New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-09-07

r. Nv. q
nave seen the first Mother. do von remsTa- aoas.
per now l used to gather them at home nd
nrlhg them TO papa when he was III, Pc Etad
them, too-iust as do now !, '-s'
swered, softly ~. ''is4A .oA'e ai-
:, How long ago that time seems now = Willie
said then, after moments peace. NJ asl.eJ =
little sadly, Mother, what makes ns u differ.
! emit now from what / used to be I was a.
strong and we'll once, and could run ahout N =
Whole day long; mother, dear, when shah I run
about again ~ =
You are very weak" dear child, Just nov.
We mustn't talk Of running about for q little
time to come"
No, not for a little time; but when do Won
think, mother'" The little voice trembled sud-
denly g i feel sometimes SO weak--so weak, as
If never could get strong again
hush, Gabrielle! Press back that bitter sob
hear it! = - 80
., Do not fear, my darling, do not fesr. You
will be quite well, very soon now
GO He looked into her fearful eye, al she tried
to smile on him, with strange, unchiIdlike
look, as if he partly gxa he meanine IN her
words, but did not e. her, nor ce.ld sJha she
speak again, just them S ss; s's
Mother, sing to me, 9 he said & sing one of
the old songs used to love. haven't heard
you sing for-oh, SO longr'
| -,t5 A1SA it~hA upOu utE UUS0Uy TO BGIkl
her hearts unquiet beating, Gabrielle tried to
sing one Of the old childish songs with which.
in days long past, ,.she had been wont to nurse
her child asleep. The long silent voices silent
here 80 many years-woke again. ringing
through the stiH mir with all its foftiner sweet.
ness Though fainter than 1t was Of old, Ber-
tina heard it moving through the hotse md
came to the open window to stand there and
listen, smiling to herself to think that Gabrielle
could sing again, and half-weepinx 1t some
other thoughts which the long unheard voice
recalled to her.
| 'sOh. mother, like that. Willie murmured
softly, as the song died away, it's like long
ago to hear you sing" "a es
They looked into one another's eyes, both
filling fast with tears; then Willie, with child
ish sympathy, though knowing little why she
grieved, laid his arm round her neck, trying
with his feeble strength to draw her toward
him She bent forward to kiss him; then hid
her face upon his neck that he might mot see how
bitterly she wept, and he, stroking her soft hair
with his little hand, murmnred tie while some
gentle words that only made her tears flow
faster So they lay. she growing calmer pre-
sently, for long while H.
/ Now, darling, you have staitl here long
enough Gabrielle said at last; you must lei
me carry you into the house again ?
| ss Must go SO soon. mother n See how bright
the sun is STILL sggssis Il sa 53a fs1a
s' But see, too, how long and deep the Ahadows
are getting, Willie. No, my dear one, you nlnst
come in now
"Mother, dear, / ami so happy to-day--so
happy, and so much better than have been for
long time, and know it is only because YOU
have let me come out here, and lie in the Gun
light. You will let me come again-every day,
dear mother 20
How could she refuse the pleading voice its
| last request How could she look upon the
shrunken figure, upon the little face, with it's
beseeching, gentle eyes. and deny him what he
asked-that she might keep him to herself a few
days longer
s.You shall come, my darling, il ii makes YOU
SO happy she said very softly; then she took
him in her arms and bore him to the house. kiss
ing him with wild passion that she could not
hide. 'T77'H'7s :
And SO for two or three weeks. in the bright
sunny morning, Willie was always laid on his
couch, in the sheltered corner near the elm
trees; but though he was very happy lying
there, and would often talk gaily of the time
when he should be well again, he never got strong
| any more.
Day by day Gabrielle watched him, knowing
that the end was coming very near; but, with
her strong mothers love, hiding her sorrow from
him. She mayer toldiliun that h was dying !;
but sometimes they spoke together Of death, and
often--for he liked to hear her--she would sing
i sweet hymns to him, that told Of the heaven he
was SO soon going to.
Il For two or three weeks it went on thus. and
then the last day came He had been suffering
very much with the terrible cough, each parox-
/ ysa Of which shook the wasted frame With a
pain that pierced to Gahrielle's heart and all
} day he had no rest. 1t was q day in MAY
a soft, warm day. But the couch beneath the
J trees was empty. He was too weak even to be
carried there, but lay restlessly turning on his
little bed, through the long hours, showing by
his burning cheek. and bright but heavy eye,
how i'll and full of pain he was. And by his
side, as ever, Gabrielle knelt, soothing him with
tender words; bathing the little hands. and
moistening the lips; bending over him and gag
ing ON him with all her passionate love beaming
| In her fearful eyes. But she was wonderfully
calm-watching ike gentle angel over him.
Through the long day, and far into the night,
and still no rest or case Gabrielle never moved
from beside him; she could feel no fatigue I:
her sorrow seemed to bear her up with strange
strength At last, he was SO weak that he could
not raise his head from the pillow sst
He lay very still, with his mothers hand in
his; the flush gradually passed away from his
cheek, until it became quite pale, like marble !;
the weary eye half closed. Ss
You are not suffering much, my child'''
oh no, mother, not now. l am SO much
BETTER ~
So much better! How deep the words went
down into her heart
81 am SO sleepy said the little plsntive
voice again. Sc If / go to sleep, wouldn't you
sleep too? You must be so tired, mother,
1 "See, my darling, will lie down here by
you; let me raise your head a moment there
LAY it upon me. Can you sleep so ~ stlsa
..Ah, yes, mother; that is very good.
| He was closing his eyes, when strong i'm
pulse that Gabrielle could not resist, made he,
rouse him for q moment, fer she knew that he
' was dying.
l willie, before you sleep, have you strength
. to say your evening prayer!n s sa
sYes, mother
l Meekly folding the little thin white hands, he
!; offered up his simple Thanksgiving; then said,
l sour Father The little voice, towards the
finished, his head. which he had teebly tried to
e bend forward, fell back more heavily on Ga
r brielle's bosom. =
9. Good night, mother dear. Go to sleep"
: GOOD night, my darling, God bless you,
Willie, my child!" 4sas
And then they never spoke to one another
any more. One sweet look upward to his moth
| er's face, and the gentle eyes closed forever
As he fell asleep, through the parted curtains
the morning light stole family in Another
day was breaking, but before the sun rose, Ga
brielles child was dead. Softly in his sleep the
spirit had passed away. When Bertha came
in, after the few hours rest that she had
snatched she found the chamber all quiet, and
Gabrielle still holding, folded in her arms the
lfeless form that had been SO very dear to her.
There was no violent grief in her. His death
had been so neaeefll and co hoIr tho+ ~ g.,