Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-23
MARX TWAIN.
He Tells Of q Case q Group In III
McWlllBams Family,

ing, "OulOn let tnat cnll0 be chewing
that pire stick, # were you.'' -
"Precious where is the harm in it,
said she, but at the same time prepar.
ing to take away the stick-for women
cannot receive even tho most palpably iu.
dicious suggestion without arguing it
that is, married women.
''Love, it is notorious that pine is the
least nutritious wood that = child can
cat.''
My wile's hand paused in the act Of
taking the stick, and returned itself ia
her lap; she bridled perceptibly, and
said: Hubby, you know better than
that. You know you do. Doctors oil
say that turpentine in pine wood is good
for weak hack and the Kidneys
"Ah! was under a misapprehension.
did not know that the child's kidneys
and spine were affected, and that the
family physician had recommended''-
"Who said that the child's spine and
kidneys were affected!'
MY love, you intimated it,"
THE idea I never intimated anything
Of the kind
"Why, my dear it hasn't been two
minutes since you said''-
"Bother what 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, nowr'
"Say no more, my dear. I now SEQ
the force Of your reasoning, and I will
60 and order two or three cords of the
best pine wood to day. No child Of mine
shall want while r.
"Oh, please 60 along to your Office,
aad let me have some peace. A body
can never make the simplest remark but
you must take it up and go to arguing,
and arguing, and arguing, till you don t
know what you arc talking about, and
you never do"
Every well, it shall be IS 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
as sheet.
'Oh, Mortimer, there's another! Lit.
tie Georgia Gordon is taken!"
''Membranous croup?'
''Melnbranous Group
us there any hope for him -
''None in tho wide world. O, what ia
to become of us!''
By and by our nurse brought in our
Penelope to say good night and offer the
customary 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 ext moment she was up and run.
ming away with the activeness which ter.
ror inspires.
She commanded that the child's crib
be removed from the nursery to our bed.
room and she went along to sec the or
der executed. She took me with her, oil
course. We got matters arranged with
speed. A cot.bed was put up in my wife 4
dressing room for the nurse. But now
Mrs. Nc Willlams said We were too far away
from the other baby, and what if he wert
to have the symptoms in the night land
she blanched again, poor thing.
We then restored the crib and tn
! nurse to the nursery, and put up bee
for ourselves in room adjoining.
Presently, however. Mrs. McWilliam,
said: ''Suppose the baby should catch
it from Penelope :" The thought struck
a panic to my heart, and the tribe of n.
could not get the crib out Of the nurser,
fast enough to satisfy my wife, though
she assisted in her own person, and we'll
nigh pulled the crib to pieces in her fran
tic hurry.
We moved down stairs, but there va!
no place to stow the nurse, and Mrs. Nc
Williams said the nurses experienc,
would be an inestimable help. So we re
turned, bag and baggage,to our own bed
room once more, and felt great gladness
like .buffeted birds that have fount
their nests again.
Mrs. McWilliams sped to the nursery
to see how things were going on there
She was back in moment with . new
dread. She said: s'What can make tn,
baby sleep so!''
said: "Why, my darling, baby al
ways sleeps like craven image
Il know, know; but there's some
thing peculiar about his sleep now. H,
! seems to- he seems to breathe so reg
ularly. Oh, this is dreadful -
"But, my dear, he always breathe'
regularly"
"Oh, know it. but there's somethin,
dreadful about it now. His nurse is toi
young and inexperienced. Marie shall
stay there with her, and be on hand i
anything h>ppcns.''
''That is good idea, but who will hclr
"You can help me all l want.
wouldn't allow anybody to do anything
but myself: anyhow, 1t such time Al
this"
I said I would feel mean to lie abed and
sleep, and leave her to watch and toll
over our little patient oil the weary
night. But she reconciied me to it. 81
old Maria departed and took up hel
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. Tura Of
the reoister-quick
l shut It of, glancine at the thermom.
eter at the same tune, and wondering to
myselfif TO- was too warm for sick
child.
The coachman arrived from down town
now with the news that the physician was
i'll and confined to his bed. MIS-. McNNil.
liams turned dead eye upon me, and
said in q dead voice, "There Is provi.
dence in it. It is foreordained. He never
was sick before. Never. We have not
been living as we ought to live. Morti.
mer, time and time again l have told you