The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-04-26


mo, William; must nurse our
child. He's very ill.,
'What! Ill I? and didn't know of
it! What's the mattcr!'
| can't tell; but he's ievcrish and
restless, and must watch by him for
the night. Goto bed now. like a good,
kind fellow. hope it will be al! well
in the morning.
Well, be it so. Bat | must have
Il Kiss of the baby before 60" And
lie approached the cradle for the pur-
pose.
intoxicated though he was, he could
sec low much the child suffered it
noamcd and tossed about as if in pain.
lie would, however, have lifted the
child up in his arms, but the mother
diSSuadrd hiln-;t was too i'll for that.
lie stopped down, and, staggering,
would almost have fallen over the era
die but the wife held him back.
Sch, William,' she cried, leave the
child alone lou are not fit to touch
him. See you trlghtcn him Go now
He staggered back, looking confused
and ashamed. 'Well, am sorry tor
this, but>Ell cen 60. Poor dear little
Willie
lie WAS about to rcti,c, when turn.
ing back he said hastily, rs if the
thought had for the moment sobercd
him
But if the child Should die =
Then: Gods will be done. said the
mother sobbing.
Oh. let me fetch Il DOCTOR he cried
with a look Of alarm, ~! hging one
in 4 few minutes; let me go!'
nave seen 10 that, William; the
doctor has been and done What he
could. Now go!
and he went staggering to his sleep
ing chamber, from whence the sound
Ct his lahorcd breathing shortly pro.
cee'lcd and tho dlunken snoring of
the husband, the wailins lloau OF the
sick child. and the occasional deep
sighs of the Watching wife and mother,
We're the only sounds that broke the
Stiffness Of the mi.ht in that SD little
honscho!d.
Tie nio,.ing's light pccrvI in
through the window binds, and still
found the nothcr by the c!ild's cradle.
She watched the &c by her li:s,-borll,
calling to mind lis sweet winning ways.
its ptattIc, and its brigh, look. l}u,
now, alas !. there WAS bu, the CULVER.
inS clammy lips, through which the
chld's soul seemed luttcrins. lis
shortening breath laborcl on, aud its
upturncd eyes were half vcilel By Tie
convu!scl lid. Scnsclrss unconcious.
and helpless, never had tha, cllild been
more dear to its mothers heart than
now ; yet love could not save it; sor.
row could net ransom it. There Was
Il long breath, a sigh, Il surglng sound
in the throat, and then quiet it was
the quiet Of death Yet still the moth
er watched for lin that could not hear
her weeping.
At length the morning f irly broke.
1t w"s broad daylight, end the husband
rose from his couch with red eyes and
heated brain. His step was unsteady
as he entered the apartment, where
still sat the mother and her dead
child.
',sts lAtc, said the husband, advanc
ing i shall not be in time for work.
Why did yon let me sleep SO long 2
Poor little Willie! = Was all She
could sob out III reply.
WHAT'S the matter! he asked
and then pausing moment, he cecmcd
suddenly 70 rccollcct the events of the
past night. | think you said the
child was ILL.,
Hes dead y
90, God = he exclaimed, it cannot
be-
lie looked down into the cradle,
and there lay the clill, calm and
placid as if in sleep, yet breathing
not, and with the hue Of death upon
its cheek. lie groancd, and sunk into
a chair by the cradle side, unable to
speak.
But suddenly there passed through
his mind the visions oI the past; and
he thought of the sweet prattlc of his
child on the evenings Of his return
from labor,-of the delight he had felt
in watching his growing intelligence.
Of his arch wilcs and playiilncss-
and then OF the patient love and care
Of his wife, now bowed dowl,in silont
grief beside him.
90 Kate, this is n sad sight. Our
poor, dear child = and the strong man
hid his face in his hands, and sobbcd
audibIy.
She took his hand. lie looked up
through Iris tecrs, and said have
been very cruel and selfish towards
you. DO you not hate me!
No, nor said the weeping wife :;
no, William, but here, by the body
OF this, our first born, let me speak to
you OF tic past.
Not now, tot now
William, | must have thought
of IT during the night, while waited
. A.