Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Next Page
Full Title
Street and Smith's New York Weekly : a journal of useful knowledge, romance, amusement, & c. , v. 51, no. 32, May 30, 1896.
Contributor
Rathborne, St. George, 1854-1938.
Date Added
29 October 2019
Format
Newspaper
Language
English
Publish Date
1896-05-30
Publisher
New York : Street & Smith
Alternate Title
New York Weekly. Esther, the fright; or, The Romance of a pair of rubies / by Mrs. Georgie Sheldon. Romance of a pair of rubies
Topic
New York (N.Y.) > Newspapers. Popular literature > United States > 19th century > Periodicals
About
More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
“Award of Prizes in the Guessin
g Contest.
His heart
rm
Teould not well
My hea
Entered According to Act of Congress, tn the Year 1896, — by Street & Smith, in the Oftce of the Librarian of Cc
Vol 5 BL New York, |
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL,
RY .'T, WATKINS.
ee use dropped I =n
in a qt
‘That what we aay Sa oor quet way
In strietly confident
Demm8 MEINEKE.
Of course you've seen the match between
Dour ate and Son
T really gr ean’
How he could srertore bees
Upon my word s! te abou
So overdeferential=
2nd, what we ayn ove quet way
As strictly confide:
‘Now you shall hear a secret, dear—
I feel quite sure he'll offer;
Tshoutd not be surp:
ass scot
‘0b, that’s delightful news to-night!
‘You tial ¥ shal not los bir?
wn It he to
refuse
‘Now, doa, Foul tell me how to quel
and be prude
rived tf he
‘and hand should proffer;
‘You now he's proved that he has moved,
{n circles Influential;
‘Mind, what we say
Isetrictly confidential.
OFFICE
, 29 Rose St. New York.
aga
Three Dollars Per Year.
Two Copies Five Dollars.
tconcelve
1 quiet way
me,
him,
jentlal, »
readers
tome he seems
Is strictly confid
aa enue toutienthals
Forgive me, dear—you don't appear
tly
ncttned to act pol
‘Now throw aside your ‘rounded Prides
lenttal.
Mss MENTKIN.
Propose to Fou! thats momethiog new!
U8 thist—a sce
ese Mts Consquental:
ts, you a know,
i i Me
sae
wf lige 4
ci i ty
he
‘gi at a
Wed
it
a Mi
a an i
‘i i
i
i
they Ii
She
ble ste
he w
Bbe
for aid.
beat shai
en
set in??
bere ag
tases
ing a i
have yo
to sprin
appeali
noticed a great
bead and
procure’
collar am
and
attention to the
from ber wre
beauty.
As the stranger
cloned the door, feeling that sho now ‘had enon;
id attention, without
“Ye strictly confidential.
ESTHER, THE. FRIGHT:
Author of “Little Miss Whirtwoin
OR,
The Romance of a Pair of Rubies.
' BY MRS, GEORGIE SHELDON,
Brownie's Triumph,’
‘The Forsaken Bn nde.” “That Dowdy" ete
(CEsrner, THE Frigut,
CHAPTER II.
ESTER FINDS HER NESPONSIDILITIES GREATLY
INCREAS!
unsightly bruise “upo
upon
was Talib
brown hair about bis white temples.
Springing to ber foot, she ran Fata the kitchen,
bowl of water and a towel, then, | cor
quickly returning, she loosened the young’ gmian's
‘But hor efforts appeared, to. produce no
ficial effect, and finally, laying the wot. fold
frel over the unsightly bruise, she turned ber
q
a
weighing a hundred pounds.
slipped
ely,
what to
and
was commenced last week.)
oor, Esther
ghd se
hose terrible sounds on the banks of the river
oe rthongh only sixteen years of age, she had
1g accustomed to sickness that she
st intui do for the
comfort of bor Patient and now her ‘first act
side of the man, who had so
ingly solicited her aid, ease
gently to the floor, for he was’ leaning in a sit-
ting post gainst the wall.
‘As’ she did this, she removed bis battered
hat, which had evidently been crushed by the
falling of some heavy object; then she saw that
bo masa Young man. not over twenty-two or
twonty-three years of
"A cry of pity burst from ber as sho also
fore-
nm his
is ecalp, from ples the
and matting the
‘and began to bath
bene-
ied | These
wufferer'who was now
With nimble ‘angora E Bother nfastened the cape
o
moaning piteously ‘and struggling to tree herself
scart which bad. been
elderly woma:
slight in figure, scarcely
-five years of
thio, yal, sand sallow, al-
rmer
enough Be ati bot
‘Her hair was also thin and very gray, aud she
was poorly clad ia a traveling suit of
flannel, mady with the utinost simply!
the only article of any value t
was the fur cape; and’ this, alt ough at “ane
Russian sable, bad ‘evidently boon many yea
CObT where on I? what bas happened?’’ she
murmured, faintly, as Esther bent over her.
“You are with’ fri riends, madame)? the girl
quietly returned, as Smoothed ‘tho tangled
hair from her we with ‘hor cy
4 You were bros ght here ater thi
hope you are not severely injure:
‘his farted exclamation es
sbriek from t
change ‘her. position
convulsed with pain.
Be
quir
“ “My si le—oh! oh!’ and once more Esther
bad two sono patients upon her hands,
Again sho sprang to her fect and rushed into
the kitchen.
“Ob, Pete! how you are! You must
come,’? she eried in troubled to
“Tse Miss Esther: deso Jere blamed
ockin’s done got lost, an’ I couldn't find ’om,””
ras the rep)
But the girl had sped back to the front ball,
after calling him, and when the boy finally made
bs is appearance, be found her there bending oer
6 prostrate form of the young man, who wi
ai Jnsensible; while the womat, beginning to
moaning with pain.
rear ds goad ord’s soke, ie = phe what
fam de matter?” the boy ex
ied face.
NT told you there had beon a ralvay accident.
le have been injured, and came here
for sbelter,’? How | I omant
Esther explained,
You to lift this lady, and lay ber upo mange | betided
inthe sitting-toom,"” she continued, "Be very nsiderable discomfort for a time,
careful, for fear she is badly hurt.'? ribs. on her Tight sido were ‘found to be
The boy was great overgrown, uncouth: t ftor bad been set, nd & leep=
lookin i bat ° aebtly slid _his stron; ing potion aaiminiatered she_dropt to a pro-
boneat floor, ani ralzed | fomakd slumber, and Doctor Crawford told Esther
it almost as fiat aenved feel no further anxiety on her ac- |
Goutly-as a mother would have
it into
lifted her child, and. bearing the othe
room, carefully Gepotited it upon the couch, an hs
‘ected.
Now 0 for Doctor Crawford as quickly
as you cin <emnmanded Esther, without ceasing
bot offorts’to restore her still unconscious patieut
iD
‘ho had tompted 9
d immediately became
ti
“Where are you hurt?? Esther anxiously in-
t
le was breathing! but his eyes were still
closed, and he was fevbly rolling his bead from
side ‘6 Side, as itt pained him sev
¢ bo the anxions girl before
ete returned wrth Re physician; although
fifteen minutes bad m
hen ‘she caught
the sound of steps puta that
help w
“Child
tor ‘reli in astonishment, as be
fou eet beside the prostrate for
2
2
er ike young eine
Esther told him briefly what bad occurred.
‘Humph! you have enough on our bands
already, with that sick man in yonder, without
adding 'to your, cara”? he physician returned,
best indly loo) pest faco,
STegarding ‘he hgndsome fellow on th
while his skilled fingers sought the young
a4 yu lse—' eo ugly cut and a bad bruise; the
chap bas had some dused hard 0 else
have you af yonier glancing, er is shoulder
into the other room, where Fhe moaning con-
ve don’t know; he brought her here in a dead
faint, and then “dropped like lead bimself,”?
‘ved Doctor Crawford, gravely,
so eeds attention first, | Here,
and dy and ‘we'll take him up sta
Esther r explained
think thie
into en or, for it will be quiet ‘here:
and “he is going to "need quiet, if he pulls
through."
Batker assented to! {his prrangement, though
‘shade paler, if that were possible, at
dt words. They sounded ominous
ky of dismay went. thrilling
y per feat the thought of death in
i je bandsonte young stranger,
Mechanically she Urought a ligutand led the
hamber, where the doctor, with
ress hs patient, pitting
on one of Mr. night-robes,
which be procesded t0 give him a critical Saami
nation,
and no broken ones nor any serious in-
n his head ; ‘but they are bad
mga,” he said, Saad likely to lay biin up for
some timo to come, oF Tam much mistaken.””
There was not much that be could do just then,
possi
fra took a coup! cute
red a soothing Hotien forthe bruise,
Weaving Pete as a watcher—who, under Esth
ching, bad becomn quite an adept at nv ursig—
‘Notwithstanding the intense pain ®
roman appeared fo endure, or injuries proved
to be rious than hysician had appre-
hough thoy were i le to subject her
reniainder of the n:
very restless and delirious, and demanded con-
stant uttention,
Doctor in and out several times
lowed: she. watched
administering the preserit
dows
of | that she should follow
| Knew tbat she
Haengthen her f
some neighbor upon whom’
the cottage befo "eek
woary aud faint, after bis long, trying
w
jountod the st
and. ‘rigid er face aa
‘ ae
32.
otherwise they might have
be necessaries of life.
whim gratified,
of this flashed through her
she looked upon the rigid form on
yn, without a word or soun
, went slowly out of tos
ut the door.
vas “outwardly cali; but deathly.
m her long night of watching
with this added shoc
oman, on the lounge in the sitting-
room, was still sleeping
bi
her noisslessly, and going to
r door looked out,’ hoping to see
she could call
She shiv hea bi
piercing wind swept over her and the sleet
apy upon her face.
she beaved a jong sigh of relief,
g to his breakfast,
t is it, Esther? ‘he questioned, as
ited how pale
ts new
“Father—ha tered.
The man star ured slightly clay ‘aud bent a come
k upon bi
nade to comment; perhaps he
he could not bear to talk just
ain.
he inquired,
ly scanning her wan face.
"Peame fo ell ‘tater that it was
jething
rea on ‘suddenly
ttle from her apatl
war breakfast bere. i
tea
Kitchen, where,
sab
eal, issn
was. Tadly
what,
was before
We will not dwell ‘pon the events of the week
that followed.
Arthur Wellington was laid beside the wife who
1 intervals. preceded him the year before, and Hsther
ys she AcTeRE softly down stairs, and Mounted her duties ia her home, where moter
zeae in upon a 'Y But all. was quiet | lay hovering upon the borders of the ‘valley of
wibin the roo Ne didnot even ‘as she| the shadow,” ai re Miss Persis Percival,
Pest 90 tranguilly, while
80 man: other cares, relessly shut the Gout
again and we to ber duties above.
Men woving broke. ae lengthy the storm was
the, ground with «| isin,
of his patients, and
hor belongings and settle up, her affairs ox soo
still ragi ground. was cover
glaring
eet
cinrtied to howl "tome ‘and the river to roar
in grim ‘triumph over the destruction it bad as they. were at
rough ‘But Esther firmly refu
“Upon. the muddy bank, in plain sight, of the | ones. were well,
Mal ingtoos Tome, the rain lay half {she would break down if she
merge
th ty had. been turwed into. 6. tem And so sbe
h bei Je nthose who bad escaped With their |iimposed duties, pe
lives ‘and systematical
mother’s death.
"At ber usual hour of rising, Esther, leavi
Pote to watch her charge, began her preparation
for reali (as
se nearly ready, she went to
meal wi
arouse her father and belp
But when she entered are
prised to find
m she had
0 the bedside she touched bim
NPather, "sbe said, a note of fear i
‘breakfast is near iy ‘ready; will you get
ow???
nSThere was no response, no move
Thi dead.’ He had
asleep immediately after retiring, a
| beyond this plane of existence
ous unknow:
upon him during
ta the mp
of his malady;
stealthily and suddenly, she was shoc
She made no outward demonstration. Sbe
too long schooled herself, to, moct and boar the
| burdens and wicisitudes of life with stoical ac-
guiesconce to allow herselt to lown now,
‘ime when sbo had neod of all her forti=
iwesides, as bas already become apparent,
had botte ter fatter mo very deep affection;
she had lon
in uncomplaining wife, and so shorter
the ‘ite of the mother wha
Srgigeo bor death sho bad tried to follow
mother's sacrificing, ex
m She so mu
her duty to care
her father, who, hav ing staken'a heaty colt
through pneumonia, to become a victim of
e
- Feeling thankful, to ave bir |
‘burdened wit!
leot and snow; the wind
10, sho was sur-
bin Iyiog i the sane attitude as
ently.
jer tone,
up| to wal
“fallen 2 auiely
oo
Esther bad jong anticipated such a termination
mt now that it had come so
rebelled against the selfishness
which bad shirked, every possible responsibility | tl
ai
ch needed
fter Alre, Wellington’s death, bad barely lived
‘s'nator’ while many n bowse tn | 0%
ing
the
eri
yond
bad
she
for
her
tor
jost
other work
mediately ‘for her ‘new home i
ing to put a
ne rest.
urse in her
also that be wi
ple to vacate the premises.
to go until the'sick
although ber friend asserted that
did not soon take
heroi
ly went on with her self-
forming them as faithfully
ly as she bad done ever since her
She was apparonty tireless in. her care of the
stranger up stairs; ne
beon found upon his person, bis identity res stil
a mystery. Sh gruels
west nlcety, watching beside bim
it that coul
with the
‘po name or address
1@ prepared his broths and
she from
a the querafous ‘women who oe
srod to claim ber, attentions es ber individual
fob at ny
»
Daring this
and more gaunt’ than
Bie best Tea
‘Yet sho was d see idedly w ncotsfortable and foul:
Snding, ery er,
"One mo
0 ex
Scuing nearly three Woe
wford, however, utterly forbade her
ight, either £ finding some one to
f all , OF coming bimself
"tough battle was fought—
three seemingly endless weeks of brain fever, in
its most ager
by hour, to cut short a most promising life:
essive form, which threatened, hour
HAPTER IV.
SOME INTERESTING POINTS REGARDING ESTHER’S
try ing Te. Esther grew thinner
ever; tho stoop in
shoulders became more prominent, b
rorea | look 0 of
r pale
sottled aaxiety, y her eyes oye were au
'Y years and
a be
with aes petite that
it for her
rded as entirel
inconsiderate of Eat
a great deal of attention
sumption. dant, Doctor Crawford; coming softly in
ag luere bad been a little money in, the bank, front door, heard ber call out Wepaceely to the
posited. there from thine to time, tbroweh the | eq girl,
tebeay and good management of
yr many years had ieee
taker
Craw:
during the ight, rhiviaing his time between the
1d milliner for the locality See rhieh |b
SWhy don’t
ee | snapped, as Esther, after some
jer the’ glass
you come when I want yout” she
delay, brought
of water which shi 1a let