling he
hoop. He saw her grow from child t.
maiden. from maiden to woman HOY
quickly it had all come about An,
!, now if she died, what had all his eff
, forts TO raise her, her studies, her &C
v compliShments, awaited? All swep
away at the ceasing of a heart to beat
: And her longer life. what of it: Ever,
!. effort he had made or should max
would he neutraliZed
The patient stirred. The watcher wa
about to go into the other room an,
call the nurse when the girl suddenly
with a strength that astonished him
sat up and fixed her eyes on vacanc,
or, as it seemed, some one in the cente
of the room.
"Rert. Oh Bert. Have you Gomez"
She stretched forth her arms. AM
the focus of her vision seemed to draw
nearer to herself Her arms folded
F.. she raised her face as though for
kiss. then fell back on the pillow.
| The old man sprang to the bedsid
3 and was joined moment later by TIL
| nurse, who quickly slipped her arm
4 under the invalid and raised her Sec
. ing no sign of life, she placed her han
: on the girls heart. Then she looked u
and said
f shes gone
Y The old man went to Il table, sa
down and. placing his arms on it, rest
ed his head OH them. The nurse lai
the dead girls arms beside her. tur1
n ed, looked at the old man pityinsly an
\ left the room. The case was closed 70
2 her, and in day or two she would b
L ready for the next one
e The old man remained where he was
The clock struck the hours successive
: ly-l. >, 3, 4, 5. Then there was til
sound of boys running in the stree
below and shouting:
: Extra! Great battle at Santiago"
The old man started up. Going int
the hail. he rang for a servant One Q
. them had been up all night to summo
). a doctor If needed. He responded a
/. once, and his master ordered him t
r bring him a paper. In it was telt
J! gram announcing the last battle of tn
Spanish-American war, with Il parta
, list Of the killed and wounded Anon
: the former was the name Lieutenan
Albert Hibbard
r AS the old man read it something Xix
S a smile fitted across his face
t THANK God,'' he said, they hav
gone together! Providence, who re
= leases the young and leaves the old t
endure, has permitted me to witnes
= their caraSS on tho hordar1opd IF i'm