Uncle Titus and His Visit to the Country | Page 8

bear, and she hid her
face in her hands and gave way to bitter tears. Her uncle and aunt might
die too, she thought, and she should be left alone with no one to care
for her, no one in the world to whom she belonged, and nothing to do
but to sit forever sewing on endless shirts. For ever and ever! for she
knew she must earn her living by sewing. Well, she was quite willing
to do that; but oh! not to be left all alone.
The poor child was so wholly absorbed in these painful thoughts, as
they passed again and again through her mind, that she lost all sense of
time, till at last she was aroused, by the clock on the neighboring tower
striking so many times that she was frightened. She raised her head. It
was perfectly dark. Her little candle had burned out, and not a glimmer
of light came from the street. But the stars; yes, there were the five stars
above still shining so joyfully, that it seemed to Dora as if her father
were looking down upon her with loving eyes, and saying cheeringly,
"God holds us in his hand God knows the best to send."
The sparkling starlight sank deep into her heart, and made it lighter.
She grew calmer. Her father knew, she said to herself, she would trust
his knowledge, and not fear what the future might hold in store. And
after she laid her head on her pillow, she kept her eyes fixed upon the
beautiful stars until they closed in sleep.
On the following evening the doctor came as he had promised. He
began to suggest various places to Uncle Titus, but Aunt Ninette

assured him rather curtly, that she was already on the track of
something that promised to be satisfactory. There were a great many
things to be taken into consideration, she said, since Uncle Titus was to
make so vast a change in his habits. The utmost prudence must be
exercised in the selection of the situation, and of the house also. This
was her present business, and when everything was settled she would
inform the doctor of her arrangements.
"Very well, only don't be long about it; be off as soon as you can, the
quicker the better," said the physician warningly, and he was making a
hasty retreat, when he almost fell over little Dora who had stolen so
quietly into the room that he had not seen her.
"There, there, I hope I did not hurt you," he said, tapping the frightened
child upon the shoulder. "It will do this thin little creature a world of
good too, this trip to Switzerland," he continued. "She must drink
plenty of milk,--lots of milk."
"We have decided to leave Dora behind," remarked Aunt Ninette drily.
"As you please; it is your affair, Mrs. Ehrenreich; but you must let me
observe that if you do not look out, you will have another case on your
hands, as bad as your husband's, if not worse. Good-morning madam,"
and he vanished.
"Doctor, doctor! what do you mean? What did you say?" cried Aunt
Ninette in her most plaintive tone, running down the stairs to overtake
him.
"I mean that the little person up there has quite too little good blood in
her veins, and that she cannot last long, unless she gets more and better
nourishment."
"For heaven's sake! What unfortunate people we are!" cried Mrs.
Ehrenreich, wringing her hands in distress, as she came back into her
husband's room. "My dearest Titus, just lay down your pen for one
moment. You did not hear the dreadful things the doctor said would
happen to Dora, if she did not have more and better blood?"

"Oh, take her with us to Switzerland. She never makes any noise," and
Uncle Titus went on with his writing.
"My dearest Titus, how can you decide such a thing in one second? To
be sure she never makes any noise, and that is the most important thing.
But there are so many other things to consider, and arrange for, and
think over! Oh dear! Oh dear me!"
But Uncle Titus was again absorbed in his work, and paid not the
slightest heed to his wife's lamentations. So, seeing that she could
expect no help from him, she went into her own room, thought
everything over carefully again and again, and at last decided that it
was best to follow the doctor's advice, and take Dora with them.
In a day or two the expected letter came from Hamburg. It was very
short. The old uncle knew nothing about his brother's residence in
Switzerland, now thirty years back. Tannenburg was certainly quiet
enough, for his brother had always complained of the want