The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-03-23
MARK TWAIN.

MARX TWAIN,
he Tells - q Case e1 Creup I'm tho
:'y.' McWDllBanss family.
Well, to 60 back to where I was be.
fore depressed to explain to you how
that frightfal and incurable disease,
membranous Group, was ravaging the
town and driving oil mothers mad with
terror, called Mrs. Nc Williams atten.
ton to little Penelope, and said: "Dar.
ling, ! wouldn't let that child be chewing
that piEe stick, If were ou.''
'Precious where is the harm in to-
said she, but at the same time prepar-
ing to take away the stick-for women
cannot receive even the most palpably ju.
dicious suggestion without arguing it;
that is, married women.
"Love, it is notorious that pine is the
least nutritious wood that = child can
eat"
My wife's hand paused in the act of
taking the stick, and returned itself to
her lap; she bridled perceptibly, and
said: Hubby, you know better than
that. You know you do. Doctors all
say that turpentine in pine wood is good
for weak hack and the Kidneys"
"Ah! I was under . misapprehension.
did not know that tho child's kidneys
and spine were affected, and that the
family physician had recommended'-
WHO said that the child's spine and
kidneys were affectedl''
ss2v 0nvn va, snksswatA6 ~ -
"Tbe idea !! I never intimated anything
Of tho kind
why, my dear it hasn't been two
minutes since you said
''Bother what l said! I don't care
what I did say. There isn't any harm
in . child's chewing bit Of pine stick if
she wants to, and you know it perfectly
we'll. And she shall chew it. too So
there, now''
"Say no more. my dear. I now sec
the force Of your reasoning. and I will
90 and order two or three cords of the
best pine wood to day. No child Of mine
shall want while r.
"0h, please 60 along to your Office.
and let me have some peace. A BODY
can never make the simplest remark but
you must take it up and 60 to arguing,
and arguing, and arguing, till you don't
know what you arc talking about, and
you never do
avery we'll, it shall be as you say.
But there is want Of logic in your last
remark which,
However, she was gone with flourish
before could finish, and had taken the
child with her. That night, at dinner,
she confronted me with face rs white
% sheet.
''Oh, Mortimer, there's another! Lit
tie Georgia Gordon is taken?"
"Membranous croup?'
''Membranous Group"
us there any hope for him!''.
''None in tho vide world. o, what is
to become Of us?'
By and by our nurse brought in our
Penelope to say good mig hit and offer the
customary prayer at mothers knee. In
the midst Of SNOW I lay me down to
Sleep she gave slight cough. My vic
fell back like ono stricken with death.
But n ext moment she was up and run
ming away with the activeness which ter.
ror inspires.
She commanded that the child's crib
DO removed from the nursery to our bed
room; and she went along to see tho or.
der executed. She took me with her, of
course. We got matters arranged with
speed. A cot.bed was put up in my wife s
dressing. room for the nurse. But now
Mrs. AcWill,ams said We we're too far away
from tho other baby, and what if he were
to have the symptoms in the night ?-and
she blsnched again, poor thing.
We then restored the crib and the
nurse to tho nursery, and put up bed
for ourselves in room adjoining.
Presently, however, Mrs. McWilliams
said: Suppose the baby should catch
it from Penelope!' The thought struck
. panic to my heart, and the tribe of Us
could not get the crib out Of tho nursery
fast enough to satisfy my wife. thong h
she assisted in her own person, and we'll.
nigh pulled tho crib to pieces in her fran
tic hurry.
We moved down stairs, but there was
no place to stow the nurse, and Mrs. Nc.
Williams said the nurses experience
would be m inestimable help. So we re.
turned. bag and baggage,to our own bed.
room once more. and felt great gladness,
like storm.buffeted birds that have found
their nests again.
Mrs. McWilliams sped to the nursery
to go how things were going on there.
She was back in Z moment With a new
dread. She said: "What can make the
baby sleep so!"
lsaid: why, my darling, baby al.
ways sleeps like craven inns &C."
II know. know; but there's some.
thing peculiar about his sleep now. He
seems to- he seems to breathe SO reg.
ularly. Oh, this Is dreatful!''
"Bnt. my dear. he always bre.thcs
regularly.
"'Oh, I know it, but there's something
dreadful about it now. His nurse is too
young and inexperienced. Marie shall
stay there with her, and be on hand il
Anything hsppous.''
THAT il , good idea, but who will help
you &C. %G.T fl.
"You can help me all want. I
wouldn't allow any body to do anything
but myself, anyhow, at such time a.
this"
said would feel mean to lie abed and
sleep, and leave her to watch and toll
over. our little patient oil tho weary
night. But she reconciled me to it. So
old Maria departed and took up her
ancient quarters in tho nursery.
Ps1slope oouehed twice in her sleep.
.'Oh, Why don't the doctor come :
Mortimer this room IS too warm. This
roem i certainly too warm. Turn Of
the Jssistsr-quick!