Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1938-02-10, Page 22PAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1938 rall1111111111111111111111111111111EINE1111111111111.11111111111 "Oh, Will they think that?" she the Rev. Mr, Mannering's, as he apoke aaid, 'quickly. "Well, I'll—Ill go now,lof the 01bi1igations incurred by two Ronald; hut please make my hair young folk separating themselves smooth behind—and is my •collar from all others and resolved upon go - right ?" ing through the world's !joys and sor- And yet it was not suds a very rows always side by side; and the old dreadful interview, after all; for the dames were Much affected; and when two old dames made a mighty. fuss he went on to quote the verses, over this pretty young 'creature; and vied with each other in petting her, and cheering her, and counselling her; and when the great event was spoken of in 'wallets they also were to play a pant, they affected to talk in a lowea tone of voice, as if it were something mysterious and tragic, and demand- ing the greatest caution and circurn- opectio'n, As for the young minister, he sat rather apart, and allowed this large, soft eyes to dwell upon Meenie, with something of wistfulness in his look. He could 'do so with impunity, in truth, for the old ladies entirely monopolized her. They patted her on the shoulder, to give her courage; they spoke as if they themselves had one through the wedding ceremony a hundred tines. Was she 'sore •she would rather have no other witnesses? Would she stand up at the head of the room now, and they would shove her all ,he would have to .clo? And they stroked her hand; and ,purred about her; and wort: mysteriously elated ov- er their share in this romantic busi- ness; insomuch that they altogether forgot !Ronald, who was left to talk polities with the absent -eyed young parson. Between this interview and the formal wedding a sabole week had to elapse; arid during that time Agatha Conrail' saw tit to deal in quite a dif- fereist way with her sister. She was trying reason now, and peratooion, and entreaty; and that, at 'least, was more agreeable to l eenie than being driven into a position of angry antag- onism. Moreover, 'Meetsie did not seek to vaunt her self-will and independ- ence too openly. Her meetings with Ronald were few; and she made no ostentatious parade of them. She was civil to MI". Frank 'Lauder when he came to the 'house. Indeed, Mr. Gem - mill. who arrogated to 'himself the success of this 'milder method of treat- ing the girl, who hold enough to de- clare that everything 'was going on well; Meenie had as mods common- sense as most ,folic; she o -as not likely to throw herself away; and When once aha had seen old Mr. Lauder's spaci- ous mansion, and picture -galleries, and what no, and observed the style in which the 'family lived, he made no doubt but that they would soon have to welcome Frank Lauder as a broth- er-in-law-. Totem:tiling, 'flushed at times, and pale at others, and clinging nervously .Ronald's arm, 'Meenie made her way up this cold stone staircase in Garnet Hill, and breathless and agita- ted she stood on the landing, while he rung the bell. "'Oh, Ronald, I hope I am dobig right," she munnuted. "We will let the future be the judge of that, my good girl," he :said, with modest confidence. • The old dames al.most smothered her with thear attentions and kind- ness; and they had a 'bouquet for her —all in white, as became a bride; and they had 'paepared other little knick- knacks for her adornment, so that ahey had to carry her off to their own room for the .donning df these. And when •they brought her back—oose- red •she was, and timid, and !trembling —each a them had one of her hands, as if she was to be their 'gift to give away; .an.d very important and mys- terious were they 'about the shutting of the doors, and the conducting of the conversation in whispers. Then ahe 'minister came forward, and show- ed them with •a little gesture of his hand where they should stand before The ceremonial of a ,Scotch wed- ding is at the simplest; but the ad- dress to the young 'people thus enter- ing life together may be jost anything you please. And in tnuth there was a good deal more of poetry than of the- make uo to hirn for what he !had auf- 000gy in these mellifluent sentences of fered at her hands? "And on her lover's arm :she leant, And round her waist ahe felt it fold, And far across the hills they went In that new world whicb is the old," they never thought of asking whether the lines were •ouite apposite; they were so'b'bing 'unaffectedly •and Pro.. Lusely; aad Meenie's eyes were tattier wet too, And then, when it was all over, they ,caught her to their arms as if she had :been their OW11 1 and would lead her to the sofa, and overwhelm her with all kinds of little attentions and 'caresses. Cake anti wine, too—of course he moat have some take asel wine! "Should 1, !Ronald?" she said, look- ing op, with her eyes all wet and shining and laughing: it was her first appeal to the amthority of her hus- band, "As you like—as you like, surely." But when they came to him, gently refused. "Not on your w eckling-day 1" the .1,1 ladies exclaimed—and then he raised the glass to his lips; and they did not notice that he had not touched it t% hen he pra it down again. And so these two were married now—whatever the future might have in store for them; and in a brief space of time—as soon, indeed, as she could tear herself away from these kincl friends, she had dispossessed herself of her little hits of 'bridal !finery; and had bade a long and 'lingering good -by to Ronald; and was ,tealina back to her sister's house. CHLAIPTER It was with feelings not to be en- vied that (lack Rosen stalked up and down the veranda in front of this Fort .George hotel, or haunted the long, echoing, corridors, eager to question any who had access to the siok-room. All the mischief seemed to be of his doing; and the help and counsel and direction in this time of distress seem- ed to be afforded by his friend Tilley. It was he—that is, FillySell—whose carelessness had led to the boating ca- tastrophe; it was the young doctor who had trlungecl into the lake and saved ,Carry's life. Not only that, hut it was on his shoulders that there now seemed to rest the ;burden of saving her a second time; for she had gone from had to worse; the fever 'had in- creased rapidly; and while Dr. Tilley was here, there, and everywhere in his quiet but persistent activity, taking el- aborate precautions about the temper- ature (if the room, instructing the two trained norses whom he had tele- graphed Inc 'from New York, and pa- cifying the mental vagaries of the pa- tient as best he might, what could Jack Huysen do hut wander about like an uneasy spirit, accusing himself of having wrought all this evil, and des- perately conscious that he could be of no use whatever in mitigating its re- sults? She was n•ot always delirious. 'For the most part she lay moaning slight- ly, breathing with the greatest diffi- culty, and complaining of that con- stant pain in her 'chest; while 'her high pulse and temperat'ure 'told now the fever was rather ga:ining epos her than abating. But then again, at tittles her thace -would grow +flushed, and she would talk in panting whispers, in an eager kind of way, and as if ahe glad some secret to tell. ;Anti always telt SaIlle delusion occupied, her mind— that this was Loch Naver; that they had got into trouble somehow, be- cause 'Ronald was not in the boat; that they had sent for 'Ronald, but lie wasgone away somewhere; and so forth: And. Isometitnes she uttered hit: - ter r•eproaches; Ronald had been treated by some one; nay, she herself had been to blame; and orho was to iNot that 'he cared," the .said, lath- have lost my head altogether—" er proudly and contemptuously, one .-e,Aodonitteh good You'd have done if youa had ',tamped in," the doctor said, aand left the two women to manage 'the ;boat! How shooed we have got picked op, then?" • "Rut ,albout 'that jibbing, now—was at ray 'fault?" No; It WRS mine," the ,doctor said, curtly. "I .shouldn't 'have given 'op the ti•lber. Faiet is, the !girls were 'just mad albout that 'Dancing in the Barn'; and was ,fooll enough to yield to them. '1, tell you, Tack, it isn't half as easy 111,9 it looks steening a boat that's runoing fair before the wind; I .d•9n't blame you at all; I dare say thene was a nasty puff that 'caught you when you weren't looking; tanyhow, it's a bless- ing no one was bit 'by the boom— that was what II 'feared for Miss Hod- son When I found her insensible -1 was afraid alie had been hit about thc head—" "And you don't think it was abso- lute careless'nesa?" the other said. Quickly, was steering straight for the pier, as you 'said." "Oh, well," said the young .cloctor, evasively, "if you had noticed in time, you know—or when I called to you —but perhaps it was too late then. It's no 'use going back on that now; what we 'have to do now is to .fight this fever as well as we 'can." "I would take it over from her if 1 could," Jack Huyaen saki, "and will- ina,ly enough." itwas 1101 Until early the itext morning that 'air. I-Todson arrived. He looked 'dreadfully oale 'and harassed and 'fatigued; far the +fact was lie was not in Chicago when they telegraph- ed for 'him; some business affairs lia.c1 called hint away to the Sou th ; aocl the news of his daughter's illness follow- ed him from place to place until it found hint in a remote corner of Louisiana, whence he had travelled naglit and day without 'criv•ing himself an 'hour's rest. AIM ,1101V he would not stay to dip his hands .and face in cold water after his long and anx•ious jour- ney; he merely asked a few hurried question's of the doctor; and then, stealthily and on tiptoe, and determin- ed to show no sign of alarm or per- turbation, he went into Carry's room. She had 'been very delirious 'during the night—talking wildly and frantic- ally in spite of all their efforts to soothe her; hut now she lay exhaust- ed, with the •fleshed fate and ;bittish lips and eager, restless eyes so strangely unlike' the .Carry of other clays. She recogniaed him at once— hut liot as a new -comer; she appeared to think he had been there all the time. "'Have you seen hint, pappa?" :ate said, in that eager 11,1131. "Did yott see him when you W111'11 i1111?" "Who, darling?" he said, as he sat down 'beside her and took her wasted hand in his. "Why, Ronald to be Sure! 01, some- thing dreadful was aboot to happen to 1,1111- -I don't .kno w what it was— something dreadful and dreadful—anti I called out—at the window—at the window there --and nurse says it is all right now --all right now—" 'Oh yes, indeed," her father said, gently; "you may 'depend it is all right with 'Ronald 'now. 'Don't y.01.1 fret about that. "Ali, but we •negleeted him, pappa. we neglected him; and I worat of any," she went on, in that panting, breathless way. "11 was always the moue—always thinking of doing some- thing 'for bum and never -doing it. I meant to have written to the innkeep- er for his address in Glasgow; but no—that o-ae forgotten too. And then the spliced rod, that 'George was •th have got for itte—ff seamed 'Ronald to have the hest aalsnon-rod that Amer- ica could make—hut it was talking— all talking. Ala it was never talking with aiin when Ise could do us a ser- vice—and the other boatmen getting money, of course—and he scarcely a `thank you' when we Mille away-. 'Why didn't 'George get the fishing -rod?" "Pt's all right, Carry, darling," her father said, whispering to her, "yon lie quiet 1/01V, artd get well, and you'll see what a splendid salmon -rod we'll get Ronald. Not that it would be of much use to him, you See, when he's in Glasgow with his 'books and studies: but it -will show him we have not For- gotten him, Don't you trouble about it, 110,111-1 1 will see it is all right; and you will give it to him youraelf, if we go over there next spring, to try the salmon -fishing again." "Then you will take George with you, OataPa," she said, regarding bito with her burning eyes, "Oh yes; and you--" ing"Nhoetr ,m,no heaed..,11. larie,"m;he going sak,kir,4.AATbk.;, doctor 'doesn't know; 1 know. -rhey have been very kind; Ibut—hotonak them, pappa, not to 'bother me to toke .things now. -1I want to be let alone, now you are here --it will only •he' for a little while—" "Why, what nonaense you talkl" said—hut his heart was strook with a sudden fear, for these feW straggling sentences she had uttered without any appearance of .delirium, "I tell you, you must hasten to get well and hushed evening that the -doctor was trying to soothe her into quietude. no. !Ronald care what a con- ceited scriblbling .sehoolaboy said about him? INol � should think not. Perhaps 'he never knew—indeed, think he never knew. He never !knew, that all •our friends io 'Chicago were asked to look on and see him lee - tared and patronized and examined. 'Oh, so clever the newapaper writer was—with his airs saf 'criticism and patronage! ,But 'the coward that he was—the coward -,--to strike inthe dark -4o sit in his little ,den and .strike in the +daokl Why, •didn't pack auysen drag him out? Wily 'didn't he make him sign his tarse, that we .could tell who this was with his tbraggart airs? The cow.ardl Why. Ronald vvositcl have felled hinal .Nol no! He would not have looked the way the poor pretentious fool was going. He would have laughed. Doctor, do you know W110 he was? Did you ever meet him? 'Tut who, Miss Carry?" he said, as he patted her hot hand. She looked at him wonderingly, "Why, idon't you know? Diti you never hear? The miserable creature that was allowed to speak ill of •our Ronald. Ala do you think have for- gotten? Does (Tack Haysen think have fongotten? No, I will not forget —you 'can tell 'him I will 'not 'forget— will not Forget—I will not forget—" She 1.‘11111 growing more and more vehement; and to pacify her he had to assure her that. he himself would see this matter put straight; and that it was all righ t, and that ample amends would' ibe made. Of course he paid 'no great attention to these delirious wanderings; hut that same evening, when he had gone into the smoking -room 10 report to jack Huysen how things were .going, this complaint of ''Miss Carry's hap- pened to recur to Isis mind. "Look here, jack, what's this that alte'a always talking about—seems to worry her a good deal—some news - Paper article—and you're mix.ed up in it, too --something you appear to have said or done about that fellow her father took 'such a fancy for—] mean, when they were in Scotland—" "OM 1 know," said the editor, old Ise blushed to the eery roots of his long, flowing hair. ''T losow, But it's an ohl story. It's all forgotten now." "Well, it h not," the young doctor said, "and that's the fact. She worries a bout it eon tinnally. Very sir:moo 110W, how her mind aust happened to take that bent. 1 don't remember that we were ta I kin g much oho t the Scot ch highlands. But they must ha ve been in her head when she fell ill; and now it's nothing else. Well, what is 11 ,111)011I t he newspaper article, anyway?" "Why, nothing to make a fuss about," Jack ff-loysen saki, but rather eneasily. "IT thought it was all forgot- ten. She said WI much. Wonder you rion't 'remember the article—suppose you missed it --but it sills Omit this same tHigh la id 'fellow, an d some verses of his—it was young +Regan wrote ie.—confound hint, it'd have kic•ked him into Lake Michigan he. fore I'd let him write a line in the Pais - 11 Id 'have known there was going to be this trouble along it. •Ancl 1 don't think now there 'was muds to 111 c! fault with -1 only ghinced over it be- fore sendinv, it to her, ,and it seemed fa vorable e noti —of roil l'SV there sots a little of the de ham en has loi,,ifICSS—you know how young fel- lows like to writ e-sbut it was fa von - a ble—v ery favorable, should say; however she chose to work up a pret- ty high olcl row on the strength of it when she came. home, and I had Iv work cut ota for me before I could pacify her. 'Why, •you don't say she's at that again? Women are such curi- ous creatures; they hold on to things so; T. wonder, now, why it is she takes such an interest M that fellow after all this time?" "just as likely as not the merest coincidence—eome trifle that got hold of her brain when she .first became delirious," the young doctor said. "I suppose the 'boating and the lake and all that brought lbaok recollections of the Highlands; and she 'seems to have 'been fascinated by the life over there —the wildness of it 'caught her imag- ination. 1 suppose. She must have 'been in considerable clanger once or twice, if should guess; or perhaps she is mixing that up .with the mishap of the other day. Well, I Iknow 'I wish her father were here. We can't do more than what is being clone; T wish he were Isere. 'If he can get through to Glens 'Falls to -night, you may depend on it he'll .corne along somehow." By the time jack was nervously pacing .uo ancl down --there was no ate hot themselves in the room. "Now look 'here, Tom," he said pre - "g swish you would tell me, honor 'bright::: was it a sqoall that ,caught the boat' or was it downright carelessness 011 my 'part? I may as well know. I 'can't take snore shame to myself, anathow—and to •let yeti jump in after her, too, when I'm a better svoimmar than you are—I must strong; for when George and you an I go to Scotland, there will he a grea de.g of travelling to do. You 'know we've got to fix on that piece of land andsee how it is all to he arrange, and 'managed, so that 'George wil have a 'comfortable little estate 'of hi own when 'he 'comes of age; or maybe if it ja a pretty place, we may be sel Ifish and keep it in our own handseh Carry?—'and then, you 'see, 'we shall have to haat Ronald travel aboot wit tis, to give us Isis adyice; .and the wea thet may he !bad, you know; you' bave to brace yourself up. There, ,nom I'm not going to !to talk to you any more 'just now. Lie still and quiet; an. mind 3,ott 'do everything the 'docto bids you—why, you to talk like thw —you"! I 'never thought you Wottl. give in, Carry: why, even as a schoo girl, you had the pluck of a doz.et Don't you give iss; anld s.ee we haven't those two 'cables out on Lock Never !before many months are, ove.' h, se' shook her head laaguidly; hs eyes wene dosed now. Arid Ise w for slipping out 'of the room tb•ut th site clung to his hand for 'a moment "iPappa," she said, in a low voic and she opened her eyes and regar ed hint—and surely at this momen as the odd to hinaself, she seemed pe feetly sane ark( reasonable, "I Was you to promise me something." '"Yes, yes," he 'said, ,catsiekly: wit was it 'he would .riot have promised order to soothe and quiet her mind such a time? clon't know about 'going wi yosi asisi Geonge," slle said, slowl and apparently with much • •difficult It seems a long Wily off—allon time—land—aod II 'hardly care no what 'happens. But you will look aft Ronald; • yoil must promise me tha pimps; and tell him I Vi111, sorry; sup,pose he ,iteard the •ellooting, w taken, and would know 'why we d not go over in tlie autumn; but so will find him out, pappa, and see wis lie is doing; and don't let him thin we forgot thins 'altogether." "Carry, darling you . leave that me; it will he al•I right with Ronald, promise you," he .father saidoeageri "Why, to Oldok you should has been ,worrying about that! 1011l you' see it will 'he right lubout Ronal. never fear! 'What would you say, nos if 1 were to telegraph Min to cons olisa,estrea:Itiltisegeetyol‘t:,,iii?1,,only you mak 1110111111111111S, at all excel seemed to pacify her somewhat; an as she now lay still and quiet, Ili father stole out of the Phill11, 1101kill that perhaps the long -prayed -for slee might come to calm the fevered both But the slow hours passed, tool, is far from any improvement becomin visible, her condition grew 1110111 an more serioes. 'two doctors— fo Dr. Tilley hod suinmoiled in addition al aid—overe assiduous enough: bll when questioned, they gave evasiv answer'; and tyheit Mr. Hodson 'beg ged to 'be allowed to telegraph to' celebrated Boston 'physician, who was alim a particolar friend of his own, asking thin,. to. erase along at once, they trequieseed, it is true, but it was clearly with the view 'of satiefyinat Mr, liodacili's mind, rather than eviils any hope Of advantage to the patient. (From him, indeed, they scarcely tried to conceal the extreme gravity of the ease. Enima Rerfoitt and Mrs. 'Lalor were quieted ivith vague assurances; 'but .Mo Tadds.on knew of the peril in which his 'claughter lay; and, as was it impossible lair him to go to sleep, and as his terrible anxiety put talk- ing to these friends out of the gues- tion, he kept mostly to his own room, walking op and clown, and fearing every 'moment lest direr news shoulc arrive. Won they haci 'been touch companions, these two; anal sha was an "only daughter; and 'her bright frank, lovable character—that Ise hod watched front childhood growing more and Mime bearniful and coming into closer communion with himself as year after year went by—had wound its tendrils round his heart. That Carry, of all people in the world, should be taken away from them so, seemed so strange and unacemintable: she that was ever so full of life and gayety and confidence. The mother ad been an invalid 'during most of ler Married life; the 'boy George hacl co the strongest of constitutiolts; but Oory laa always to the lore with er airclations spirits and light -heart - 'Mess. ready for anything, and the ,eat of travelling companions, Am.(' if he were to go, what his life be to itn? --fhP light of it gone, the glad- es::: of it van ished .forever, That afternoon the dellitl•iim return - d, and ehe became more and more ildiy eaeited, until 'the paroxysm assetl beyond all bounds. ('ro isa continoed) PROFESSIONAL CARDS tin cl ti er as at e, t, r - it at at a Medical DR. E. A. MeMASTER—Graduate of the Faculty of Medicine, Univers- ty cf ,Toronto, and of the New York Post 'Graduate School and Hospital. Member of the College of Physicians. and 'Surgeons of 'Ontario, Office on High street. Phone 27. Office 'fully equipped for xsray diagnosis and dor ultra ,short wave electric treatment, ultra violet isun lamp treatment and 'nfra red eleetric treatment. Nurse in attendance. DR. GILBERT C. jARROTT -- Graduate of Faculty of Medicine, Un- iversity of Western Ontario. Member of 'College of Physicians andSurgeons of Ontario. Office 43 Goderich street west. Phone 3i7. Hours 2-4.30 p.m, 7.30-9 pm. Other hours by appoint- ment. Successor to Dr. Chas, 'Mackay, DR. H. HUGH ROSS, Physician arid Sungeon Late of London Hos- pital, London, England. Special at- tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Office and residence behind Dominion Bank, Office Phone No, 5; Residence Phone 104. DIR. F. J. BUR'ROW'S, Seaforth. edifice and residence, ,Goderieh street, east of the United Church. Coroner for the County of Huron. Telephone No. 445. DR, F. J. R. FORSTER— Eye Ear, Nose and Throat Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto 11807. Late Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi- tals, London. At Commercial Hotel, Seafarth, third Wednesday in each month from 1.30 p.m. to p.m. DR. W. C. SPROAT Physician - Surgeon Phone 90-W. 'Office John St. Seafort? Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of ,Huron. Arrangements can. be ,made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed. F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction- eer for Perth and Huron Counties. Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stock, chattels and real estate property. R. R. No. 4, Mitchell, Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. THE McKILLOP Mutual Fire Insurance Ce HEAD OFFICF.--SEAFORTH, Ont. OFIFI:CERS President—Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth; Vic -President, Thomas Moylan, Secretary -treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. McKercher, R.R.1, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefield; E. R. G. Jarmouth, Brodlhagen; James Watt, Blyth; C. F. 'Hewitt, Kincardine; I Wm. Yeo, Holmesville, DIRECTORS Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth. No. 3; James Sholdice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Lon desboro; George Leon hardt, Bornholm No. 1; Frank McGregor, Clinton No, S; James Connolly, God- erich; Alex MeEwiqg, }Myth No. 1; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth No. 5; Wm R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their res.pective post - offices. Teacher: 'I ,should like you all to take more pride in your personal ,ap- pearance.")NOW, Johnny, how many collars, do you wear a .week?" 'Johnny: ',Please, teacher, do you mean how many weeks do I wear a collar?" • ' A group saf 'professional men had gathered, in the lobby of a hotel and proceeded to malke themselves known to one 'another. "My name is Portesque," said one, extending his 'hand. a painter— work in 'water colors chiefly." "Indeed," remarked' another. "I'm an artist too, 1 work in bronze." 'Well, This is 'fine," chimed in a third, "I'm a sculptor, I wortle in ,stone." Then the iquiet iittie fellow who had 'been inclined to 'keep apart step- ped •up, a dry smile on his face. "Glad to make the acquaintance of you !gentlemen," he reinaeked, "for a have a cotninon Interest with you, a wools in ivory. I'm a college pr,o- fessor." •