The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-04-27


our own bedroom once more, and fel
a great gladness, like storm m-buffete'
birds that have found their nests again
Mrs. McWilliams sped to the nurse
ry to see now things were going oI
there. She was back in momen
with a new dread. She said: "Wha
can make the baby sleep so?"
/ l said: "Why, my darling, bady al
ways sleeps like a craven image"
sI know, 1 know but there's some
thing peculiar shout his sleep now
lie seems to-he seems to breathe sc
reg ularly. Oh, this is dreadful"
"But, my dear, he always breathes
regularly"
"Oh, 1 know it, but there's some.
thing dreadful about it now. His
nurse is too young and inexperienced.
Marie shall stay there with her, and
be Oh hand if anything happens"
"That is good idea, but who will
help you?"
ou can help me all / want. l
wouldn't allow anybody to do any
thing but myself, anyhow, at such a
time as this"
l said l would feel mean TO lie absd
and sleep, and leave her TO watch and
toll over cur little patient all the weary
night. But she reconciled me to it. So
old Maria departed and took up her
ancient quarters in the nursery.
Penelope coughed twice in her sleep.
"Oh, why don't the doctor come ?
Mortimer this room is too warm.
This room is certainly too warm.
Tarn off the register-Quick'
shut it of. glancing ut the ther-
mometer at the same time, and Won
dering to myself if 70deg. was too
warm for a sick child.
The coachman arrived from down
town now with the news that the
physician was ill and confined to his
bed. Mrs. McWilliams turned dead
eye upon me, and said in dead voice.
"There is providence in it. 1t is fore
ordained. He never was sick before.
Meyer. We nave not been living as
we ought to live. Mortimer. time and
time again l have told you SO. Now
you see the result. Our child will
never get well. BE thankful if you
can forgive yourself. l can never for
give myself.
l said, without intent to hurt, but
with needless choice of words, that l
could not see that we had been living
such an abandoned life.
"Mortimer! DO you want to bring
the Judgment upon baby, too?''
Then she began to Cry, but suddenly
exclaimed, "The doctor must haye
sent medicines"
1 said, "Certainly they are here. l
was only waiting for you to give me a
chance"
swell do give them to mel Don't
you know that every moment is pre-
cious now! But what was the use in
SGuuluS "hCh hS hhOV
that the case is incurable?"
said while there was life there was
hope.
.Hope! Mortimer, you know no
more what you are talking about than
the child unborn. If you would
AS 1 live, the directions say give one
once an hour! Once an
hour! as if we had whole year be-
fore us to save the child in! Mortimer,
please hurry. Give the poor perish
ing thing a tablespoonful and try to
be quick" "What my dear, a table,
spoonful might"-"Don't drive me
frantic There, there. there, my
precious, my own; its nasty, bitter
stuff, but its good for Nelly-good for
mothers precious darling and it will
make her well. There, there, there,
pnt the little head on mamma's breast
and go to sleep, and pretty seon-Oh,
know she can't live till morning? ?
tablespoonful every half
hour will-Oh, the child needs bell
adonna, too! know che does-and
aconite. Get them Mortimer. Now
do let me have my way. You know
nothing about these things"
We now went to bed, placing the
crib close to my wife's pillow. All
this turmoil had worn upon me, and
within two minutes was something
more than half asleep. Mrs. McWil-
liams roasea me: "Darling, is that
register turned on?"
"No."
81 thought as much. Please turn it
on at once. This room is SO cold"
turned it on. and presently fell
asleep again. l was aroused once
more.
"Dearie, would you mind moving
the crib to your side of the bed? 1t is
nearer the register"
l moved it, but had q collision with
the rug, and woke up the child. l
dozed of once more, while my wife
quieted the sufferer. But in u little
while these words came murmuring
remotely through the fog of my
drowsiness
"Mortimer, if we only had some
goose grease-will you ring?"
climbed directly out, and stepped
on a cat, which responded with pro-
test, and would have got convincing
kick for it. if chair had not got it in
stead.
"Now, Mortimer, why do you went
to turn up the gas and wake up the
child again ?''
"Because l want to see how much l
am hurt, Caroline"
"Well, look at the chair tool have