The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-10-18
BY RUTH WoMAcK.

| ter and had seemed out Of spirits and
had nothing to say to any one, and to his
mothers inquiries as to what was the
matter. he would reply that nothing was
the matter, only he was not quite as
strong this winter as usual, but guessed
he would be all right when spring came.
So the months wore away and winter
gave place TO spring and spring grew
into summer, and all the while Silas
Bromly had never been near Susie Day
toms home since that memorable night
of the party.
Meanwhile the gossps were busy with
stories. For Frank Wilson had been
regular visitor at the Dayton home all
through the winter and spring And 1t
was currently reported that there was to
be a wedding in the early autumn. Inc
few times that Silas and Susie had met
she had been very kind to him. But
there was something he could not under
stand. The bright brown eyes that USED
to be sparkling with fun and misehief
now wore a half sad, half pleading look.
That he could not fathom. So the sum
mer was wearing away, and the harvest
time of the year was drawing near, when
q thing happened that changed the whole
current of Silas Bromly's life
It was now the middle of September.
and his mother, good, kind, frugal soul
that she was had been busy for several
weeks, gathering In fruit and putting It
up and drying it in the good old fash-
Toned way, for the winters use But just
then her time was being divided between
her fruit and a protracted meeting that
was being held near their home. They
were of the Methodist persuasion, and
she was a most devout member of her
church, and never let her home duties
interfere with her religious ones. So she
was a regular attendant at church during
the first part of the revival.
There was much good being done, and
many souls were being made happy. This
had so worked up good Mrs. Bromly's
religious fervor that she was at the
shouting point all the time. 1t was on
Friday morning and she had returned
from services in such an enthusiastic
state of mind, that it was almost impos-
sible for her to bring herself down TO
perform her regular morning duties. But
she finally succeeded in putting things
to order and now nothing remained to
| be done but to spread her fruit, which
was in a half dry state, out to sun. This
| she always did by going up to the room
where Silas slept, and taking her 1rult
out at the window and spreading 1t on
| the kitchen roof She had got out on
the roof, and was busy with her work
when a wave of religious fervor struck
her
menced to sing and shout and clap her
| hands, and forgetting where she was she
came too near the edge and lost her
| balance and fell, breaking her left arm
and two of her ribs. There was wild
confusion in the Bromly home for several
hours. The neighbors were coming and
| going and each trying to do something TO
relieve the sufferer. But nothing did any
good till Dr. Holt arrived on the scene
fraer nd
the fractured limb. But the good old
doctor looked grave and said that she
would have to have the best of nursing
| II she ever got up again. He said the
arm would soon be all right, but he was
| afraid that it would take long time for
| the ribs to heal owing to her age. Poor
Silas, he was almost wild with grief and
anxiety. He hung about her bed for
many weeks, while the tide of life ran
| low, and hope almost died within his
heart For there were many weeks when
life hung in the balance and she just lay
and feebly moaned in pain.
But all the while Susie Dayton was
| like an angel of light In that striker
i home. From the first hour that Mrs.
Bromly was hurt she had been in daily
| attendance. And the sick woman had
1 learned to know her step and voice and
gentle touch. And in her hours of I'M
consciousness would feebly CALL Susie,
where is Susie" DR.. Holt often said TO
her MY good little girl, you are doing
as much for the patient as I am doing.
and If you continue to stay with her, I
think she will pull through all right
| Many were the nights that Susie and
! Silas sat by her bed and watched the
/ long night through, and all the while
! Silas was growing deeper and deeper in
] love with the little brown-eyed girl that
was proving such a blessing in his hour
| Of need. And many were the times that
he tried to get his courage UP to the point