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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 1906)
r I r The BY MISS M. 4- . CII.VrTKH XX. (Continued.) Thorn wns no omnibus to take Mrs. Gilbert back to Grnybrldgo nfter the Borvk'o nt flurstonlolgh; but there lwul boon soiru Grnybrldgo people nt church, and she found them lingering In tho churchyard talking to some of I lie model vi!lnjtnr. enthusiastic In their prnlso of Mr. (Jolbtirn'H eloquence. Isabel's friends left her nt the gate. She, hml done nothing to redeem her olriractor in Grnybrldgo by her frequent nttendnneo nt Hurstonlolgh Church, l.hleh was as imte.it to the gos-ilps iih ever hor visits to Thurston's onk had bion. She hnd boon cured of running nfler Mr. Lnus.Iell, people snid. No doubt George Gilbert had discovered ho; goings on, and had f mini u monns of dipping hor wings. H waj not likely tli nt Graybrhlgc would credit hor with Mi'-li virtue of repentance. Grnybrldgo regarded her ns an artful nnd presuming mmture, wham goings-on had been sfunpoil by innrll.ll authority. S'i.; wont into the parlor and found the ten things l.;'d -Ji'l:e-t lying on th 1M t!;2 t:blo, nnd Mr. tho earn, wblvh was too bln.rt for him by a couple of foot, nnd was eked out by a chair, on which Ills 'innsy boots rented. Isabel had never soon him give way to any such solf-ln-(Inlftoiipo before; but ns she bent over be told her that his bond itched, and he wan tired, very tired; he had been in the laiicn nil (lie afternoon the people about there hall boon bud nnd he had boon it work in tho surgery since coming in. He 1 nt hlii hand In Isabel's, and pressed hers ifpairrmtoly. A very little attention a..:n hfs pretty young wife gratified and Made him happy. - "W!.y, George," cried Mrs. Gilbert, "your hand U as hoi us a burning coal!" Yos, ho was very warm, he told her; tho weather was hot and oppressive; nt least he had found it so that after noon. Perhaps he had been hurrying too much, walking too fast; he had upset binuwlf somehow or other. ,"Jf you'll pour out tlie tea. Iz.lo, Pll t.iUe a cup and t!tc:i go ti bed," he said; oi reg ilarly i.l i.ved o.n." Ho Uo!c not one cup only, but four r ' of ten pouring the mild beverage down his throat nt a 'draught; and then bo went up to tho room overhead, walk ing heavily, as it lie wore very tired. "Pm suro you're 111, George," Isabel F..ld ns he left the parlor; "do take some thing some of that horrid medicine you give mo." "No, my dear; there's nothing tho mat- tor with inc. What should there bo nmlss with inc, who never hnd a day's illness in my life? I must have an ns hlstaut, Iaale, my work's too hard; that's whitt Is the matter." Mrs. Gilbert sat in tho dusk a little while after hor husband left hor, think ing of tlint last look which ltnlnnd Lans dvll bad given her in the church. Heaven knows how long she might have ant thinking of him, If Jcfl'sou had not como in. After tho lights had boon brought Isa bel took a book from the top of the lit tlo chiffonier by the fire place. It was n religious book. Was she nit trying to bo good now, and was not goodness In compatible with the perusal of Shel ley's poetry on u Sunday? She sat thus, until alio was stnrtlod by a cautious sin file knock nt tho door. She stnrtod from her scat at the sound; but she went bold ly c I.-' l " '.!"' ...'.ions. Tl;;o t.c .: ..L!..g .i.icomnion in n Into ! ki.jjLL.e at tho doctor's door some one from the lnncs wanted medicine, no doubt, the people in tho lanes were nl ways wanting medicine. Mrs. Gilbert opouod, tho door, nnd looked out into the (ljrkr'3. A man was standing there, a- woll-clnd, rnthor handsome looking ninu, with brond shoulders, bold black eyes, nnd a black board that covered nil tho lower part of his face. Ho did not wait to be invited to outer, but wnlked across the threshold like n man who had a right to come into tho house, nnd nlmost pushed Isabel on one side ns ho did so. At tlrst she only stared at him with a blnnk look of wonder, but nil at once, her face grow as whito as tho plas ter on the wall behind her. 'You!" she enspou 1 n whisper; "you here!" "Yes, mo! You needn't stnro ns If you saw n gho3t. Tnero s notlilng so very queer about mo, is, there? You're a nice young lady, I don't think, to stnnd there shivering nnd staring. Whore's your husband?" "Unsta Irs. Oh. why, why did you come hero?" cried tho doctor's wife, plto ously, chsping her hands like n creature ?n some extremity of fear nnd trouble; "how could you bo so cruel ns to come Hero? How could you bo so cruel us to .01110?" "How could I bo so fiddlesticks!" muttered the stranger, with supreme con tempt. "1 came bore because I had newborn else to go, my lassie. You needn't whlmner; for I ihn'n't trouble you very long this Is not oxnctly tho place I should cure to hang out In if ts-ou can give me n bed in tills house for to-night, well nnd good; if not, you can clvo mo money nnd I'll una one else where. While I nm hero, remember my iinme's Cnntain Morgan; nnd I'm in the merchant service." CHAPTER XXI. Gnorno Gilbert was something more l linn "nlaved out." Thcro hud boon n Brent deal of typhoid fover ninong the i.norer Inhabitants of Grnybridge, nnd ho neighboring villages lately a bad iifosHnus fover. which hung over the odor's Wife i E. BRADDOfl , ; narr -w lnncs nnd little clusters of cot tages like a black cloud; nnd tho parish surgom, working onrly nnd late, subject to sudden chills when his work was hot test, exposed to every vnrloty of tem perature at all times, fasting for long hours, nnd altogether sotting nt untight those very first principles of health, In which It was his duty to Instruct other people, had paid tho common penalty to which nil of his profession nre, more or loss, subject. George Gilbert hnd caught a touch of the fever. Mr. Pawlkntt, enlnr, called in early on Monday morn lug, summoned by poor, terrified Isnbol, and spoko of his rival's Illness very light ly, as a "touch of the fever," 'I always it was Infectious," ho remarked; "but your husband would hnve It that it wasn't. It wns all tho effect of dirty habits and low living, bo snid, and not any special and pcrlodlcnl Inllu ence in tho air. Well, poor fellow, ho knows now who Is right. You must keep lilin very quiet. Glvo him n little tonst-nnd-wnter, nnd tho Itmo draughts I shall Fend you." Unhappily for tho patient, it wns not tho eaKloAt matter in the world to keep him quiet. "I dnro say Pawlkntt likes to so' mo laid by the heels here, lassie," ho said to his wife, "while ho goes inter fering with my patients, and bringing his oid-fushoned theories to boar. He'll shut up the poor wretched llttlo windows of nil those cottages in tho lnncs, I dare say; and mnke the rooms oven more stilling thnn ' they hnve been mndc by tho builder. He'll frighten tho poor wom en into shutting out every breath of !resh air, and then take every atom of strength away from those poor wasted creatures by his drastic treatment. It's no use talking, my dour, I'm n little knocked out. but I've no more fever about mo than you have, and I shall go out this evening. I shall go round and see those people. There's n womnn in the liine behind tho church (a widow with three children), lying ill; nnd she fieonts to believe in me, poor creature, an if I was Providence itself. I can't forget the look she gave mo yesterday, when she stood on tho threshold of her a. retched hovel, asking mo to suvo her children, ns if she thought it rested with mo to save her children. I can't forget her look, Iz.ie. It haunted mo nil last night. And when I think of Pawlkntt pouring his drugs down those children's throats, I I tell you it's no use, my dear, I'll take u cup of tea, nnd then got up nnd dross." It was in vain tbnt Isabel pleaded; in vain that she brought to hor nid Mrs. I elf sou, tho vigorous nnd outspoken, who diclured Hint it would bo nothing short of self-murder if Mr. Gilbert insisted on going out that evening; equally in vain tho threat of summoning Mr. Pnwlkatl. George was rcsolmo; those quiet people nlways are resolute, not to say obstinate. Ho wns wanted yonder among his pa tients, mid lie must go. Isnbol and Mrs. Jcffs'in retired in melancholy resigna tion to prepare tho tea, which was to Certify tho surgeon for his evening's work. Goorgo canto downstnirs half an hour afterward, looking, not ill, or even weak, but nt once Hushed nnd haggard. ' There's nothing whatever the matter with me, my dear lassie," ho said, as his wife followed him to tho door; "I nni only done up with very hard work. I feel tired and crumped in my limbs, ns if I'd caught cold somehow or other. 1 was out nil day in tne wet last wooic, you know; but there's nothing in that. I shall just look in ut those people nt llriargato, nnd como back by the lanes; nnd thou nil hour or so In the surgery will finish my work, nnd I shnll have an assistant, my dear. Tho agricultural population gets very thick about Gray bridge, and unless some olio tnkes pity on tho poor people, nnd brings about some improvement in tho places they live In, we may look tor plenty of fever. He went out nt tho little gate, and Isabel watched him going along the lane. llo wnlked n little slowor thnn usual, and that was all. She watched him with a quiet affection on hor fnce. There was no possible phase of circumstances by which slto could hnvo been over brought to love him; but sho know that ho was good, sho know that there wns something praiseworthy in what ho was doing to-night this resolute visiting of wretched sick people. It was not the knightly sort of good ness sho had adored in tho heroes of her choice; but It was good, and she ndmired hor husband n little, in n calm, unenthu- slnstlc manner ns sho might hnve nd mired a very estiniablo grandfather, had sho happened to possess such a relative. She was trying to bo good, nnd all the pontlniontal tenderness of her nature had boon aroused by Goorgo s illness. Ilo wns n more agreeable person lying faint nnd languid in n shndod room, nnd re quiring his head constantly bathed with vinegar nnd water, tlinn wltcn in tno tun vigor of health and clumsiness. She finally walked out Into the lnnc, wntcfllng for her husband's coming. Two or three pooplo wont slowly by nt con sldernblo intervals; and at last, when it was growing quite dark, tho flguro of a slouching country-built lad, loomed out of tho obscurity. "Ho this Muster Gilbert's tho doc tor's?" ho asked or Isabel. "Yes; do you want him?" "I don'c want hhn; but I'vo got n let ter for bis wifo from a man that's stay ing up nt our plnco. He you she?" "Yos; give mo tho lottor," answered Isnbol, putting hor hand over tho gate. Sho took tho nilssivo from tho baud of tho boy, who resigned It In a slow, un willing mnnner, nnd then slouched away. Mrs. Gilbert put the letter in hor pocket, nnd wont Into the h .uio. The doctor's wife seated herself nt the llttlo table,, nnd took the letter from hor pocket and toro It open. It wns n very brief nnd uncere monious kjud of epistle, containing only theso words: "I'vo found comfortable quartern, for tho nonce, In n little crib down in Ness brough Hollow. I suppose you know tho plnco; nnd I shnll expect to see you In the course of to morrow. Don't forget tho sinews of war; and bo sure j on nsk for Captain Morgan." Thcro wns no signature. The letter' wns written In n big, dnshlng hand, which had sprawled recklessly over a sheet of old-fashioned letter paper; It seemed n riotous, Improvident kind of writing, tbnt gloried in tho wasted fpacn and squandered Ink. "How cruel of him to como here I" muttered Isabel, ns she toro the letter Into n llttlo heap of fragments; "how cruel of him to come! ns if I hnd not suffered enough nlroady; as If tho misery nnd disgrace had not boon bitter enough and hard enough to benr." Sho rested her elbows on tho tnble, nnd sat quite still for some time, with Jicr face hidden In her hands. Her thoughts wore very painful; but, for onco In n wny, thoy were not entirely devoted to Roland Lnnsdell; nnd et tho master of Mordrcd Priory did flguro In that long reverie. Goorgo enrno In by nnd by, nnd found her sitting In the atti tude into which she hnd fallen nfter de stroying the lottor. Sho had been very anxious about her husband somo timo ngo; but for tho last half hour her thoughts hnd been entirely removed from him; nnd sho looked up nt him confused ly, nlmost startled by his coming ns if he hnd been tho last person in tho world whom sho expected to sec. Mr. Gilbert dropped heavily into the nearest chnir, like a mnn who feels himself powerless to go ono step further. "I'm very ill, Izzic," he said: "it's no use mincing the matter; I am ill. I sup pose Pawlkntt is right, nfter nil, nnd I've got n touch of the fover." "Shall I send for him?" asked Isa bel, starting up; "he said I was to send for him if you grew worse." "Not on nny iccount. I know what to do ns well as he does?. If I should happen to got delirious by nnd by, you enn send for him, because I dare say you'd be frightened, poor girl, nnd would' feel more comfortable with n doctor pottering about mo. And now listen to me, my dear, while I give you a few directions; for my head fools like n ton- weight, nnd I don't think I shnll bo nblo to sit upright much longer." Tho doctor proceeded to give his wife nil necessary instructions for tho pre vention of infection. Sho wns to hnvo n separate room prepared for herself iiu medintely; she wns to fumigate the room in which ho was to He, in such nnd such n mnnner. .Vs for nny nttendnnce upon himself, that yould be Mrs. .leffson's task. Mr. Pawlkntt was summoned to his rival's bedside early on the following morning. George's case was quite out of ids own hands by this time; for lie had grown much worse in tho night, and was fain to submit to whatever people pleas ed to do with him. Ho wns very ill. Isabel sat in the hnlf-darkoucd room, sometimes rending, sometimes working in the dim light ihnt crept through tho curtain, sometimes sitting very quietly wrapt in thought painful nnd perplex ing thought. Sho wns very foolish slto had boon very wicked but there wns a deep fount of tenderness in Unit senti mental essentially feminine breast; and I doubt if George Gilbert wns not moro lovingly watched by bis weak young wife thnn ever ho could have been by a strong-minded holpiunto, who would hnvo frozen any lurking sentiment in Mr. LnnsdeH's breast by one glance from her nitiloss eyes. The doctor's wifo folt n remorseful compassion for tho ntnn who, nfter his own matter-of-fact fash ion, hnd been very good to her. Mrs. Gilbert sat nil' day in her hus band's room; but nbout Tt in tho nftcr- noon Goorgo foil inU n deep slumber, in which Mr. Pawlkntt iound him a little nfter 0 o'clock. Nothing could bo better than that tranquil sloop, tho sur L'eon snid; nnd when ho- wns gone, Mrs. Jeffson. who had boon sitting In tho room for somo time, nnxlous to bo of uso to iter master, suggested that Isabel should go downstnirs, nnd out Into tho Karden to got a breath ot frosli air. "Yos; 1 should like to go downstnirs n little, if you think tbnt George Is suro to sleep soundy for n long time; nnd I know you'll take good caro of him. I wnnt to go out somewhere not very fnr; but I must go to-night." "I should hnvo thought, it you wns tho greatest gaddornbout that over was, you'd have stnyed quietly at homo whllo vour husband wns lying in, -Mrs. Hu bert," she said, sharply; "but o( courso you know your own business best." (To bo continued.) The 11 nre Hun Home. The Rev. J. Klrkpntrlck, a famous old cricketer of Kent, England, war out snooting one uay, aim round a hare sitting. Instead of putting It up and shooting It, he said to himself: "No, I will give it a fair chance, cricketing distance." So, turning round, he deliberately measured out twenty-two yards. But on facing about In order to have his shot, all ho saw of his hare was a small form scudding miles off. L,iicnt Thtnir at a AVeuului?. Mrs. Knlckcr Wos it a fashionablo wedding? Mrs. Booker Yes, Indeed; tho brldo was attended by a divorcee of honor. New York Sun. Sometimes a man pretends to bo fooled for the purposo of fooling oth ers. ' TOPICS OF THE TIMES. A CHOICE SELECTION OF INTER ESTING ITEMS. Comments nnd Crltlclnmn Unscd Upon the llniipciiliiuH of the Day -HUtorl- cut umlNewH Note ' Killing In the utuuo of sport ought ' T r . . . to Doiong soieiy to mo unm ages. When life disagree will their dues? lnsurnnco stockholders tho policy-holders get Tho "kissing nlbum" Is tho rngo In London. In this country no album is required for such things. Mr. McCurdy found it cnslor to re sign nfter his snlnry had been cut in 1 two. Most of us would. Tho Isle of Pines, although settled by Anierlcuns, seems to have become anything but de-Lutinlzcd. Persons who live in brick houses, on tho contrary, seem to be amply Justl lied in throwing bricks nt tho brick trust. When a rnllrond fiends nn nccommo dntlon train nhend of nn express, it is not hard to guess which will fnro tho worse. They have discovered n plumbers' trust in Canada. What better proof could be given of unexnmpled pros perity in the Dominion? As to which of the sexes is the moro eourngeous, it is, nfter nil, hnrd to de cide, for so often ns n uiniv mnrrles, u woman mnrrles likewise. Tolstoy's declaration thnt tho situa tion in Russia Is not serious gives riso to u hope that no situation lie would regard ns serious may arise. What has become of the people who1 formerly declared that the Russians were too deeply steeped in Ignorance' to ever engage in u general revolt? J. P. Morgan says ho wns cheated lm n recent railroad deal. Tho other fol low might almost be justified in fixing up dates for the purpose of going out to lecture- nbout It. Hall Cnlne says It's hnrder for n rich mnn' than a poor mnn to be good. It certainly is in this country. The pnor folic nre always causing the ricli to lose their tempers. With six- nnd n half billions of dol lars to their credit, tbe American funn el's probably realize the incut combine didn't got nn. the money In the coun try Inst your,, nfter all. A vngrnnt Kindly treated by n Den ver policomniv got n new start nnd left bis benefactor $32,000. No policeman ever won such n dividend ns tills by using his club on a nark sleeper. Iceland lias a record which entitles It to the respect of the nations. In ten years tho number of Ashing vessels lias increased from seventy to three hundred, and la twenty years the con sumption of alcohol is- only one-half what it was. According to- statistics, women have during the past twenty-five years in- creused In stature two nnd one-liulf inches, while men have grown that much shorter. If this thing keeps up for a century or two- mere mnn will need a stephuTder when he desires to whisper tho glad word In her oar. The North, German Lloyd Steamship Company is- to name a new 17,000-ton ship Washington, after the lirst Amer ican President. Why not? Americans have been naming their ships, their hotels and their country residences af ter vnrlous European persons and places for so nuiuy years that it is about time the Europeans returned the compliment. It has- come to pass that higher edu cation, advancing with the rest of cLv- lllzatlon, now offers special induce ments to young men in tho choice of methods of death. Formerly the stu dent hnd to take what ho could get or what was given him, but to-day ho may make his selection between the football eleven, the fraternity and tho prize ring. Each lias special advan tages to recommend It to tho candi date and to tho parents ambitious for tho future of their boys, and each seems to bo equally effective. Verily variety Is tho spico of death as well as of life. Viewed from all sides, farming Is a great business. And it Is as a rcnl, live, substantial and serious business that tho farmers should regard and conduct their affairs. Fortunately, sys tem Is rapidly revolutionizing tho bust noss. In tho golden northwest tho successful farmers aro managing their estnlps llko great manufacturing plants. Thero aro no leaks, no slip suou moinoas. -rnoy aro piling up magnificent crops and arc making for tunes. Down through Kentucky and tho South, too, tho farmers aro bo- glnnlnjr to look upon tlicir occups.Uon ns n sure-enough business nnd uot aa a specula Jve pnstlmc. "Everybody Works But Father" wns tho name of n song which caught m,r oyo , ft 8hop wndow the other Aa7 Go 0n lllltl Coax Mo" stood next to "Keep n Llttlo Cosy Corner lu - 4a JIM Your Heart for me," and "Como Along, Little Girl, Come (Along," was the neighbor of "She Waits by tho Deep Blue Sea." We arc never qulto suro whether to smile at these unso phisticated expressions of humor or yearning. Such sentiments, whether expressed with crudity or refinement, are tho sklo of nature on which tho world is most alike "Ono touch of vulgarity," said Whistler, "makes tho whole world kin," and Sir Edward Fry said tho other day that "whatever IKipulnrlzcs vulgarizes." It Is true tlint nn audience full of Aphrodites Is moved to tears by such n phrase lu u melodrama as "Death ueiore dis honor." A gallery of thieves could bo made to applaud sincerely "Honesty Is the best policy." Lothario can feel his heart expand at "There's only one girl in tlie world for me." But tho great est artists also appeal to these univer sal yearnings as strongly as to tha discrimination of the few. Tho Greels dramntJsts pleased the ordinary munr nnd Shukspeurc's tragedies are strong' er with the gallery thnn with tlid stalls. There is nothing more popular in tho world than familiar moral sen timent, but It loses none of its popu larlty by having distinction and beau ty added to familiar truth. Vulgar, after all, in ono of its older meanings, signified merely what was common to us all, and to accept that and tuni It with ltn beauty to the light Is tin highest tiling that art cau do. The national civil service commis sion ilnds the great defect in the fed' oral service in tho lack of opportunity for ambitious, well educated young men. Thero is not sulllclont induce ment, It is said, for the most capablo men to work for tho government, as they can do better by seeking employ ment in large corporations where thoy can In time command Higher sal aries than they can hope to get from tho government. It would not be dig nified or profitable for tho national1 tyKI llilJUill. 11' il VJWlilllUll LIU1J wlthi tho corporations or trusts for tha services of men who are ambitious to- make money. If it comes to n, moro matter of money, the corporations- will bo able to offer the most. Whcni they see n capable man on tho uenchv or In. any other department of public llfo- whom they tblnk they want they, will offer lilm a; salary that Congress- would bo reluctant to give to tlia- in cumbent of any olllce. There are-capable men whose ambition Is not cen tered on- the accumulation of woalth and who deem it more of an honor to- serve tho United States than to servo tho United' States Steel Corporation. Thoy feel more pride in being identi fied with' tho- national government, even in oj comparatively humble posi tion, than in helng counted among tho employes of a trust, where their ten ure of office, save in the case of'oxcep tlonal ability,, is often quite uncertain.. Tho man who has risen to tlie presi dency of a great railroad system may bo discharged' ns summarily by tho financier whev controls It as a section hand Is by his boss. There are hosts of capable- well educated men- who draw buck from the fierce competition which! neco-in panics tlie straggle for tho prizes to- be hnd in tho field; of pri vate endeavor. They would- ratchet-havn- a go-rermnent position, with a small salary and reasonable- perma nency of tenure, than strive- madly for money rewiirds which they may be unable tc get. They aro willing to. let men no- abler than themselves, hut more- strenuous, have tie- goods thlng3 which corporations and trusts- offer to those who will be of peculiar service jto-tbein. Tho national go-Tcrnuient pays tow salaries on tho average and does not promise swift promotion to men of marked capacity. Yet it gets and holds '.he services of a largo num ber of persons of xw mean ability who aro competent to attend to its busi ness. If it were competing with the trusts nnd corporations In transporta tion, manufacturing, bunking, and merchandising it would need a class of men It does not need now, and would have to bid against its rivals to get them. Let the corporations have ambitious and forceful men Avho sco no greater object in llfo thnn a high salary paid for doing the cred itable or discreditable work of a wealthy employer. Tho national gov ernment will continue to bo able to get men who will administer Its af fairs with fidelity and competency even if it does not hold out greater In ducements than at present. Occasion ally thero will bo grafters among them, but big salaries do not banish grafting. It prevails among tho high salarlod presidents of great Insurance companies. aiiNiit. Dls world Is slio'ly funny, Dey doesn't run it right; White mnn hnb d money, While I's got do appetiU. -WashV.jjisa Star,