THE QUALITY OF MERCY.
When I knocked again at the door of Mrs. Mills, she opened it and
regarded me in some surprise.
"Did you think Alice would be worse?" she asked.
"No, but I am commissioned by a charitable lady, one of my fellow
boarders, to give you this."
She took the bill which I offered her, and her face lighted up with joy.
"It is a godsend," she said. "I was feeling very anxious. We had but
twenty-five cents in the house."
"This will help along."
"Indeed it will. How kind you are, doctor," and her eyes filled with
grateful tears.
"I would like to be kind, but my ability is limited."
"And who is this lady to whom I am indebted?"
"We call her the Disagreeable Woman."
She looked very much surprised.
"Surely you are jesting, doctor."
"No; she is a social mystery. She is very blunt and says many sharp
things."
"But she sends me this money. She must have a good heart."
"I begin to think so. It would surprise all at the table if they knew
she had done this."
"I shall think of her as the Agreeable Woman."
"Now, Mrs. Mills, I am going to give you some advice. What your daughter
needs is nourishing food. Use this money to provide it not only for her
but for yourself."
"I will--but when this is gone," she hesitated.
"We will appeal to the Disagreeable Woman. What has your daughter
taken?"
"I have given her some beef tea."
"That is good as far as it goes. Do you think she could eat a bit of
steak?"
"I will ask her."
Alice seemed so pleased at the suggestion that Frank was dispatched to
the butcher's for a pound of sirloin steak, and a few potatoes. Soon the
rich and appetizing flavor of broiled steak pervaded the apartment, and
a smile of contentment lighted up the face of the sick girl.
"Now mind that you and Frank eat some too," I said. "I will see you
to-morrow morning."
I made a report to Miss Blagden at breakfast.
"If you had seen how much pleasure your gift gave, you would feel amply
repaid," I said to her.
"Doctor," she said, earnestly, "I thank you for mentioning this case to
me. We are so apt to live for ourselves."
"I also mentioned the case to Mrs. Wyman," I added.
"Well?" she asked, curiously.
"She said she was very poor, and wanted to buy a ticket to Patti's
concert."
Miss Blagden smiled.
"I am not surprised to hear it," she said. "Did you ever hear Patti, Dr.
Fenwick?"
"No, Miss Blagden. I am new to the city, and I am cut off from expensive
amusements by my limited means."
"Do you like music?"
"Very much. When Patti gives a concert at fifty cents, I may venture to
go."
At supper Miss Blagden placed something in my hand.
I looked at it, and found that it was a ticket to Patti's concert on the
following evening. It would give me admission to the most expensive
part of the house.
"You are very kind, Miss Blagden," I said, in grateful surprise.
"Don't mention where you got it. You may consider it in the light of a
fee for attendance upon your poor patient. By the way, how is she? Have
you been there to-day?"
"Yes; she is doing well, but is in a great hurry to get well. The rent
comes due next week, and--"
"How much is it?" asked Miss Blagden, interrupting me.
"Seven dollars."
She drew a ten dollar bill from her pocket-book and extended it to me.
"Give that to Mrs. Mills," she said.
"You make me very happy as well as her; I am beginning to find how kind
and charitable you are."
"No, no," she said gravely. "There are few of us of whom that may be
said. How soon do you think your patient will be able to resume work?"
"Next Monday, I hope. She is gaining rapidly."
"How thick you are with the Disagreeable Woman!" said Mrs. Wyman, when
she next met me. "Don't fail to invite me to the wedding."
"On one condition."
"What is that?"
"That you invite me to your wedding with the Count."
She smiled complacently and called me a naughty man. I wonder if she
aspires to become a Countess.