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VOL. XI.
NEW BLOOMFIELD, 1JA., TtJKSDA.Y, MVKOII ao, 1877.
NO. 12.
i
THE TIMES.
An Independent Family Newspaper,
' IS rUIUiIflllRD EVKltY TUESDAY. BT
F. MORTIMER & (X).
Subscription Prloe.
Within Die County II
HI x month r
Out et the County, Ineludlnt: postage, 1 ro
" " tlx mouth " 85
Invariably In Advance I
Si- Advertising rate furnished upon apnll
ratlun. gcledt Poctr:v.
THE STRANGER ON THE SILL.
Between broad fields of wheat and corn,
It the lovely homo whore I was born )
The peach tree leans against the wall,
And the woodbine wanders over all
There Is the shaded doorway still .
Hut a stranger's foot has crossed the sill.
There is the barn and, as of yore,
I can smell the hay from the open door,
And see the busy swallows throng,
And hear the pewee's mournful song,
But the stranger comes, U I painful proof
His sheaves are piled to the heated roof. !
There Is the orchard the very trees,
That knew my childhood so well to please,
Where I watched the shadowy moments ran ,
Till my life imbibed more of shade than suu )
The swing from the bough still sweep the air,
Hat the stranger's children are swinging there .
i
It bubbles, the shady spring bolow,
With Us bulrush brook where the bazlcs grow,
'Twas there I found the calamus root,
And watched the minnows poise and shoot,
And beard the robin lave bis wing
But the stranger's bucket is at the spring.
Oh, ye who dally cross the sill,
Step lightly, for I love It still ;
And when yon crown the old barn eaves,
Then think what cauntless harvest sheaves
Ilave passed within that scented door,
To gladden eye that are no more.
DOCTOR BURGESS' PRESENT.
" TT'S ONE o'clock, gentlemen," said
X the obsequious and weary waiter,
entering a luxurious brilliantly lighted
room in a fashionable club house, where
a Jovial little party of young gentlemen
had assembled.
"What a bore you are, Dennle,"
answered Hal Burgess. "Why don't
you stop the clock ? Are you aware my
good fellow that this is my last night
here for a long time V dive us a fresh
pack of cards to change the luck. We
must have one- more game while you
ure bringing us another bottle of Carte
Blanche for a farewell bumper. Just
think," he continued, appealing to his
companions seated around the table,
" to-morrow night at this hour I shall
1x3 playing a lively game of pitch and
toss with old Neptune, and getting bad
ly worsted in the encounter."
" Don't speak of It, Hal. We hate to
hear of your going," chorused several
voices in tones of genuine regret, that
proved what a favorite he was in that
coterie of gay young bachelors.
The card purty which had been in
terrupted, was the sequel of a farewell
dinner, given on the occasion of bis de
parture for Europe, where he intended
to pass several years, before entering
upon the practice of his profession. It
was the last of many similur festivities
in which he had been a leading spfrit,
and reluctant as they were that It should
come to an end, ' the wee sma' hours a
yont the twa' refused to tarry at their
bidding; the round was finally played,
and the last merry toast proposed. Hal
had won largely and rose cramming a
roll of bills carelessly in his pocket, and
promising his opponents their revenge
when he returned. Their cordial adieus
were spoken, and leaving his friends at
the door he walked briskly up the ave
, nue. At that late hour of the night it
was silent and deserted ; but, turning a
corner, he saw a young girl coming
hastily from the opposite direction.
The bewildered, frightened expression of
her wan but beautiful face, revealed by
the gaslight caused him to stop and ex-
4'ittini :
" What's the matter ? Can I do ariy
. Milngforyou V" '
"I must find a doctor ; do you know
where there Is one T' she answered hur
riedly, with a quick, questioning glance
and reassured by his respectful milli
ner. " There Is none very near hero," Hal
said after ft moment's reflection, and
added, from what the young men he
had Just left would have deemed a most
tjulxotle Impulse, " but 1 am almost a
physician myself; unless the cane Is
very serious, perhaps I can uttend to
it."
" Oh please come quickly, then, re
plied the girl as she led him the wny
rapidly past several blocks of stately
houses, to one of those poor neighbor
hoods which are sometimes found
crouching at buck doors of an aristocrat
ic quarter.
" Who is sick ?" Hal asked, as reach
ing a small house, she held open the
door for him to pass, and taking up a
flickering candle lighted his way up two
(lights of stairs.
" My mother," she answered in a
trembling voice.
" And was there no one in the house
you could call upon to help you?" he
asked.
" No ; the people who live In the lower
rooms go away at night. I was obliged
to leave her all alone."
On the bed in the room they entered,
lay a woman apparently insenslble.wlth
sickening marks of blood about her,
and crimson drops still oozing from her
lips. The girl hastened toward the bed
side In a mute terror at what might
have happened during her absence, but
Hal's practised eye saw that she hud a
bad but not fatal hemorrhage and could
soon be restored to consciousness. With
a few consoling words to the daughter
which enabled her to assist him, he pro
ceeded to treat the ease as well as cir
cumstances would permit, noting as he
did so that ghastly tut was the pallor of
the thin, care-worn face, it still showed
traces of former beauty and of unmis
takable refinement. . , ., .,
At last the sufferer opened her eyes,
with the vague, indifferent look of com
plete physical exhaustion, but closed
them again wearily.
" Do not speak to her," said Hal in a
whisper, " she must be kept perfectly
quiet ; but I think she will do well
now." , ;
As he proceeded to give the. necessary
directions for further treatment his eyes
wandored round the room, which was
neat, though meagerly furnished, and
liore witness to that struggling destitu
tion bo much more pitiable than thrift
less, squalid poverty. , .
Under a lamp on a table lay soverul
pieces of fine needle work, in a confu
sion that showed how recently the labor
had been interrupted. Ostensibly
searching for something in his : letter
case, Hal bent over the delicate em
broderles with a wondering pity for the
patient hand by which they, were pro
duced. 1 he girl came toward him try
ing to express gratitude. ' ; '
" Have you no relatives or friends ?"
he asked.
She shook her head sadly. '
"Your father?"
" He died two years ago, just after we
came here to live. We have no money
Just now," she continued, misunder
standing the motive of his questions,
" but I shall get some as soon as this
work is finished, . and if you give .me
your address I will"- -
" I do not meaa that,' . he-interrupted
hastily ; but he did not add that he was
really thinking how soon she; might be
alone, la the world, for her, mother was
evidently a victim to a quick consump
tion. . .
'.' I am going to, Europe to-morrow,"
he went on, " so I shall not be able . to
call again ; but I will leave a prescrip
tion for your mother, which I trust will
do some good." ,
He wrote a few lines on n scrap of
paper; then, availing himself a ot mo
ment when he was unobserved, he slip
ped the money ho had recently won Into
an envelope und left it on the table.
Fortunately, it was a considerable
amount, although he regretted that it
was not in his power to give something
beside money ,and left, thoughtful at the
contrast between . prodigal, careless
pleasures, and anxious, want which , the
last few hours had forced upon him.
Amid , the detractions . of forolgn
travel, however, the incident was soon
forgotten ; but before a year had passed
he was reminded of it by receiving a
note from a large Western city, and en
closing a draft for the amount he had
given awuy that night., The style of
the missive whs curt and business like :
Dkah Hut Though iicisoiially un
known to you, I am unacr crcat obli
gations for your kindness to my sister
ana niece at a time or ner-d. Without
wearying you with my personal uflulrs,
I will merely explain that the lady to
whom yoit attended for'heniorrhage one
night last year, was my sJster. She mur
rled against my wishes a man whograd
ually squandered the little fortune she
possessed. All intercourse lietween us
had ceased, and I knew neither of her
husband's death nor the destitution
which followed, until the dread of leav
ing her daughter without any protector
overcame her pride and resentment, and
she wrote to me. I reached her only a
few hours lie fore her dent linnet It Is only
within a week that I liave learned
through mv niece that It was to vour
charity sho was indebted for her Inst
earthly, comforts. A card which was
louna upon the noor, alter you leu, lur
nlshcs us with your address, and I
hasten to remit to you the amount of
the pecuniary Indebtedness, hs well us
to express my gratitude for the services
you rendered to the members of my
family. !
Kespectruiiy yours,
John J. Hiiodks.
" Itather a romantic ending to that
little episode," mused Hal. 41 Well, I
am glad that lovely girl found a home,
and some one to care for her after her
mother died. I wonder If I shall ever
see her again. The uncle Is evidently
well ofT, since he has discharged his
' pecuniary indebtedness,' as he culls It,
ho promptly. Judging from the note It
wounded his pride, and I wish I had not
been so careless as to drop that cord.
What the deuce nm 1 to do with the
money 't
He would not have asked ' that ques
tion two years later, when the news of a
great fire in his native city came across
the cable, and he learned that the riches
he had enjoyed so thoughtlessly ' had
vanished on the swift wings of flame.
He returned at once, self-reliant and
hopeful, the change of his circumstances
developing all the latent energy of his
character. The necessity of gaining a
livelihood which he had formerly look
ed upon as an outlet of a certain philan
thropic ambition, was Just the stimulus
he needed, though even in his prosperi
ty he had never been an' idler with no
earnest or endeavor. But, knowing as
he did from experience the butterfly life
of club and ball room,' he realized that it
would be Incompatible with the practi
cal work that lay before him, and he
felt that it would be easier to sever old
social ties at once and seek' his fortune
among strangers.
He went to a 'western city ; but even
there to his surprise he found some old
friends in an agreeable family he had
met while traveling abroad. "They were
gay people, who entertained handsome-' I
ly, but he persistently declined all their
invitations, until he was overpersuaded
to attend the debut of one of the younger
daughters.
- He did not repent the concession when
he found himself in the midst of the
brilliant scene, but yielded gracefully to
its exhlliratlon. The fair dcbutanl
showed liim much favor, but in the
midst of her lively chatter his eyes wan
dered to the door through which a tall,
graceful girl was just entering.
She was indeed lovely ; form, coloring,
movement, were all exquisitely perfect.
The shining ripples, of gojden hair, the
dewy, violet eyes, the rose leaf com
plexion, the arch, smiling mouth, the
supple, rounded figure, revealed each
other as being the chief charm of her
fair presence. Hal's genuine, admira
tion was very evident, as ho asked ab
ruptly : " '
" Who'is that lady ?" ' ;
", If you were not such a recluse you
would not ask," replied his companion.
" That is Laura Gresliam, tho belle of
the season. Is she not lovely V"
" Yes, very," answered Hal ; " she has
that rare beauty that reminds one of a
flower, delicate and perfect, yet living.
I think I have seen her before." ;
That is hardly possible, for sho has
been in a convent chHO? a" ber life
until this winter. Let me introduce
yu" .. r . , .J-.'-A :
Hal assented - eagerly, , but was sur
prised to see a sudden blush suffuse Miss
Oresham's face , when his nume , wus
mentioned, and he fancied her manner
nervous and distraught. ,She had no
dance left to give" hjmi hut they chatted
a few moments on ordinary topics, and
a chance allusion elicited from her the
question;
"Is it long slime you returned from
Europe V"
"Only about six months. 1 should
have remained a year longer, but all my
worldly goods being converted Into
dust and ashes one night, it behooves
me to exchange the life of a vagabond
for the practice of my profession, which
began here in preference to my native
city." . -
The lightly poken words seemed to
astonish her. "What a misfortune,"
she exclaimed.
" I trust it will not prove so in the
end," ho answered, thoughtfully, but
the next dunce hud already begun, and
the (etc a, Mr, was inturrupted.
Eater in the evening his hostess said
to him playfully : " You should feci
much flattered; MlssGresham has been
asking ull about you, and it is not often
she takes so much trouble. Of course
you have fullen in love at first sight."
" I'erhups I should If I had not, long
since, outgrown such a possibility," Hal
answered carelessly.
Neverthelessas he sat next morning
in his modest llttlo office, Laura's beau
tiful fuce came between his eyes and the
dry reports of the medical works he was
reading, with such persistency, that it
was a relief when the bell rang and he
wan interrupted by a message desiring
his attendance upon Mr. Khodcs as soon
as possible.
" Rhodes!" thought Hal, as he pre
pared to obey the summons, " surely I
have heard that name before. Why, it
is the same as that of my crusty old cor
respondent, and this is the city ho lived
in. (Strange I never thought of it be
fore. I should like to see his little niece
oguin."
But when he reached the handsome
house to which he hod been directed, lie
found only an irascible, dyspeptic old
gentleman, who made no allusion to
any previous intercourse, and who
proved a most exacting and exaspera
ting patient. .It was not until a third
visit that he found a young lady In the
room, who was Introduced as "my
niece. Miss Oresham."
' So this was the poor, needy girl he
had succored this courted belle and
heiress.' Truly, circumstances had
changed with both of them since their
first meeting.
' " I have had the pleasure of seeing
Dr. Burgess before," she said, with a
slight hesitation; but beyond the sig
nificance that might be attached to thoso
few words,no reference was made to any
previous incident In their acquaintance.
Apparently she desired that it should bo
Ignored, and Hal had fur too much tact
and good breeding to betray by word or
look his own remembrance of it. Yet
he often wondered at this silence, as in
the course of several months' profession
al attendance he became better acquaint
ed with herself and her uncle.
The latter was a confirmed invalid, to
whom his niece was exceedingly de
voted, and she found an effclent aid in
the young doctor, who although his
practice was rapidly enlarging, some
how always managed to have considera
ble time to devote to this special case.
Seeing Laura thus frequently and in
timately, Hal became more and more in
terested in her, and consequently this
persistent reserve, which apparently
arose from false shame of the past or
shallow pride in the present, vexed and
puzzled him. It was the one blemish
he found in her character, and he nei
ther understand it nor excused it.
It kept him from falling in love, at
least from ever avowing his affection ;
one who attached such undue impor
tance to weullh and position would
hardly tolerate the addresses of a poor
physician, lie reasoned, although Laura's
manner certainly gave him cause to en
tertain a contrary opinion. One morn
log he met her in the hall.
" Can I speak with you a. moment be
fore you go to my uncle V" she asked.
" Certainly," be replied, following her
into the reception room. Closing IU
door she came toward him, saying with
a smfle:
" Have you quite forgotten me?"
"Surely, Miss Graham need never
ask a question like that," he said gal
lantly. " Besides, I suw you yester
day." ....
She made a slight movement of im
patience. ,
"I do not . mean that. I want to
kuow whether youdiave uever guessed
that I was the jioor girl you met on the
street that dreadful night when my
mother was so ill, and you befriended
us ? Am I so much changed that you .
did not know nioV"
No,' ho answered ; ' but, I thought'
Thought I hut I had such a foolish,
false pride that I shrunk from acknowl
edging my indebtedness to you, and re
calling my former prldo and wretched
ness," she interrupted, her soft eyes
filling with tears and her lips quivering '
with suppressed emotion. "Iamsorry,
but you have had good reason. My
uncle is always so annoyed by any al
lusion to that miserable time it wounds
his pride,and, besides that he reproaches
himself so bitterly for Ignorantly allow
ing my mother to struggle and suffer as
she did, and I have never dared to
speuk of It before him. In fact, I re- .
sorted to a ruse to Induce him to have
you attend him, telling him though the
names were tho same, tho Dr. Burgess
he remembered was rich, and probably
still abroad."
" Then you recognized me yourself at
once?"
" Certainly, and I am not so ungrate
ful as I have seemed. I have so longed
for an opportunity to thank you, though
words never can for all you did for us."
" Do not say any more about it, Miss
Gresham," said Hal, much embarrass
ed. " It was a trifling service I was so
fortunate as to render you,' and you
may be pure I should never have re
minded you of it."
" But I feel under such a weight of
unacknowledged obligation," she pro
tested, earnestly, " and besides I think I
may venture to tell my uncle now.
You hovo become such a favorite with
him that I think he will be able to for
give you even for your charity to us."
Hal winced at the words spoke half
playfully, yet with genuine humility.
" I assure you, Miss Laura, there is no ' X'
such debt of gratitude between us as you
assume ; any benefit I was to you at
that time has already been more than
repaid by the patronage which has been
secured for me through your uncle's in
fluence since I came to your city a poor,
unknown physician."
She shook her head incredulously.
" That is nothing. Your own talent
would have secured it all without any
aid from us. I do wish there were any
way in which I could repay you."
" There is one," ho said, yielding to a
sudden impulse as he looked down into
her eager eyes, " but no it would sup- '
pose the original debt increased by such
enormous usury, that I dare not propose
it."
"Our estimates might differ," she
murmured, the long lashes dropping
shyly, and the tell-tale color flushing
her cheeks.
" All debts are more than cancelled by
the gift of love," was the reply.
A few mornings later, Laura . leaned
over the back of her uncle's chair, and
said coaxlngly : ,
" Dr. Burgess has done you a great
deal of good, uncle; I should think you
would like to make him a present."
" Bo I would, Laura, so I would.
What shall it be ? - You may select It."
" Well, uncle, it is a strange fancy ,but
he thinks he would like me."
"You!" cried Mr. llhodes, in utter
astonishment. " Even as well as I like
the fellow, that is a little too much."
" Oh, don't say that, uncle,' answered
Laura, blushing. "Think of all. his
services and kind attentions to you, as I
am sure I owe him everything for he
proved to the very Dr. Burgess who be
friended me when I was in such sore
trouble."
, The old gentleman sat speechless for
some moments, engrossed by conflicting
emotions.
"You said I might choose the pres.
ent for him," urged Taura, timidly,
" and it really w ill not be giving me
awny, for we shall belong to you."
Her uncle kissed her fondly and Hal,
appearing at thnt instant to the door
way, he called to him :
" This little woman has pleaded your
case so well that all is left for me to say
is, take her aud be happy." -
If yu are determined to get the
beam out of your own eye before you put
your fingers into your brother's eye to
get his mote out, you will probably be
very busy for the uext few years. , .
Knowledge will become folly if
good sense docs not take carejof It.
r