River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-03-27
CHAPTER XVI.
A Fighting Chance.


The dining-room of the old red house
was cool, and fragrant from the bios
sOming heliotrope bed below it's win
dow. The twilight, which is long in
eastern Maine, shed soft glow over
the old mahogany and silver, and an
equally soft and becoming radiance
over the two women seated at the
table. After a sonorous blessing, ut
tered by Mrs. Stoddard in tones full
of JUNCTION, she and Agatha ate sup
per in sympathetic silence. 1t was
a meal upon which Sallie Kingsbury
expended her best powers as cook,
with no mean results; but nobody
took much notice of it, after all. Mrs.
StOddard poured her tea into her
saucer, drinking and eating absent
mindedly Her face lighted with
something very like smile whenever
she caught Agatha's eyes, but to her
talk was not necessary. Sallie how
cred around the door, even though
Lizzie had condescended to put on
white apron and serve. But Agatha
sent the city maid away, bidding her
wait on the people In the sick-room
instead.
Mr.. Hand had been left with the
patient and had acquiesced in the plan
to stay on duty until midnight, when
Mrs. Stoddard was to be called.
Agatha had spent an hour with James,
helping Mrs. Stoddard or watching the
patient while the nurse made many
necessary trips to the kitchen. The
sight of James woeful plight drove
every thought from her mind. En-
gagements and managers lost their
reality, and became shadow memories
beside the vividness of his desperate
need. He had no knowledge of her,
or of any efforts to secure his COM
fort. He talked necessarily, some
times in soft, unintelligible murmur,
sometimes in loud and emphatic tones.
HIS eyes were brilliant but wandering,
his movements, were abrupt or violent,
needless or feebIe,- as the moment de.
creed. He talked about the dingy,
nasty fo'casie, the absurdity of his
not being able to get around, the fine
outfit of the Sea Gull, the chill OF the
water. He sometimes swore softly,
alt1ost apologetically, and he uttered
most unchristian sentiments toward
some person whom he described as
wearing extremely neat and dandified
clothes.
After the first five minutes Agatha
paid no heed to his words, and could
bear to stay in the room only when
| eIN oh tn do n
soothe or comfort him. She was not
wholly unfamiliar with illness and the
| trouble that comes in it's train, but
the sight of James, with his unrecog-
nizing eyes and his wits astray, a
| superb engine gone wild, brought a
sharp and hitherto unknown pain to
her throat. She stood over his bed,
holding his hands when he would
reach frenziedly into the air after
some object of his feverish desire;
she coaxed him back to his pillow
when he fancied he must run to catch
something that was escaping him. 1t
! took nerve and strength to care for
him; unceasing vigilance and ingenu-
| ity were required in circumventing his
.erratic movements.
And through it all there was some
thing about his clean, honest mind
and person that stirred only affection
ate pity. He was child, taking a
child's liberties. Mrs. Stoddard brood
ed over him already, as mother over
her dearest son; Mr.. Hand had turned
gentle as a woman and gave the serv-
ice of love, not of the eye. His skill
in managing almost rivaled Mrs. Stod.
dard's. James accepted Hands min.
istrations as a matter of course, be-
came more docile under his treatment
and watched for him when he disap
peared. Indeed, the whole household
was taxed for James; and Agatha
deeply distressed as she was, throbbed
with gratitude that she could help
care for him, If only for an hour.
Thus it was that the two women
eating their supper and looking out
over Hercules Thayer's pleasant gar