Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-03-16

is dreadfulr rr
"But, my dear, he always
breathes regularly" JA
"Oh, / know it, but there's
something dreadful about it. now,
His nurse is too young and mex
perienced. Maria shall stay there
with her, and be on hand if any.
thing happens"
"That is a good idea, but who
will help your
"You can help me all / want
wouldn't allow anybody to do any
thing but myself, anyhow, at such
a time as this"
! said would feel mean to lie
abed and sleep, and leave her. "a
watch and toll over our little
patient all the weary night. But
she reconciled me to 1t. So old
Maria departed and took up hel
ancient quarters in the nursery.
Penelope coughed twice in hel
sleep.
"Oh, why don't the doctor come
Mortimer, this room is too warm
This room is certainly too warm.
Turn of the register-quick!"
shut it of, gIancing ct the
thermometer at the same time
and wondering to myself if 70 was
too warm for a sick child.
The coachman arrived from
down town now with the news that
our physician was i'll and confined
to his bed. Mrs. McWilliamt
turned dead eye upon me, ant
said in a dead voice, There i:
providence in it. 1t is forcOrdained
He never was sick before. Never
We have not been living as We
ought to live. Mortimer, tim,
and time again have told you so
Now you see the result. Our
child will never get well. Bt
thankful if you can forgive your
self. ! never can forgive myself.
| said, without intent to hurt
hut with needless choice Of words
that | could not see that we had
been living such an abandoned life
"Mortimer! Do you want tc
bring the judgment upon the baby,
too?"
Then she began to cry, but sud.
denly exclaimed, "The doctor
must have sent mediclnesm
said, Certainly, they are
here. Twas only waiting for you
to give me a chance"
"Well, do give them to me!
Don't you know that every mo
ment is precious now? But what
was the use in sending medicines
when he knows the disease is in
curableY
| said that while there was life
there was hope.
Hope! Mortimer, you know no
more what yor are talking about
than the child unborn. If you
would. AS i live the direc-
tions say give one teaspoontul once
an hour! Once an hour! as if we
had whole year before us to save
the child in! Mortimer, please
hurry. Give the poor, perishing
thing tablespoonful, and try to
be quickw "What, my dear, a
tablespoonful might" Don't
drive me frantic!
There, there, there, my precious,
my own; it's nasty, bitter stuff, but
it's good for Nelly-good ioI
mothers precious darling; and it
will make her well. There, there,
there, put the little head on
mammals breast and go to sleep,
and pretty soon-Ob, | know
she can't live till morning! Nor
timer, a tablespoonful every halt
hour will Oh, the child needs
bclladonna too. know she does
and aconite. Get them, Mortimer
Now do let me have nv way. You
know nothing about these things y
We now went to bed, placing the
Glib close to my wife's pillow. All
this turmoil had worn upon me
and within two minutes / was
something more than half asleep.
Mrs. McWilliams aroused me
Darling, is that register turned
on?'
"No."
III thought as much. Please
turn it on at once. This room is
cold"
turned il on and presently fell
asleep again. l was aroused once
more.
"Dearie, would you mind NOV.
ing the crib to your side of the
bed? 1t is nearer the register
moved it, but had a collision
with the rug and woke up the
child. l dozed of once more,
while my wife quieted the sufferer
But in a little while these words
came murmuring remotely through
the fog of my drowsiness;
"Mortimer, if we only had some
goose grease-will you ring?'
i climbed drearily out, and
stepped on cat, which responded
with a protest, and would have goI
n convincing kick for it, if a chan
had not got it instead.
Now, Mortimer, why do you
want to turn up that gas and wake
up the child again.
because | want to see how