Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-04


ing slov 4 and rather wearlly back
ward aRsI forward across CHE floor
with its BErden IN its arms; and watch
ing il, be went back to certain old
grumbings of his about this was
"pretty, silly slip of agOverness girl, .
There was something in her alter all
there must be, notwithstanding hel
big melancholy eyes, and her 70
mances, aud novels, and schoolgirl
ways. She was very shy and umld IL
! her manner toward himself. Indeed,
she was 50 evidently afraid of him
that sometimes he almost faneied that
/ he lost patience with her. But that
way of hers with the child-that .un-
selfish, uncOmpIaining, simple tens
derness-always moved him.
As to Teddy he was. in rather an
uncertain condition, sometimes bet
ter, sometimes worse; sometimes
promising to Be strong enough to run
about very soon, and tben again fall
ing backsintOs weakness or fever, OF
some other state equally discOuragIng.
Late hours, and polite dissipation,
and fashionable folly have left their
mark upon him, 'sgrowied Theobald
to himself. what can one expect
with such a mother" The great Dr..
I Theobald. be II known, had certain
old fashiOSnOtions of his own.
/ But with Tina's help the boy wea-
I ried through few chdugeful weeks
| wi thousS aeming at ans time so serl-
ousiy Ill as to give rise 10 fresh
alarm. But at the end OF the month
A SUDDEN CHANGE -CAALE,
as it were, without a moments notice.
He had been little stronger, TO all
J appearances, for a day or so, though
he had been more than usually fret
/ full; and one evening DIR. Theobald,
making his daily call, found him ly-
ing upon the hearthrug watching
Tina, who kneh near him, building
a castle of blocks, and at the same
time telling him a story. He was
very much interested; and rather re-
sented Theobald's entrance upon the
scene.
I'm very well; only I've got
headache" s" he said, with queer old
sounding sigh. :'Tina can tend to me.
"And so the giant carried the beauti-
full lady to to the castle, and dragged
her into the dungeOn-and that's the
dungeon-by her golden hair, and"
Go on"
''In a minute" said Tina, raising
her eyes to Theobald's, ''I think he Is
better, thank you, and he is very good
about his medicine"
When Mrs. Duraht came in to see
him before going out that night, she
thought that he was better too, and
said so TO Tina, with a relieved air:
81 hope he will be quite well by
the time Mr.. Durant returns" she
added, and then, kissed him; and bade
him goodnight.
But at 1850 a messenger flew across
the street to Theobald with news
that struck him with alarm. Teddy
had been seized with convulsions
again, and seemed worse than ever.
And when the doctor entered the nur-
sery, he saw that all was over.
''Send for his mother" he said,
briefly.
But no one knew where she had
gone except the coachman who had
driven her. The household seldom
knew where she spent her evenings.
"And Mr.. Durant Is away on bust |
ness, said Tina.
They did their best, but every ef- |
fort was useless. The time had come |
now, and the hours of the brief life |
were numbered. Tina could not be- |
lieve it she could not believe the |
truth, even when she read it on Theo- !
bald's face.
"He cannot be going to die" she |
cried. HE was so much better only |
a few hours ago! told him stories |
until he fell asleep"
She had never seen any enc die in I
her life, and a strange awe took hold /
upon her when at last she began to /
realize what was going to happen. |
Only her innocent love supported her. |
Would it hurt him to die? Would he /
be afraid? Would he know?
1t was midnight when the end came,
and Theobald was with her, standing
1T the bedside. The convulsion ceas- /
ed, and a slow, subtle change began
10 creep over the childish face. There
was new pallOr, faint gray shadow,
rs it were, a curious solemn setting
Of the pretty features, at the sight of
which Tina broke into q low, hushed
Doctor" she said, doctor, lookl
Oh, what is it?''
He touched her trembling hand in /
kind restraint.
IT Is DEATH,
ne said, gently; "but you need not
lear it. Why should you?"
But it was not exactly fear that
stirred her so deeply. It was some
hing ielse. He was so an-alOne,
poor little fellowi All the sorrow in
her innocent, affectionate nature
broke forth in one burst of grief at
that mement.
"And his mother is awayv' she
said; ''and there is no one to say one
title prayer, or to help him to say one
f he could speak! Oh, let me speak
10 him-let me tryi l taught him a
title prayer once, if he could remem-
Der it. Teddy dear! oh; Teddy dear,
ook at Tinar'
Perhaps it was because her voice
lad made itself dear to him that it
lad power to reach the dUlling sense.
His languid eyes opened slowly and
iXed themselves wearily upon her
ace. She had kneIt down beside
lim, and took his hand, bending over
lim, weeping softly.
eff Teddy could remember his
she said tremulously-''if
Teddy would try to say it!' He look
ID at her a few seconds, and then his
,yes, still fixed upon her, filed with
/ sudden ight-a mysterious, awful,
brightness.
''When I lay me down to sleep" he
slowly, pray-the Lord
my soul to-keep."
"And if I die said Tina.
"Before l wake" the slow, child's
-oice went on, sinking a little, Il
,ray-the Lord my-my soul to take.
Amen"
''Amen!" said Tina. "And goOd-by;
Teddy; good-by," and she hid her
Amen died away, the mysterious,
lwful brightness suddenly died out,
md left the little face upon the pill
ow
FAIR AND COLD.
Don't cry" said the Doctor, touch
ug her on the shoulder a few mo-
nents later. ''It is far better as it is"
1t was a terrible blow to Mr.. Du-
ant, but he made no Outcry over it.
t was not his way to be demonstra-
i've. Perhaps his time for that was
,ast. Chance brought him home the
lext morning, entirely unprepared to
lear the news, and he found his boy
aid in his coffin, the household full
If mourning, and his wife shut up in
Ter room; all responsibility having
allen upon Tina and Theobald.
He went to the darkened chamber
If death, looked at the solemn, child
sh figure for a while in a stunned ST.
ence; and then spoke to Theobald.
Where was Belle when-When /
his happened?' he asked.
"Sbe was out It was very sudden.
She did not know it.
He bent over the coffin, and with