Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1910 — Passeth Understanding [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Passeth Understanding

prwujjuuuu —. Dr. Williams, despite all the brushes h* had had with death, had a soft His daily life was a daily •Sony, for he lived all the troubles Tklch ho sought to alleviate In his patients. So when John Strong met Mm at the bottom of the stairs and, Ttth white Ups that trembled, asked how she was, ho knew his face spoke what he would rather were left unsaid. "You must be brave," murmured the doctor. “Then It is—serious?” the other faltered hopelessly. “Yes—very serious. ~lt is cerebral meningitis.” I don t know these—these terms. •Does that mean ” He broke off as , though afraid to frame the question. Then he drew a deep breath. “Is it Hotair *Wot always. No, not always. But M It was Just as hard for the doc-

tor to speak as for the husband of the poor woman upstairs- to question. “But," he began again, “but—well one thing We must do. She must have abnolute quiet—absolute—and the noise —to the street; how can we stop It?” They were at the door by this time. Strong glanced out Into the brilliantly lit street of the provincial town. It was a busy street and It was Saturday evening. Tradesmen’s carts were bowling along, now and then a lorry passed, and, too, the ory of a motor horn occasionally mixed with the thousand amises which, as a rule unnoticed by the man accustomed to the dally life amid them all, now seemed as the roar of a thousand cannon, each separate sound grating -and jarring upon his serves. **l am going for remedies—lce and Misters. In the meantime you see to quieting the noises.” And he stepped Into the street to be engulfed In the whirling humanity. John Btrong walked into his small •hop —the shop he and AJary had kept since a year ago when they were married —and sent his assistant to seek the wherewithal to silence the uproad tn the street “Tan—straw—anything.” he told the nun, and when he was gone Strong locked the shop and went upstairs on tiptoe. Silently he opened the door, and as he did bo, the woman, as white as the sheets about her, stirred restlessly. Suddenly she threw out her arms, and from her frothing lips a shriek loud and piercing. "My dear, my dear,” groaned the aoan, and hurried to the bedside. % The emaciated features of the wife .were drawn in pain. ‘ “My dear,” said the man again with a deep longing In his voice and he ■troked the pale face. There was a moment while she lay quiet as though pacified. Then a cart sped by In the street below, and again the woman shrieked In pain. Every sound that asms from the street showed its effect apoa the poor form of the diseaseheld woman In -the bed, as a floating substance will be quivered by every sipple that breaks the water’s surface caused by a stone thrown In the center. “Will It never cease? Dear God, hush the noise for her sake.” The prayer was an agonized cry. The front door bell clanged. In a moment the doctor came into the room. Hf had Ice, which be placed upon the bandages about the woman’s head. Then he Mistered the poor, fair neck and feet to draw the blood from the seater of the trouble. The husband tamed away. He oould not bear to aee the fair skin red sad blistered. It was

Agate the piercing effr. It seemed to the ipan as though each thus cry of agony split his heart In two.

"Oh, doctor, can we save her? Is there anything I can dor’ “Stop the noise,” he answered. “It means everything. If It goes on we shall lose her. It will be a big fight at beet.”

The husband went from the room. At the door he met his man returning. He had tried everything, everywhere. He could find no means to silence the noises on the street. No tan. No straw. He could get nothing.

John Strong rushed away to the police station. But they could not help him. He hfcd a vague Idea of asking everyone in the town to avoid the front of the house. But the kindly inspector pointed out to him how impossible that was. It was the main street of the town. It would take hours to make such a request, and even if everyone agreed by some miracle, still motor cars and vehicles were always entering the town from the outside. How could these be stopped? No, it was useless. The little affairs of man must go on while up there in the sickroom the life that was so much to him — the soul of the pretty, slender woman who meant all the world to him —the blushing bride he had led to the altar a short year ago, the laughter-loving girl who had dreamed with him of the long futurer-whlch should be filled and beautified by their love —while she passed from his keeping—into the eternal peace.

He thought of a hundred wild schemes —wondered whether he might scatter clothing about the street to deaden those awful sounds; wondered whether he could with his own hands barricade the streets and keep off any who dared to enter the thoroughfare. But all were futile. Once again hd crept Into the house. All the sounds in the world seemed to collect thorn* selves, and break upon the walls of th<f house. Was there no peace to be had? Long hours must pass ere the silence of the night fell. Until then the carts would rumble by, the newsboys would shout, and In the noise of the world her life would go out. He wrung hla hands in his despair, and cried aloud in the darkness of his room. Then he went again to where she lay tossing. Still the heartrending cries. The doctor looked round at him. "Can you do nothing?” He explained hdw lt was Impossible. ‘Then there Is no hope,” said the doctor. “But—we will fight on.” And he turned again to the patient. The man flung himself down at the becsdde —and prayed before, with wild words, incoherently spoken., - —-

“Oh, God, hush the noise and* spare heiApare her.” He knew not how long he stayed there upon his kuees with hands tightly clasped, then unfolded, then clasped again so tightly that the knuckles showed white. And the doctor went on with his £ask, knowing It to be useless, but fighting as heroes fight, doggedly, refusing to be beaten until a greater power had taken the task out of their hands. As the man prayed he felt a hush slowly fall upon him. He stirred himself. His consciousness was slipping from him. He was losing his own hold on things. That would never do. He must not play the coward. Into his mind unbidden had floated scenes from the past—days out In God’s good country with her at his side. How she had loved the open fields and the wood 3 and the river where they had courted —sacred hours! Then he seemed to hear her playing and singing again as she did when the long day was done and they two were alone In their little cozy room. Was she to play no more? Was that dear voice to be silenced forever? He could not bear the thought. It brought him to his feet He rose unsteadily, worn out by his anguish, with great black rings under feverish eyes.

It seemed quieter. Was his mind straying? Or had the hours passed uncounted and was the night coming with its silence. He glanced at his watch. No, It was only 7 o’clock. Yet surely it was quieter. He looked at the doctor almost afraid to find that he was dreaming, searched in his face to see any trace of the same thought In his mind. The doctor had paused a moment, too. They were both listening. Yes, the souuds were quieter. How had It happened? Had the police or some friend found a way, after all? Or —how he thrilled at the thought—was it some miracle? Had the good God answered his frantically Bpoken prayer? What was It? Suddenly he went to the window. He pulled aside the blind and gazed out into the night. As he looked a great dray drawn by two horses passed . But they Beamed to be drawn by horses shod with velvet, the vehicle rolled on wheels of rubber. He blinked and looked again. Then he understood. He turned away and shouted aloud In his relief —shouted so that the woman on the bed flinched at the tone of his voice. “The snow! The snow!” Snow In October! Surely It was a miracle! Nature had laid her own soft carpet over the whole world to silence, and that peace which passeth all understanding entered John Strong's soul as he went to the bedside and saw the doctor turn again to the patient—turn leas wearily and with the light of triumph in his eyes.—London Saturday Journal.

By refusing to steal a dollar a man may acquire a reputation that will enable him to steal a bank latar In the game. -i —-- -7—-7-^

YES, THE SOUNDS WERE QUIETER.