The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-02-23

got an old file and sawed it on an old
tin can, she stopped her cars and ran
into the house. 1t made me laugh, and
| sawed away louder than ever. But I
didn know it hurt her."
eff it didn't really give her pain, it
made her feel 50 badly all over that
she could not bear the sound. hope
You'll never do so again, for your" aunt
Malcolm is i'll poor health, and her
nerves are weak.
"Nhat made Eer get weak nerves %
Mrs, Overman s face grew more ser-
ous. She was silent for little while,
and thea said,
I'd. "Your aunt Malcolm had little boy
once, and lie was just about as Old as
you arc when she lost him.
How did she lose him, mother?"
"That is what am going to tell you
about. Your aunt Malcolom lived in the
country. The school to which her lit
tie boy went-his name was Charley
was a mile away from home. Near the
school house was mill dam where the
boys went to bathe in summer time, and
to slide and skate in winter.
Zone cold December morning, Char
ley was bundled up with his books and
skates in his satchel and his dinner in
basket, started for school, and from
that time to this his mother has never
looked upon his face
"Oh, mother! What happened to
him? Where did he go!" eagerly ask
ed Hartley.
'sHe went alone to skate on the mill
dam before going to school, for they
found his books and dinner basket, and
saw the place where he must have
broken in and been drawn under the
ice. No one knew anything about it
until the school had recess at twelve
o'clock, when the boys, going to the
mill-dam, found his satchcl and basket
and saw the skate tracks OH the ice.
going right to the broken place [ have
mentioned. The teacher started two
boys for his home, and they, running
the whole distance, burst in suddenly
upon your aunt, as they entered the
room where she sat, crying out:
~"Oh, a'am, oh, Mrs. Malcolm,
Charley is drowned"
Il have heard one Of these boys,
now almost man, say that he shall
never forget while he lives the look
that came into your aunt's face. 1t
frightened him. Every drop of blood
seemed to 60 out of it, and it became
white as ashes, and full of pain and
terror. Where? Where?' she gasped,
and when the boys answered, In the
mill-dam,' she ran out of the house,
bare headed and without shawl or
cloak, and started off wildly for the
place, running So fast that they could
not overtake her.
"As told you, she never looked on
the face of her darling boy again.
When SHE reached the mill-dam, and
saw the great hole in the ice into which
he had fallen, she gave such cry Of
despair as made all shiyer who heard it,
and fell senseless on the gsound.
They found the poor boy at the bot
tom of the dam after searching for him
a whole day, but when his body was
brought home his mother was too i'll to
know anything that went Oh around
her, and he was buried without her
eyes ever again seeing his dear face.
The shock was so great that it was
many months before she was able to
leave her room, and ever since her
health has beos poor and her nerves
so weak that little things disturb her.
And now, my son, l have answered
your question, What made her get
weak nerves.. and I am sure you will
be very thoughtful of her, and never do
anything that is rude, or rough, or
noisy when she is here
Hartley, who had listened with deep
interest, looked sober, and sat quiet for
good while.
Mother" he said, at last, in half
hushed voice, looking up with kind
of tender pity in his face, "dil you
have little boy drowned?"
"No, DEAR" she answered. "What
made You think so?''
He dropped his eyes and was silent
few moments, then as he put his arm
about his mothers neck, he said,
''Your nerves arc weak like Aunt
Malcolm's."
Mrs. Oyerman kissed the boy, tears
filling her eyes.
"No, DEAR" she answered, sit was