The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-11-26
THE DAILY GAZETTE,

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al THE DAILY GAZETTE.
81 MY LITTLE BOY.
was but a childish mother has
& an forgotten the merry laugh OF M
IL @irIbood when they laid my baby OF
fTv breast, and looked upon hin
4 u more NJ, a. 4 curious playthipg than as c
a Grman soul given into my hands Tor
II tscarthly training But my husband
III he was grave and wise enough
y f,r hoth-pother and child alike.
q NV husband was many years Older
Il dian myself. lie had known many a
q ioy and sorrow long before | was born
3 and on the very day when my nurse
. res holding me, helpless, laughing,
& rr9wfn1 baby, out TO pick the daisies
Il .or Eap birthday garland, he was bend
q nv tgariully over the grave OF one
who had made his home happy Tor
esars-the wife Of bis youth, the moth
sr d. his children. Strange that |,
i who had no knowledge Of sorrow,
,5gald dispel his, that he, who had
never gazed upon that child's face
j mine, was one day TO take its own
ar to his heart as the light and JOY OF
Ais declining years.
Our home was little paradise,
.lasa beside the sea, a small, low roof
I'd. brown cottage, with rustic porch
and brown latticed windows over
grovn with climbing roses. The low
marnur Of the ocean soothed me into
happy sleep each night--the sweet
song OF the swallows walked me TO a
happy day each morning. And here,
IL tie pleasant summer time, my blue
syod boy was born, and nay cup Of JOY
was fall unto running over.
Nv boz, Ike all mothers boys, was
geantifnl. Aud yet his loyeliness
made MY heart ache. So fair, 50 irail,
liz colorness, waxeu cheek, his slen-
1er form. and large melancholy blue
eyes. filed ne with thousand Tears.
bow often have bent over him as he
lay upon my lap, aud prayed with all
b mothers earnestness that his life
might be spared. 1t was 8 foolish
prayer, and an unwise one, bot then
lc5uld not help it.
ny very life seemed wrapped upin
bat of my babe WIKI him by me
every Gay. I could not see him iail
.ae, and the moaning sea could tell
no tales But Low and then came
shadow oget his fathers brow as be
Tat4aed as, that not even ing kisses
cgo.d quite drive away. | thought
him glowing stern an cold but Q,
J wr9age1 him! Never had be loved
IS 50 tanderly before.
Weeks passed on. Ny baby's eyes
..0kad iGtelligeutly into mine, and the
little rosy lips smiled whenever lcame
near But still those little lisping ut
terauces that thrill the heart SO deeply,
we're silent, and all my loving lessons
5el. on an unheeding ear.
The shadow on Arthurs face grew
-5eper as be watched my unceasing
tEo-la. At last the blow came. had
eeeu sitting in the doorway with little
Ernest in my arms, trying TO teach
lin 10 say papa" His large blue
eyes were fixed oa me with wisttnl
expression, but still his lips were
mute, and yexed and disappointed !
4gavei deep sigh and layed him
lack into his cradle Something in
the look he: gave startled me. Il went
aud putting my arm aronnd his neck,
sWt:
" What is il, Arthur
God help you bear ii, Mary he
ausweFed solemnly. "Our child is
tumbn'
Dumb! could it be possiblel What
had done that so deepa sorrow
should be sent to chasten mei Other
mothers might hear their children
alUpg them, but mine would be for
ever silent! Forever! it was so long
word Had it been for weeks, OF
months, or even q year, | could have
borne il, but 10 know that itcould new
sr bo--that through childhood, be |
could never speak my name-O, it
Was too much to bear.
The Autumn and Winter had pas
sea away, and my baby and | threw
daisies at each other on the lawn be
tore the cottage, while Arthur looked !
On, smiling from his study window. !
mad not grown reconciled tony great |
mistortune-only accustomed to it
sd the kisses OF my child were almost !
as dear to me as spoken words would |
have been.
1t was q strange task to teach the !
soul how 10 expands its wings. Ii
WAS strange to learn the child its lit !
aa evening prayer by signs, and yet
as lie clasped his hands and raised his |
sre2t blue eyes to heaven, | often
wondered ii any labored supplication
could have gone moro quickly to the !
throne OF Grace. 1t was strange to
see him sit silently over his playthings
to near no sound from him, except the
Plaintiva and half stiticd cry he utter
ed when in pain, to feel those delicate
lands clasping mine when something
new puzzled him, to see the wistful
25servantlook with which he regarded
every one who convereed around him,
We make 10 ourselves idols of clay, and
y are taken from Us. needed the onc
,ese2n m1rc. My h,lle COY Fiaej slowly be-
iofe my eyes as the Summer came on. H.
vas not go much with him q painful sick
hsfs, as the gradual wasting away Of the
springs Of lite. The mission he had been
semitic fijl wa. accomplished,
Many dsye before he was taken, knew
,.e must 70. ! was with him day ant night
/ huTsed him 10 sleep, and wet the stiil gol-
sen heod with tears when he was slum6er-
z 9oeIly Day by day gathered up my
."s"glh iot the parting which knew must
cone aHd, day by day my heart sank within