Show J JOES 0 A WIPE I 1 I 1 IF E dr ford was driving home tome in the awl light after working hard all day tired and anti anxious as to the result ot of an important operation performed that morning the mud nind spattered up tip from the streets as he rolled along and the chilling november drizzle gae gave to the trees a forlorn almost ghastly aspect ills heart warmed as ashe he pictured to himself ft a wife matching watching for him with a welcome smile from their cozy parlor dinner nady ready and arid i a lod long restful evening before them but as ho he drew drewn near homo home no cheerful light streamed from front door or window all seemed as dark and deserted as the drip ping street iio threw the reins to the boy whose w hose duty it was to hold the horie horse on oil his professional rounds and lung open the door with an irritated injured feeling no tender st rille no sympathetic wice voice no firelight no nodin dinner nei apparently Ell ellnore Llin norl orl he be called no so answer rai Ell norl this time a voice oce spoke out of tho the darkness a tired voice diee do be anoro quiet john the baby is just going to sleep ee P confound ill iti why there a light here and why the tile baby asleep before this time of night lie he has been fretful all day with hi lit teeth and I 1 hio have not hid had ti it chance to change my dress 1 A walling cry from the nurs nursery cry sent the voice hurrying thither and the doctor with some inaudible words proceeded to light the gas and take off his wet overcoat iho tile housew house w us is cold the parlor had evidently been arranged by hibernian handl an tin odor of something burning stole in from the kitchen A pleasant reception for a man after a ft long days lays w work 01 A he ile ran r in up stairs with no gentle footstep ilia ills wife sat by the nursery fire her face wore a weary expression and she had lad on the same blue gown which w aich she had bad donned for breakfast the baby at length slept in her arms she held up a warning fingel as her husband came blundering inbur ii but already babas light slumber had been dla ills and the process of soothing and singing had to be re repented peatI for the fifteenth time it seemed to the young mo mother theras as if hei lie patience could hold out no do longer it provoking to haie have the little one startled from ills uneasy dreams again she knew bridget would spoil the dinner she site had bad been trying all day to get down stairs to make the house pleasant with a magic touch hero here and there she longed to get into a fresh gown and brush her hair but thero there had been no fame tor for her to do one ol 01 these things nurse N urso was away with a sick and babies always demanded more from their mothers than from anyone any one el else C they llie yaro are tyrannical and arid know trind beize every opportunity to prove their power over the anxious half ignorant young mothers who are happy after all to be their slates slaves when at list last the dinner bell rang mn mrs F ford ord hid laid the baby in his crib sound asleep this time warm and lovely sn in his utter ie re pose poe she gave a hurried dab at her ber way wavy hair caught up a fresh handkerchief and ran down to join her husband w who ho wit sat at the table with a decidedly cross I 1 look ook on b hi Is face he ile barely tasted the soup then pushed it away in disgust burned asked his wife of course cant you smell it a all elnel avei the house why dont you look after bridget a litt lo 10 W by john jelin I 1 have bare hardly been down stair stairs today wheres hannah 1 I sl e went to her sisters last night 11 oh yes I 1 forgot this cola cold corned beef L et really elinor have you noth ing tn else to offer I 1 would you like an on omleto ilett no 11 whit what then A beefsteak if you have one I 1 mrs ford row rose and went to the kitchen the gidor course had ii ad just filled up tip the r rane w walh fresh coal so there was wits noth ing to be done lone but make the best of the cold went potatoes and macaroni fol lowed by it desert of apple pudding and cheese 11 ir dr ford found fault with the potatoes and aid said lie was tired of macaroni the bread was w s dry ind and the butter not perfect As to the pudding my mother always had mince pies at tins season said he lie this was the last straw and his ills wife unusually sensitive to straws tonight could bear no more it is a pity vou you ever left your mother 1 I think so too he responded pushing lit his chair back his wife hesitated a moment whether to run around the table and arid burst into tears upon hei her hurbai d shoulder or to rush up and have a good cry by balai side id e she decided upon the latter course and with quivering lip left the room and shut herself up till in lit the nursery where the fire wis was w is dring on oil the health lie nth and the baby breathing in in strange contrast a 5 t to her 0 rought lit condition well it Is provoking women always must cry and fly into I 1 n passion about tri fica but her ler husband hus bind even evea as ho he thou thought abt these words begin began to feel repentant he ile remembered tho the teething baby and tho the long day at home alone in another mo wo ment lie would have followed his wife upstairs and apologized for the pain he lie had bad given her but the doorbell rang and it summons to visit a sick man at a distance sent him at alonco once out into the tile wet night and all domestic grievances ances were forgotten before lie had driven yards the patient lived in a squalid part of the town by tho the river the darkness deeper in this poor neighborhood the rain inore soaking and the wind keener the wind swept by ft A black swollen tide reflecting tho the flaring lights on the bridge but the doctor minded this dis comfort very little ho ila was in love with his ills profession ardent and arid young besides the despised dinner had given him new courage to fight pain and death ho ile entered the tile one room of the low house to which he lie had bad been directed a face quite tree free of impat lence A woman opened thedoor the door for bim hima alean lean miserable creature I 1 with liale eyes void of expression her ifer thin lair hair hung lung neck her cull call co dresa dress fell limply from her sharp ders shi she stared at the doctor as lie en and he be could seo see there were tears in her childlike es joea joes hick she said slowly gazing into his face the matter i he hea bes golu to dio die maybe she faltered piteously no 0 O I 1 hope not joea joes sick she repeated la in a whisper vh r isper shaking her head ches come asked a voice from UK tile 1 bed in a corner ot of tho the room N nellie ellie girl 11 1 who arc are you tallou tal vin with it jt it is ladr dr fort whom vou you sent tor for sald said the physician approaching idling the bed one candle lighted dimly the untidy comfortless place showing allowing it storsand stove store and a it man with tumbled hilr hair and rough beard lying arnolg the pillows of his ills bed aoh f ob the doctor said lie with beverl feverish h eye staring stating from front under shaggy brows how long have you been ill asked dr F ford ord sitting down on a a rickety chair its a week since I 1 give up but ive been feeling bud for a long time the doctor placed his little thermometer thermo mete under the patients tongue and waited si at bently I 1 joes sick mooned moaned tho the girl peering out of the shadows iho tile butterer sufferer cemented to be irritated ly the repetition of these aln se words and anade nil all impatient gesture but as he lie did so gh 1 need pitifully at the slouching figure what you need most is good nursing r said 1 aid the doctor after examining the pa t tient the Tho mans mins face darkened dark eneil tho the botn hovered aimlessly over the stove store ashes ray my wife said the ick sick mm man hoarsely 1 I know she aint quite like other otiler folks but Buts hes peaceable and good not bold and noisy like other women I 1 pitied pitted her lier first olt off then I 1 got kind ol 01 0 ten fond of her and she the tile girl had crept to the bedside and stood there with her vacant troubled face I 1 tumbling fumbling with the pillows joe she said much as its a speak her babas mine name she cant do nothing more for me not nor for herself whispered tho tile roan man as he lie clasped oie one of the fluttering hands in his ills murmured the doctor I 1 1 I can earn carn good wages when I 1 amwell am well went on tho the invalid and I 1 did the cook ins in and kept the house tidy then now every things going wrong she spoils all lilt the victuals but she he dont d t mean to at this moment borron something hing on the stove tove Is boiled over with it at loud hiss and filled the room 0 m with the odor of scorching milk the fairi vir 1 started tar ted then moved toward the ruined mess oh dear mella mel said tho tile sick man under his breath dont burn yourself nellie he called as it if to a it child its scorched joe she said tho the tears overflowing at lost last never mind my illy girl throw it away we can get plenty more you see doctor be henain maid in his ills hoarse v oice voice 1 I cant sp speak roll rough glit to olier glicr i ashes my wife 11 the doctor sat with bent head speech less ill sell send you a nurse my mm man ho lie said after a pause whit what you need is g good odd care I 1 will come again tomorrow and add with a low lov bow to man and wife ite now clinging together hand in hand the doctor sa said id good night and went on his ills way think thank you sir air called out the sick man much moved tile girl started and wiped the last tear from front lier her lashen two hours later a capable kind hearted I 1 woman was installed as its nurse in the little home by the nver river she brought with he be food iu in abut abundance dance and comforts of all kinds 4 dr ford drove slowly homeward though it r as late a bright light shorn shon from the parlor window as he lie stopped the glow of a wood awood fire illuminated the tile room as ho be entered hut but no one came to mee meet thim him his a wife sat in her rocker fast asleep the 1 he lamp threw a radiance over ov er her bronze brown hair and one delicate cheek as she slept with head against the cri crimson nison back of the chair her ifer face wore a sweet childlike expression with a touch 0 of f pathos about the lips and her hall hands lay closely clasped in tho the lap of her gown or 01 soft dove color near the fire stood a white draped table holding a tempting little repast carefully arranged prom front a slender glass in the midst hung one red rose the doctor knew she hid had cut it for him from her favorite plant on oil a pretty plate reposed the est eat and most delectable of mince pies pim jjr dr ford stooped and kissed his its wife fair cheek reverently she stirred then C opened her large eyes slowly ob oh you have hav e come I 1 am sorry I 1 was not awake to meet you but heres a ft 11 minco ince pie I 1 sent over to your mother for 11 one hang the piel cried john ford elm elin pr r I 1 am a bautel oh ob no dear only a miu man instead of an archangel as I 1 once believed you to be but never mind how do you like my dress it la is divine and yoi you are an angel elin or but dearest come and sit by me I 1 have hav e juit just been to see a gentleman gent lemin I 1 want to tell you all lilt about it buffalo news |