Year: 1878




too late. I am SO busy for the next few
days that I am unable to 60 down to the
cottage. One or two more cases of small
pox in the village, and I am anxious
and hard worked but Mary Anne tells
me Mrs. ogilvie has heard of Mrs.
Blacks removal, and is dreadfully ner-
vous about herself. Il hope she will
not frighten herself into it, adds my
wife.


eff she hadn't contracted it before
vaccinated her, I think she is pretty
safe. | reply; "but there is just the
chance that she may have had the poi
asa IN hor previously


Almost as I speak a message comes
from Mrs. Ogilvie, who "wishes to see
me professionally" My heart sinks as
I seize my hat and follow the messenger
and with too good reason. l find her
suffering from the first symptoms of
smallpox and in twenty-four hours it
has declared itself unequivocally and
threatens to be bad case. I try to
keep the nature of her illness from her,
but in vain. She questions me closely,
and when she discovers the truth, gives
way to burst of despair which is pain
full to witness. "I shall be marked;
shall be hideous I" she exclaims, sobbing
bitterly. "Poor Frank, how he will
hate me 70


In vain try to comfort her, to con-
vince her that in not one out of a hund-
red cases does the disease leave dreadful
traces behind it; she refuses to be con-
soled. And soon she is too Ill to be rea-
soned with or indeed to know much of
her own state. She is an orphan and
has no near relatives for whom we can
send, so Mary Anne installs herself in
the sick-room as head nurse; and as I
see her bending lovingly over the poor,
dis6gured face and ministering with
tender hands to the ceaseless wants oi
the invalid, my wife is in my eyes beau
tiful exceedingly SO does the shadow Of
a good deed cast a glcry around the
most homely countenance.


For some time Mrs. Ogilvie's life is
in great danger; but her youth and good
constitution prevail against the grim de-
stroyer, and at length am able to pro-
nounce all peril past.


But alas, alas all my hopes, all my
care, all my poor skill have been in vain
and the 81 vhffHaaltlY, Which we have all ad.
precious so our poor patient, is a thing
of the past. She is marked-slightly
it is true; but the pure complexion is
thick and muddy, the once bright eyes
are heavy and dull, and the golden hair
is thin and lustreless. We keep il from
her as long as we can, but she soon dis
covers it in our sorrowful looks and her
horror. her agony. almost threaten to
unseat her reason. My wife is with her
night and day, watching her like mo-
ther, using every argument she can
think of to console her, and above all,
counseling with gentle words submission
. the will of God. But her misery, af-
ter the first shock, is not so much fer
herself as for the possible effect the loss
of her beauty may have on her husband,
who is now daily expected. HIS ship
has been at sea, SO we have been unable
% write to him and only on his arrival
n Plymouth Sound will he hear of his
Door young wife's illness and disfgure-
nent. Before her sickness she had been
ountlng the hours, now she sees every
ay 60 past with shudder, feeling that
se is brought twenty-four hours nearer


the dread trial. At length his vessel
'rives, and | received q telegram tell
lg me when We may expect him, and
Egging me to break the news gently to


b wife. She receives it with a food
I bitter tears and sobs. crying out that
e will hate and loathe her, and that
pc is about to lose all the happiness of
Ter life. My wife weeps with her, and


am conscious of choking sensation in
by throat as we take leave of her half
70 sour before Mr.. Ogilvie is expected,
"a pay os~s


We are sitting in rather melancholy
, bod after dinner, talking Of the poor
ung husband and wife, when Mr..


yilvie is announced, and | hasten to
, door to meet him.


! .She will not see me p he says inn
: tuously, coming in without any formal
$ Getting. ''She has shut herself into
< II room, and calls to me with hysteri-


/ tears that she is too dreadful to look
n BON; that I shall cease to love her as
o on as l behold her, and that she car
b It face it." And then the strong mar
n lis into chair with a sob.


d .sIt is not SO bad as that, | begin.
% 81 don't care how bad it is, he cries


she need not doubt my word. My poo
| arling will always be the same to m
I neither she has lost her beauty or not.
| Whereupon I extend my hand to hlI
lg nd shake his heartily; and | know m
is ife has great difficulty in restralnln
We erself from enveloping him in her m'
b. lerly arms and embracing him.