The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-06-11
DEATH OF LITTLE PAUL.

DEATH OF LITTLE PAUL.
One night he had been thinking Of his
mother, and her picture in the drawing
room down stairs, and thought she must
have loved sweet Florence better than his
father did, TO have held her in her arms
when she thought she was dying-for
even he, her brother, who had such dear
love for her, could have no greater wish
than that. The train Of thought suggest
cd to him to inquire II he had ever seen
his mother; for he could not remember
whether they had told him, yes or no, the
river running very fast and confusing his
mind.
"Floy, did ever sec mamay"
mo, darling, whyT
"Did ever see any kind lace, like ma
mas, looking at me when ! was baby,
Floy"
lie asked incrcdulously, rs If he had
some vision Of face before him.
"Oh yes, dear"
Whose. Floy%
"Your old nurses. Oflcn."
"And where is my old nurse" said
Paul. Is shO dead too? Floy arc we all
dead, except you
There was hurry in the room, for an
instant-longer, perhaps; but it seemed
no more-then all was still again; and
Florence, with her face quite colorless,
but smiling, held his head upon her arm.
Her arm tremblcd very much.
"ShOw mo the old nurse, Floy, II you
plcaseY :,
"Sho is. not here, darling She shall
come tomorrow"
"Thank you, FloyW
Paul closed his eyes with these words,
and fell asleep. When he awoke, tho sun
was high, and the broad day was clear
and warm. lie lay n little, looking at the
windows, which were open, and the cur.
tains rustling in the air, and waving 10 and
fro; then he said, 'Floy, Is 1t tomorrow?
Is she Gomez"
Some one seemed to go in quest of her
Perhaps 1t was Susan. Paul thought he
heard her telling him when he had closed
his eyes again, th0t she would soon be
back; but ho did not open them to see.
She kept her word-pCrhaps she had
never been away-but the next thing
that happened was Il noise Of footsteps on
the stairs, and then Paul wOke-woke
mind and bOdy-and sat upright in his
bed. lie saw them now about him
There was no gray mist before them, rs
there had been sometimes in the night.
He knew them every one, and called them
by their names. =,
"And who is this? Is this my old
nursc% said the child, regarding with
radiant smile, figure coming in.
Yes, yes. No other Stranger would have
shed those tears Mt sight Of him, and
called him her dear boy, her pretty boy,
her own poor blightcd child. No other
woman would have stopped down BY his
bed, and taken up his wasted hand, and
put It to her lips and breast, rs one who
had some right to fondlc it. No other
woman would have so forgotten every
body else but him and FlOy, and been SO
full Of tenderness and pity.
"Floy this Ia kind good faCev snid
Paul. II am glad to see it again. Don't
90 away old nurse! Stay here"
His senses were NIL quickcncd, and lie
heard a name he knew
"Who was that, who said Walter ="
he asked, looked round. "Some one said
Walter. Is hehcrc? should like to see
him very much"
Nobody replied directly; but his father
soon said TO Susan, Call him back, then;
let him come upw Aller short pause Of
expectation, during which he looked with
smiling interest and wonder, on his nurse,
and saw that she had not forgotten FlOy,
Walter was brought into the room. His
open face and manner, and his cheerful
eyes, had always made him u favoritc
with Paul; ind when Paul saw him, he
stretched out his hand, and said Good
Dyer ... ..
'"Gopd-bye, my child ~ cried Mrs. Pip.
chin, hurrying'to his beds head. Not
goodbye" =.
For IN instant, Paul looked ut her with
the wistful iace with which he had
so often gazcd upon her in his corner by
the fire. "Ah, yes" he said placidE,
goodbye! Walter dear, good:bye"-
turning his head to where he stood, and
putting ont his hand again. Where is
Papa
He feb his fathers breath upon his
check before the words had parted from
his lips.
"Remcmbcr Walter, dear Papa" he
whispered, looking in his face. "Remem.
her Walter. Twas fond Of Walter" The
fcblc hand waved in the mir, rs if It cried
goodbye ~ to Walter once again
Nov lay inc down." he said, "nnd
Floy, come close to me md let me see
you ~
Sister and brother wound their arms
around each other, and the golden light
came streaming in, and fell upon them,
locked together
"How fast the river runs, between its
green banks and the ruShcs Fly! But
IFS very near the sea. ! lcnr the waves !!
They always said sou
Presently lie told her that the motion
of the boat upon the stream was lulling
him to rest. How green the banks were
now, how bright the flowers growing on
them, md how tall the rushGsl Now tho
boat was out ut sea. but gliding smoothly
on. And now there was shore before
him. Who stood on tho bank =
lie put his hands together, as he he had
been used TO do at his prayers. lie did
not remove his arms to do 1t; but they
saw him fold them so, behind her neck.
Mamma Is like you, Floy. know her
by the face! But tell them that the print
upon the stairs ut school Is not divine
enough. The light about the head is
shining ms I gO!"
The golden ripple Of the wall came
back again, and nothing else stirred in
the room. The. old, old fashionI The
fashion that came in with our first gar
mcnts, and will last unchanged until our
race has run its course, and the wide
armament is rolled up like scroll. The
old, old fashion-Death
Oh thank Cop, all who sec it, for that
older fashion yet, Immortality! And look
upon lis, angels Of young children, with