The Truest Charity.

Otago Witness, Issue 1461, 15 November 1879, Page 22

The Truest Charity.

..;., ..->,!< By Mary Reed Crowell. Miss Lacy's elegant carriage was .standing tit the kerbstone,- in front of a "' door on. which a silver plate announced ,' ,,' the name of " Lyman North, M.D. ;" and ' Miss Lacy's liveried-coachman sat solemn '/' and stylish on the box, having about all 'he' 'could do to manage the restless, .magnificent pair of bays. "Miss Lacy's footman stood in silent, respectful waiting, at the open door of the carriage — altogether making an aristocratic, imposing spectacle, at which '. Doctor. North's handsome blue eyes wandered occasionally, ' as, in his office^

from his seat by the window, he was talking to Miss Lacy. ;'.'„ ' '.Not that the young lady was not worth " .'alibis attention— all the attention any man ', could pay her, aside from her position in society, and her almost unlimited wealth ; '' .for a sweeter face was never lifted in girl- !„' isbV enthusiasm than hers, as, her big grey ] eyes glowing darkly, her voice thrilling and earnest, she was telling Doctor North 'and his friend, another aspiring young ' M.D.,. a tale of suffering, and sorrow, and want', she had come across on one of ' her charity visits ; and, in her sweet, gracious way, asking for their subscriptions, on her list to]ameliorate the sickness

the sorrow, aud the want. Doctor North listened and looked from her lovely face, her elegant toilet, to the establishment outside, and smiled in concurrence with her views. .

"Certainly, I will be delighted to do my little share, Miss Lacy. Put me down for fifty dollars on your list. I wish I could make it more. Jasper, here, will ', supplement it, of course."

iSelhe smiled delightedly, showiog the distracting dimple'in one peachy cheek, and her beautiful white teeth, so pearly and even.

" Oh, Doctor North, what a generous donation ! "Why, I had no idea you would \ " subscribe so largely. K"o ono has been so liberal yet that I have asked."

Doctor North bowed in response to her impulsive little thanks. '"Don't speak of it; it really is not worth mentioning. It is a double pleasure you have afforded me, Miss Lacy, that of being of some actual, practical benefit to your charity cases, as well as — I hope — pleasing you." He gave her an ardent little look, that brought a swift little flush to Nellie's cheeks, and a certain delightful quickening, of her hear b- throbs, that more than once had similarly happened in connection with

Doctor North's blue eyes, and fascinating smile, and melodious voice. " You are very, very good !" she answered, lifting her sweet eyes for just one second— Jong enough to create fresh havoc and new elation in Doctor North's heart ; and he glanced from the pure, glorious, girlish face, to the elegant equipage outside^ with a very well satisfied expression on his face.

While Nellie turned to Doctor Jasper, grave, refined, standing beside the mantle, watching the little play go on, a stern, curious look in his thoughtful, fine eyes.

He did not give her an opportunity to aßk him. •

" Miss Lacy, I regret very much that I am not able to afford adding a subscription to your list. If it were possible — if I could 1 conscientiously doit — believe me, I would not refuse you ; but it is impossible."

Hia voice was quiet, self-possessed, and remarkably sweet and manly, and he looked squarely in her eyes as he made his grave, courteous regrets. Just the merest, faintest suggestion of displeasure and coldness crept over her face as she listened, then inclined her head in her gracious, set, haughty way. " I am sure you know best, Doctor Jasper. Pray pardon me for having annoyed you !" She stuffed the fresh, crisp fifty-dollar greenback in her little portemonnaie, bowed her adieu, just tinged with a little feminine pique, to Doctor Jaßper, into whose eyes a half-amused little smile crept as he gravely returned it — then to Doctor North, with a charming grace and • a bewitching smile.

"I shall never, never forget what a grand, kind heart you have, Doctor North. And do be sure, pleaso, and remember to be at my next Thursday evening !" He assisted her in her satin- cushioned carriage, 'and ventured to slightly press her pearl-kidded hand at parting, while Nellie, her face slightly flushed, turned impulsively to the quiet-looking, elderly lady, in black silk, on the front seat. " Isn't he just too splendid for anything, Aunt Annie ?" Mrs Laurence smiled oddly. "If you think so, dear. Tastes differ, however;" < • ■ ,

Nellie flashed an indignant little look at the calm, gold-spectacled eyes. " Oh, auntie ! Why, he gave me fiftydollars for the O'Bannigan' family !" "And he'd better have kept it, to my thinking. And where next, Nellie ?"

While'in Dr Lyman North's aristocratic office, with its velvet carpets on reoeption and private rooms, its plush furniture and paintings on the frescoed walls, its rich draperies at the windows, that gentleman was sitting complacently in his official chair, his hands in his pockets, his hand-somely-booted feet stretched out, and returning Jasper's sarcastic look. " Well, you look as though you didn't approve, Phil." " I don't !" he returned, shortly. " The ide a of you giving away the sum of fifty dollars just because the fair beggar happens to be Miss Lacy, the heiress ! You can no more afford it than I can, North. Your practice is no larger or better. You told me, not ten minutes before she came in, that you were still in debt for all this," indicating by a nod of his head the adornments of the suite of rooms.

North smiled.

" That's a fact Phil. I'm running behind every day, and I owe the best part of a thousand dollars. All the same, I never made a better investment in my life than when I gave Miss Lacy that last dollar I have in the world."

Jasper looked surprised. "I see you don't take," Doctor North said lightly. "It's just this, n a nu *" shell : I'm resolved to marry Miss Lacy, if I can."

For just one second, an inscrutable look swept across Jasper's fine thoughtful face. "Or her money — which?" he asked, with a little sharp bitterness in his voice. "Both," Doctor North answered. " Do you consider me too ambitious ?" Doctor Jasper frowned slightly. "My opinion might not be agreeable, Lyman, and — " North interrupted, with a laugh : " As it evidently was not to the ' fair beggar.' How in the world had you the courage to tell her— actually tell her — you could not afford it ?"

All the nobility in Philip Jasper's nature looked out of his- dark eyes at that, "How could you give her — actually give her money that was really not your own to give ?" " I can't see it in that light," North retorted, lighting a cigar.

Then the subject was dropped, and Doctor Jasper went away to his round of duties, that, day in and day out, he conscientiously performed, marking for his name and skill a sure, if alow, foundation that would one day be a glorious structure to his credit.

Nellie Lacy's gentle eyes were full of womanly pity and sympathy, and she sat patiently listening to Fannie O'Brien's story ; and Fannie was her up-stairs girl — a faithful, intelligent creature, in whom and whoso affairs the sweet young mistress had always taken the warmest interest.

"And it is small-pox your mother has"? Oh, Fannie, that is terrible — terrible ! Of course it will not be right for you to como here among us from her, and of course you must go to her and take the best care you can of her. Don't v/orry about your wages — they will go right on ; and, after tho doctor thinks it safe, you must come back. What doctor have you, Fannie ?,'

A fresh burst of sobs • came from the girl's quivering lips. " Indade and that's the sore throuble, ma'am ! It's sivin or eight docthers I've been af ther, and niver a wan '11 go to my ould mother, bekase it's a bad disease ; and I'll not have her took to the hospital ma'am, not if I dies wid her in the house !"

Nellie's brow contracted in a surprised, thoughtful frown, and a look of indignation was in her eyes. No doctor will go? Why, I never heard of such a thing ! I thought doctors always went wherever they were called, auntie," and she turned impetuously towards placid Mrs Laurence, sewing at a window opposit. " What do you think of such a cruel, heathenish behaviour ?

Mrs Laurence looked up, a funny little smile on her lips.

" I simply think that Fannie has happened to call the wrong physician, that is all. Have you been for Doctor North, Fannie V The girl shook her head. "North — North, ma'am? No, ma'am. It's a stranger he is to me." " He'd go in a minute," Nellie said, a dainty little flush on her cheeks. "He is none of your cowardly physicians ; he is a generous, noble, charitable gentleman, a friend of mine, and I know he'll look after your mother, small-pox notwithstanding." Mrs Laurence smiled ever so coldly.

" And then there's young Doctor Jasper —my favourite, you know. He would go, I am pretty sure." Nellie's lip curled.

" How strange you are, auntie 1 Why, he is the most distant, naughty, proud, stingy man I ever say ! Go ! He'd Quicker put his head in the fire. But Doctor North will go. Fannie, I'll put on my wraps and go round to his office with you."

And, to the poor creature's grateful delight, Miss Nellie Lacy actually accompanied har to Doctor North's office door, when, the bell being answered by the coloured boy, Fannie, with true Irish impetuosity, blurted out her message— the message that came so strait from her truetroubled heart.

" It's the docther I be wantin'— Docther North — to go at onct tn see me darlin' ould mother, a-lyin' sick wid the shmallpox, and ravin' like a loonatick, and — "

The loud-spoken, intense words, that Nellie could not chock in their eager flow, reached Doctor North's ears, as he sat in his cosy office, with brilliant gaslight, and one or two choice books, and a box of cigars, making it very congenial to his tastes.

"Put her out, Lockrey ! We don't want the small-pox here ! Tell her to go to the police station for a hospital surgeon. Shut the door, Lockrey, if you don't want to catch it. The low, dirty Irish Biddies are too impudent for anything !" But Fannies buxom arm kept the terrified little darkey from obeying his orders, and her voice retorted, loud and anguishful, and Nellie did not try to quiet her : "And would yez let me mother die like a dog, Docther North 1 For shwate mercy's sake go wid us, docther, and I'll—"

Nellie heard a quick angry footstep coming toward the door, and she shrank oack into the darkness just as Doctor North appeared. " Clear out, I tell you ! What do you suppose I care whether the old woman dies or lives 1"

The door was slammed sharp in their faces.

For one second Nellie'd eyes flashed, then a little smile crept to them.

"Never mind, Fannie; I am just a little mistaken in Doctor North. We'll go to auntie's choice now, and somehow I begin to think he is the one."

They met Doctor Jasper just leaving his office, and, at a word from Nellie, Fannie addressed him, telling her pitiful little story with true Irish eloquence. Doctor Jasper listened patiently, gravely. " You are quite sure it is small-pox ?" "The ould woman says so, sir. If yez would only come !" "I'll go in half an hour. Give me your street and number, and go to a drug-store and get this prescription filled, and give it to her just as soon as you get home. Keep her warm, and as quiet as possible. I guess it will be all right ; I'll do all I can, anyhow."

He stepped back into the light of his office window, and wrote a prescription ; and Nellie, watching him, wondered where the cold, haughty look was she had seen so plainly before.

Then he went on, and Fannie escorted her young mistress home, to Joe wellfreighted with needful necessaries and a few little luxuries, and a month's wages in advance, before she went to her own little third-floor rear room.

Nellie went down stairs into the dusky parlours, and thought over the odd little adventure of the evening ; and the result was that, when Dr Phil North attended her Thursday evening, he was quite astonished to account for Miss Lacy's cold courtesy, instead of the charming graciousnese he had expected, and most ardently desired.

And aa ho novor received a second invitation he became satisfied that something had happened— something he Mover know, until a year or so after, when Nellie Lacy wjis Pv Jasper's wife ; and then, by arrnje lnystorums means, lie learned how it had all happened, and he knew ho was) deserving of hia received deserts.