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Hilda's Experiment

Hilda's Experiment image
Parent Issue
Day
8
Month
October
Year
1880
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

It was a tenipestuous night in November. Thecaived Dutch clock in Judge Harri.son's study had just struck nine. Judge Harrison hirnself, an austere-looking, silver-haireil man, sat upright in his chair gazing coldly at his guest. " Well," said Dr. Hooper, putting on his gloves' " of course it isn't tbr me or any one else to interiore in family matters. But your grandchild is loft totally unprovided for, sir." " I cannot help tbat," said the Judge, frigidly. "Eigln yeare ago I offered to support the child, and the father too, if he would only consent to leave tbat outlandish ioreign wife of his. lic marricd her against my will ; he clung to her against my will. Let him abide by bis decisión." " It's only natural, Judge, that aman should cleave unto his wife." urged the doctor. "Itis only natural, then, that a man sliould provide for the child of that wife, Dr. Ilooper. At all events, Ishall assume no farther responsibility." " But, Judge Harrison, y ou are a rioh man." " Granted - but as I mademy money myself, I feel that I have a right to spend it to suit myself." "Hilda is a fine girl," pleaded Dr. Hooper. " No doubt, no doubt; but you will iartfon me if I feel no very great anziety to see the child of the Germán singing woman who stole my son's heart away from me." Dr. Hooper hesitated. ' Judge, ' ' bc said at last in a tone of appealing earnestness, "you have another granddaughter." "Ihave. My daughter's child, Marian Lennox makesber home with me." "And you would deny a similar home to Hilda Harrison?" Judge Harrison' s shaggy white brows met in a straight, frowning line. "Doctor," said he, "you will fail to make any distinction between a dutiful child, and one who has been undutiful." "Let me see Miss Lennox," said Dr. Hooper. "Let me interest her in the fact of this desolate unknown cousin. She bas a woman's heart in her bosom. I am sure I can move her ! " Judge Harrison smiled coldly as he touched a small gilded call-bell which stood on the table beside him. "SendMiss Marian here," said he to a servant, and the man noiselessly obeyed. ïn another minute a tall, princesslike girl stood in the room - a girl with hair of pale gold, deep blue eyes like azure stars, aud a. drcss of soft bluu silk that teil na pieturesque folds about her, and trailed noiselcssly over the carpet as she walked. " Marian," said the Judge, " this is Dr. liooper. He has eoinc here to plead the cause of your Uncle Severn's daughter Hilda. Severn deliber;itely disobeyed.uie at tirst iu marrying Hildegarde Boehuier - he rejcoted the offer I alterward made of taking him and the chili houie, if' he would leave the siren who had blighted all his lift. Now he is dead, and left his child unprovided for. I say, as he has sown, so let his child reaj. VVhat do you say?" " I think grandpapa is quite right," said Marian, in a short, sweot voico. " Graadpapa is always right." "ïhenyou have no word to speak for this lonely little orphan?" cried out Dr. Hooper, deeply indignant. Marian laid her ringed hand upon that oí' her grandfather, and nestled close to him. " I always defer my judgment to that of grandpapa," said she- and Judge Harrison, passing his arm around the girl's waist, looked with illcoueealed triumph at the luckless special pleader. Dr. Hooper bowed, spoke his adieu and departed. When ho rcturncd to his own huuible residence, a dark-eyed girl niet hiin at the door. " Have you seen hiui, doctor - my grandfather? " she eried eagerly. Dr. Hooper noddcd. " It's of no use, though," t-aid he. " The oíd man has a heart likc granite; and that girl, your cousin, ji of cast ron. " " He will not take rne?" "No." Hilda Harrison set her lips together. "Well," said abe, " then I must manage to provide for myself. " "Nohurry, lass ; no hurry," said the kindly little doctor. " Oo teil the wifo to bring me a cup of hot coffee before 1 start out again." " Hilda," he said presently, as he 6at toasting his feet before the fire, with his wife knitting opposite and Judge Uarrison's granddaughter leanirfü against the window and looking out into the stormy darkness, " what are you going to do ?" " I don't think I quite know, doctor.' " You are sixteen? " "Sixteen and a half, sir.'j "And you cannot teach?" "Ohdear, no, sir!" Hilda shook her head decidedly. " 1 had no chance tbr much education, travclini; alinut as I did." " Nor sew." " Not well enough to adopt t for a profession." " Then, for all 1 eau see, there is nothing left but to go into doinestic service." "I would take a place morro w, doctor, if I could get a good home and decent wages," said Hilda nuickly. "Good," said Dr. Hooper. " That is the iight) spirit, child? I don't fear but what you'll mako your way, in one direction or another. But I think I can sce something a little more promising ahead of you than that." ' What isit, doctor?" " I noticed the way you took care of your poor father, Hilda, in his last illness. 1 thought tben you would make a good nurse - I tbink so now. There is an opening in St. Frar.cesca's hospital. A good home and one dollar per day. " "As nurse, doctor?" "As nurse." "And I shall see you souietiiaes ? " " Frequently - twice t week at least." Elilda pondered a secondortwo, and tben carne forward with glistcning eyes, and red lips apart. "Doctor," said she, " I will tryit." And so Clement Harrison's granddaugb ter donued the little muslin cap, print dress and white ruffled apron of the St. Francos can corps of nurses, and set diligently to work eartiing her own living. A year passed by, and Dr. Wallace sent word that a nurse was wanted tbr a Miiallpox case in the city. Tho Sistor Superior looked dubiously at her women. "Whowillgo?" said she - and Hilda Harrison stepped forward. " I will," said she. " I have no fears of the contagión, and Iwant to add toniy experience. " So little Hilda packed har bag and went. The housekeepcr of the great Fiflh Avenue palace was wringing hor hun.l-, hall terrified out of her seuses ; the other servants had taken precipítate leave. "And Miss Lennox went this morning," said sIil', " I should tliink she might liave sta d." . " Who is Miss Lennox?" questioned in nocent (lilda. " l'be old gentleiuan's gfanddaughter that he had brought up and petted like aeosset lamb," said Mrs. Hurst. " Oh, the ngratitudc of some folks. And ifJudge Harrison dies - " Hilda looked up quickly from the bottles of carbolic acid she was unpacking. " Is thisJudge Harrisoa's house ?" said sbe. " Why, of course it is," answered Mra. Hurst. "Didn't you know? " "No, Idid not know," Hilda said. "But of course it makes no difference whose house it is." " Who are you?" Judge Harrison asked, hoarsely.as the light footcrossed thethreshold. "lam the nurse from St. Francesca's. They cali me Hilda." "Hilda what?" " Never mind njy other name," said the young girl, with a gentle authority that had come to her with mum-ho of r-oot; _ the wfary sirle beds. "They cali me Iluda, and you are not to talk and excite yourself." "Do you know you are running a great risk?" " It is my business to runk risks." Three weeks elapsed. The crisis of tho disease was past. The old man, weakened indeed, and sadly disngured, was able once more to sit up in his easychair ; and Hilda who had watched over him with a vigilance and tenderness which he fully appreciated, was arrangingfresh flowersin a vase on tho table. " Hilda," said he, slowly, " where has my granddaughter Marian been all this time?" " She went away, sir, when you were first taken ill. She was afraid of' the disease." "And she lef't me? " "And left you, sir." " There was gratitude ! " ho muttered, hoarsely. " And when is she coming back ? " Hilda laid down her roses, and looked with pathetic, feeling eyes, at hirn. " She will notcome back at all, sir," she answered. " We dared pot teil you bef'ore, but - but lier flight was in vain. Sbc died of small-pox last week." The old man turned away with u smothered groan. "Hilda," said he, "you will stay with me ? You will not leave me alone ? Nay, do not speak. I know who you are. I recognized your name when you first came. You have looked at me with your father's eyes many a time since. Hilda, I tliink God has sent you to me." "Oh, grandpapa!" and Hilda knelt weeping beside his chair, scarcely able to believe that his loving arms were around her neck, his tears dropped on her brow. " Oh, dear grandpapa ! I have so longed for soine one to love- for some one to love me! " And good little Dr. Hooper was well satisfied with the resultof Hilda's experiment at carning her own living. " Heaven manages these things bettor than we do," thought he, as he remembered his attempt at softening Judge Harrison's flinty heart more than a year before.

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News