The Portland daily press., 1875-07-17

undertook to guide them to where knew he
would be ptifully treated. Is DR.. Capon
down?'
Was it all pity in her face as she stood by
Fritz A few words of promise and sympa-
thy she uttered, laying the pillow comfortably
on wide, low couch, but 1 could not hear
the words because stayed near the door.
"Yes, thought so,' the gentleman an
swered, as he laid the boy down, and moved
away; 81 knew you would be kind to him,
Mary"
"Piers," she whispered, bending over Fritz,
and even l could see how hard she tried to
speak naturally, 'please stay-a little. L
fear this looks like"-
could not hear the last word, but instead
of going he walked up to the window, and
stood there with his back to us. Very soon
gentle gray-haired old gentleman came in,
and looked down upon the sleeping child.
VERY sad, my dear" he said, shaking his
head in answer toM Miss Mary's plying glance.
"Let his friends come in, that when his eyes
open they may not light upon strangers only;
and let me have my surgery key, dear"
sat down by the couch, on chair which
Miss Mary herself put ter me, and saw the
cordial poured through my lads white lips;
then the others came in, and stood or sat
about, drearily watching the little figure on
the sofa. Karlschen's sobs were so piteous
that Miss Capon brought him up to me and
put him within my arms, close to his little
brother; and though l didn't think of it at
the time, knew afterward that this was
much kinder than if she had taken him away
to quiet him. Then she went slowly to the
window, but she only stood near to the silent
figure there; she didn't speak word. l saw
this plainly, as sat soothing KarlscheD, and
waiting for my boys awaking.
"You have, l daresay, never understood
it," the old physician said to us, with great
sympathy in his kind eyes, "but this little
fellow has never been what we call constitu-
tionally strong. Probably that delicate look
ing child could in reality bear twice as much
fatigue and privation as he could; and-has
he just had any shock, or any unusual
amount of fatigue or fasting? l know there
must be danger of these in your lives, of
course, but there has been something un-
usual here"
answered rapidly, interceptng nervous
effort of Behl's, and told the Doctor that
our child had had very wearing day and
night. Seeing Behr's face, how could men
tion the fright or fasting he had caused?
The old physician scrutinized my face in
tently as spoke, then turned again to the
one upon the pillow.
81 cannot give you the slig hest hope. Broth
ers, are they?"
Before any one of us had ventured to an
swer. Fritz awoke-awoke with his little
brothers hand clasping his, and his little
brothers questioning eyes fixed lovingly and
longingly upon his face.
"Had we better go away, Sir? Shall I
take them all away?" asked Peter, his voice
shaking as he addressed the Doctor, and
looked across to where Behr stood awkardly
lowering over the couch, looking-poor Eehr,
Rnhr lac If hn nofhipu in bo
room beyond this weary child, who had been
so swift to do his bidding but few hour5
ago.
"No need" the Doctor answered with
grave kindness. ''Their going cannot save
the little life; their staying cannot hurry the
hurryng DEATH"
"Leader'-the weary eyes upon the pill
low, roaming everywhere about the pleasant
room, had wandered now to my face-''this
is the room-without the fire-light.'
"Yes, dear lad;' for knew well what he
meant, Again the eyes wandered round and
ronnd the sunny room, and knew what they
sough:. Presently they frightened sudden
ly. Through the low open window Fritz had
caught sight of the little girl .tor whom he
had been watching. With her hands full OF
flowers, she came into the silent room, and
looked up wlstfully into her sisters face.
20 Mary" she sobbed in voice strangely
moved and panied for so young child, ''you
are crying still; you are always crying now.
Piers'-with gentle, anxions touch-''do
you make Mary cry?
saw the slow, long look he gave into Miss
Mary's dowbent face, but of course 1 didn't
hear what he whispered brokenl-, while our
boy lay dying in the sunshine, with the little
white pink fading on his breast.
'Ieader," Fritz whispered to me then, 'I
see her in the sunshine. Tell her I remem-
bered,"
''Karlschen, Karl"-the little tight lips
Lied so hard to smile now, as the weak fin
gers moved restlessly upon his brothers
hand-atell mother, when you go home, that
l thought of her always-always. Along the
straight roads when it seemed so far, and it
never seemed so far when l thought OF her
and when we stood and played long
time, and it never seemed so long when l
thought Of her. Always before 1 went to
sleep; and always when I woke. I tried to
think of her in-the wood, but I-coudn't L
could only think of forget-Leader, are
you there?'
''Pm here, my darling little fellow" 1
whispered, kissing the cropping little hands,
past terror had fallen: kissing the shaking.
parted lips.
''Don't 60. Tell mother, Karl, that I
tried to, but I couldn't, If 1 could, 1
shouldn't have been frightened. 1 never was
frightened when-I thought of mother, or of
our Father which art in heaven"
"But, Fritz, you'll come; you'll comep
cried Karlschen, sobbing loudly. ''Mother
said we should go home to her together, to
Germany"
"Not-to Germany" whispered Fritz faint
ly. "Peter, is the sunshine still"
"Yes, Fritz, the sun is warm and bright,
dear lad."
''Not-fading?'
But Peter could not answer any more. He
moved far off and hid his face against the
wall.
"Behr, Pm so glad I found-your bow that
day; yOu-remember?
But Behr's eyes were hidden too, and his
broad chest was heaving violently.
ut was on the very top of the hill shink
l couldn't see it at first, but I thought-it
must be where we had been playing; so l.
went all about, and-was that the night I
was in-the wood? No-I forget. Behr,
when Karl is tired-he's little and he's often
tired-you wont send him back, or-teat
him %
"Never, neverv'
The answer was only mine. l whispered
1t to soothe him, because I saw that Behr
could not utter word.
"Thank you. And-Behr, when he cries
nes very little, you know, and-he often
cries-wll you help him, please?''
Was it the child's wonderful instinct, or
was it touch of Heavens own pity, that
made him say these words to Behr only, and
made him give to Behr that last beautiful
childish smile?
The little feble hands cropping along Karl
schen's sieve, grew suddenly still. The last
painting breath was drawn, and we knew that
our bright little lad was one among the an
gels.
Dear me! I'd no idea the page would look
so blotted when came to write of that day.
because l feel quite happy and content about
it now.
remember how those two, who had parted
in anger, stood together in love and trust be-
side my boy. see Behr Gay, though his
face is saddened with a look he will not lose
for yeals) always ready to help little Karl;
carrying him often Whel the way is long and
hard, seating him nearest the fire when the
nights are cold, and giving up to him many
an indulgence in which he used to delight.
1 see the child himself brave and uncomplain-
ing as he never was when his urselfish little
brother used to bear all bis hardships for him.
And when think OF all these things, know
that the mission of that little life, which fad
ed in the sunshine, is fulfilled.
Blurred and blotted, declare, down to the
bottom of the leaf!