Year: 1873

think I should have such trouble with
that girl just when needed her most
L think it is a very mysterious dispense
tion of Providence.


The next morning the doctor found
Meta in a high fever, moaning with
pain and delirious. The arm was badly
swollen and infamed, and altogether
her case had assumed a very alarming
aspect. He did not go hunting or fish
ing that day, but stayed by her bedside
administering medicine with his own
hand, and doing everything in his
power for her relief. He was greatly
distressed over the accident, and in
wardly vowed he would never fire off
another gun as long as he lived.


But what a revelation of toll, hard
ship, and cruel wrong the unconscious
Meta made IN her defirium She fan
head and hands and soothed her as he
would child, was her mother, and she
drew his head close to her lips and whis-
pered:


go mother I'm so glad you have
come for me | am tired to death. Aunt
lie has no mercy or feeling for me She
has kept me at work over her night and
day, and I've gone hungry many and
many q time because I couldn't bear to
eat the food so grudgingly given. OF
am SO glad you have come


Now Meta was not beautiful girl,
though she had ii sweet, pure, womanly
face, and great wistful eyes, and an
abundance of dark silky hair. But her
small hands were brown and hardened
with toll ; she was poor, dependent, alone
in the world except for this selfish, un-
natural aunt, and the cousins who scarce
ly deigned to notice her.


Doctor Chester was rich old bachelor,
not so very old either, only thirty-six.
Why he had never married no one could
tell, but true it is he had remained heart
whole all these years in spite of the many
beautiful women who had smiled most
graciously upon him. But somehow
this poor suffering orphan won his heart
completely during that week of uncon-
sciousness. He was charmed with her
sweet prattle about her childhood and
her innocence and helplessness, together
with the suffering he had so unwittingly
caused, appealed strongly to his sym
pathy, and he fully resolved to win her
love and make her his wife, if possible.
Never had patient more assiduous
doctor and nurse than did poor Meta.
Mrs. Smith fumed and fretted over all
the fuss that they made about "that
girI," until the doctor frightened her
into silence by telling her that he knew
how she had treated the poor child, and
if she didn't keep quiet and have every
thing done that was needful for her COM
fort he would have her arrested and tried
for inhuman cruelty. Under his watch
full care the danger was soon over, and
Meta was pronounced convalescent. The
doctor took her out to ride as soon as
she was able, in the easiest of all car
riages. Rare delicacies were sent every
day from the hotel to tempt her return
ing appetite. The sweetest and most
fragrant flowers that could be found
with him for all this lavish kindness, but
he would silence her by saying he was
the cause of all her suffering, and she
must allow him to atone for it in every
way he could. How eagerly he watched
the faint color that crept into her cheeks
at his approach How tenderly and del
icately he ministered to her comfort and
pleasure day by day, until at last he ven
tured TO tell her of his love and his great
desire to have her for his own. He had
become very dear to her during all those
weeks of suffering, and she acknowl-
edged it and promised to be his wife.
He hastened to inform Mrs. Smith of
their betrothal, and asked her forbear-
ance for another week when, he assured
her, he would relieve her from all furth-
er care and responsibility of her niece.
Imagine if you can her astonishment
She was completely GO datne6tounded u
and had not word to say though
doubtless in her heart she thought it an
other most mysterious dispensation. -


The next day notable dressmaker
from the city arrived with various Won
derful and costly fabrics, which she had
orders to make up for Miss Langdon in
the latest style. Such time as there
was then of cutting and basting, of try
ing on and trimmingl Two other seam
stresses kept their sewing machines run
ming at. the highest rate of speed, until
at the close of the week there was enough
of wedding rousseau to fill a huge
Saratoga trunk The doctor made daily
pilgrimages between that chamber and
the city, until at last he could not devise
another thing which his darling could
possibly need for dress or ornament
during the trip TO Europe which he had
planned. Never was there happier
bride and groom than those who were
made one in Mrs. Smiths parlor that
bright September morning. They went
Immediately to his beautiful home on
the Hudson, where his mother received
the new daughter with open arms, and
soon after went to Europe, where they
spent a year. Meta made good use Of
the time by putting herself under the
care of the best private teachers, an0
when on their return the happy doctor
presented his wife to his friends, there
was not among them one more highly
accomplished or more elegant and re
fined The doctor was very proud o.
her, and never tired of telling his init
mate friends how he found his wife, o.
| the result of his Last Shot.-HedrtI