The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-04-20

ner said, resolutely. "He shall have a
good nurse and loving one as fast as
steam can carry her. Eh, Hannah"
"Yes'm," said Hannah. "You make
your mind easy, ma'am. III do my
duty" =.
"There is no train till night. Can we
pack a trunk of invalid comforts, Han
nah-wine,. jellies, clean linen, bed
clothes and fruits7" 2
"Yes'm," said Hannah again.
So while I tossed and burned these
two, raced about the city gathering up
comforts for me, till the trunk stood
packed and ready, when the carriage
came to bring my nurse to me, and Susie
cried over her baby and sent tender mes
sages to me- .,.-,--.,,. .,.--
From some abyss Of horror some hor-
rible rock of delirious agony, I have a
faint memory of being recalled to dim
consciousness of realities by low, sweet
voice saying:
"Drink this!"
Something cool and pleasantly bitter
was but to my parched lips, and over
every sense crept q torpor, gentle sooth.
ing to slumber, till all consciousness died
in deep, profound sleep. I did not
know how long / slept, but l awoke with
every sense clear and the fever fancies all
gone.
I looked about me. I was perfectly
conscious that I had lost my reason in
bare, desolate room, where the sun
streamed in through dirty windows, and
the barest necessities of life around me
were of the poorest description. Hooked
at the windows shaded by dark-green
paper and soft muslin curtains; at the
floor, scrubbed and sweet-smelling; at
the bed-Inen, white, clean and cool; at
little table beside me, with snowy cloth,
upon which lay great white grapes, lus.
cious oranges, tamarinds in goblets OF
water. Then / feebly turned my head to
see,. standing. beside me with anxious
tenderness in her soft blue eyes, my
mother-in-law.
"You must not talk" she said, very
gently, her soft, little hand falling upon
my forehead like snowflake, "but try
to keep very quiet. All is we'll at home.
I hear from Susie every day. She is
getting well fast, and your son is in
splendid health"
"My sonl"
"Now I have given you pleasant
thought to- dreaA upon try to sleep
again. But first take drinkiof beef tea.
It should taste Of home, for I bought
the condensed beef in cans from your
uncle Israel's store. He sent the grapes
and oranges, and lot of good things you
shall have by-and-by."
"But your" I said, wondering still,
care you not afraid of the fever?"
"I have taken all prudent precautions"
was the reply, "and my fear was not 80
strong as my love for my son."
'aT6ank you, mother" I whispered,
and L saw through my own misty eyes
her lips quiver as / called her by that
name for the first time.
Can I ever tell how she nursed me
back to health, humoring all my sick
fancies, yet guarding against all hurtful
indulgencies7 All the CHEEKY letters
Susie wrote she read to me and answered
for me, till my weak fingers could guide
a pencil. In her thoughtful affection,
she had packed in the wonderful trunk
light reading to beguile the hours of con-
valescence. When I. could sit up, she
exerted her ingenuity to keep me from
feeling lonesome, and would talk un-
weariedly of that wonderful two days
baby, with eyes blue as patch of sum-
mer skies, and a mouth like clear rose
bud. Susie's letters were great comfort,
and answering them, giving humorous
accounts Of our wretched accommoda-
tfons, occupied many hours.
But the day came at last when the
doctor said might start for home with
out fear of carrying the contagion with
me. Carefully we destroyed every article
that could endanger our dear one, and
started for Memphis with the pleasing
certainty that no accident Detailing, we
could travel by easy stages and reach
home before my boy completed the Sec
ond month of his little life.
The unwearied tenderness that had
brought me back from the jaws Of death
removed all discomforts from my journey
and arranged for needful rest.
i.It.was early;morning when we reached
the city and drove across to our country
like home. But the carriage, instead of
stopping before the cottage gate, turned
in the gateway of the opposite house,
driving up the wide, shaded avenue to
where, upon the porch, Susie was wait
ing, with our boy in her arms. / could
not ask questions then. 1t was enough
to fold my treasure in my arms in utter
thankfulness. But when Susie led the
way to the wide drawing-room, furnished
exactly as we had so often planned, I
cried out in amusement. My mother-in-
law, leading me to sofa, made me sit
down, saying:
"You must allow me to explain. I
wanted to prepare pleasant surprise for
your home coming, and Susie has ar
ranged everything for me. You will
accept this house from your loving moth
er, will you not? / have won my law
suit. We never talked much about it,
Susie and !, because scarcely hoped to
gain it. My husband left me two hun
dred thousand dollars, but his relatives
disputed the will. After nearly three
years litigation, the.case has been decid-
ed in my favor. But Susie is my own
child, and all I have is hers, SO you must
let me give you the house you like so
much for your home and hers"
'I will on one condition"
"What is that?"
"That you come and share it with US.
There is no longer the width of great
city between you and your children, for
you must never say again, mother, that
Susie is your only child"
'But you do not Like mother-in-
law"
'T have had many foolish likes and
dislikes in my life," I replied, "but never
one so utterly unfounded and idiotic as
that one whose basis existed only in my
imagination. Do not punish me by re-
fusing to come to u.s."
Susie's blue eyes pleaded more elo-
uuently than nv tOnrIle and the baby