Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-04-27
MARK TWAIN.
He Tells of Il Case Of Group i'm the MI
Williams Family.

| and incurable disease membraneOus Group
was raving the town and driving all mothers
mad with terror, called Mrs. McWilliams at
tention to little Penelope, and said: ''Dar-
ling, | wouldn't let that child be chewing
that pine stick, if were you"
''Precious, where is the harm in it?" said
| she, but at the same time preparing to take
away the stick-for women cannot receive
even the most palpably judicious suggestion
| without auguing 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
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 back and kidneys"
"Ah !! [ was under misapprehension. |
did not know that the child's kidneys and
spine were affected, and that the family ply
scian had recommended"
'Who said that the child's spine and kid
neys were affected ?"
''My love, you intimated it,
''The idea never intinated anything of
the kind"
"Why my dear, it hasn't been two minutes
since you said"
''Bother what said don't care what l
did say There isn't any harm in child 5
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. l now see the
force of your reasoning, and will go and
order two or three cords OF the best pine
wood to-day. No child Of mine shall ever
want while II
''Oh, please go along to your office, and
let me have some peace. body can never
make the simplest remark but you must take
it up and go to arguing, and arguing, and
auguing, till you don't know what you are
talking about, and you never do.'
every well, it shall be as you say. But
there is want Of logic in your last remark
which,
However, she was gone with a flourish be-
fore l could finish, and had taken the child
with her. That night at dinner, she con-
fronted me with a face white as a sheet
''Oh, Mortimer, there's another. Little
George Gordon is taken
''MembranOus crOup?"
"Membranous Group"
''Is there any hope for him?'
,'None in the wide world. Oh, what is to
become of us?'
BY and by our nurse brought in our Pene-
lope to say good night, and offer the custom
ary prayer at mothers knee. In the midst
OF ''Now lay me down to sleep," she gave
slight cough. My wife fell back like one
stricken with death. But the next moment
she was up and running away with the active
ness which terror inspires.
She commanded that the childs crib be
removed from the nursery to our bedroom;
and she went along to see the order executed.
She took me with her, of course. We got
,,ot+orr orroprod with cnond cot hod u,ao
put up in my wife's dressing room for the
nurse. But now Mrs. McWiliams said we
were too far away from the other baby, and
what if he were to have the symptoms in
the night?-and she blanched again, poor
thing.
We then restored the crib and the nurse to
the nursery, and put up a bed for ourselves
in a room adjoining.
Presently, however, Mrs. McWilliams said:
''Suppose the baby should catch it from
Penelope?" This thought struck new panic
to her heart, and the tribe of us could not
get the crib cut of the nursery again fast
enough to satisfy my wife, though she as
sisted in her own person, and well-nigh pull
ed the crib to pecies in her frantic hurry.
We moved down stairs, but there was no
place to stow the nurse, and Mrs. McWil-
liams said the nurses experience would be an
inestimable help. So we returned, bag and
baggage, to our own bedroom once more,
and felt great gladness, like storm buffeted
birds that have found their nests again.
Mrs. McWillams sped to the nursery to see
how things were going on there. She was
back in a moment with new drad. She
said "What can make the baby sleep SOP"
said: ''Why, my darling, baby always
sleeps like craven image"
81 know, know; but there's something
peculiar about his sleep now. He seems to
he seems to breathe so regularly. Oh, this is
dreadful
"But. my dear, he always breathes regu-
larly:"
''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 if anything
''That is good idea, but who will help
you?"
"You can help me all want. l wouldn't
allow anybody to do anything but myself,
anyhow, at such time as this"
said would feel mean to lie abed and |
sleep, and leave her to watch and toll over |
our little patient all the weary night. But |
she reconciled me to it. SO old Maria de-
parted, and took up her ancient quarters in
The nursery.
Penelope coughed twice in er sleep.
ooh, why don't the doctor come? Morti-
mer, this room is too warm. This room is
certainly too warm. Turn off the register
quick"
shut it off, glancing at the thermometer
At the same time, and wondering to myself
# 70 was too warm for any sick child
The coachman arrived from down town
now with the news that the physician was i'll
and co fined to his bed. Mrs. McWilliams