Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-03-14

make your mind easy nam. I'll
do my duty"
"There is no train till night. Can
we pack a trunk of invalid's com
forts, Hannah, bed clothes, clean
linen, wine, iellles and fruits =
"Yes'm" said Hannah, again.
So while / tossed and burned,
these two raced around the city,
gathering up comforts for me, till
the trunk stood packed, and ready,
when the carriage came to bring
me, and Susie cried over her baby
and sent me tender messages.
From some abyss of horror
some horrible rock of delirous
agony, l have faint memory Of
being recalled to a dim conscious
ness of realities by a low, sweet
voice, saying:
"Drink this 2"
Something cool and pleasantly
bitter, was put to my lips, and over
every sense crept torpor, a gentle
soothing to slumber, till all con-
sciousness died in a deep, profound
sleep. did not know how long |
slept, but | awoke with every sense
clear, and the fever fancies all gone.
looked about me. was per-
fectly conscious that | had lost my
reason In bare, desolate room,
when the sun peered through dirty
windows, and the bare necessities
of life were of the poorest descrip-
ton. | looked at the window
shaded by dark green paper and
soft muslin curtains and the floor
scrubbed and sweet smelling; the
bed linen white, clean and cool /;
and little table beside with snowy
cloth, upon which lay great white
grapes, luscious oranges, tamarinds
in soblets of water. Then feehly
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 me like a snowflake
"but try to keep very quiet. All
is well at home. | hear from Susie
every day. She is getting well
fast, and Your son is in splendid
health"
"My son n"
snow ] have given you a pleas
ant surprise to dream upon, try and
sleep again. But first take a drink
of beef tea. 1t should taste OF home,
for / brought the condensed beel
in cans from your uncle Israel's
store. He sent the grapes and
oranges, and a lot of good things
you shall have by-and-by."
"But you," / said, wondering
still. "are you not afraid of the
fever! y
81 have taken all prudent pre-
causions," was the reply, "and my
fear was not so strong as my love
for my son."
"Thank you, mother" l whis
pered, and l saw through my owr
misty eyes, her lips quiver, as
called her by that name for thu
first time.
Can / tell how she nursed mt
back 20 health, humoring oil my
sick fancies, yet guarding agains
all lustful indulgences. All th'
CHEEKY letters Susie wrote, sh,
> read to me, till my own weak fng
= ers could glide a pencil. In he
thoughtful affection she had pack
!. ed in this wonderful trunk ligh
: reading to beguile the hours o
r convalescence. When ! could sit VI
she exerted her ingenuity to keel
me from feeling lonesome, an
q would talk untiringly of that won
I derful baby, with eyes blue as
Y patch of summer skies, and a mout
e like a cleft rose bud. Susie's lei
Y ters were a great comfort, and an
y swering them, giving humorou
;. accounts of our wretched accomc
e dations, occupied many hours,
But the day came at last, whe
n the Doctor said ! could start fo
= home without fear Of carrying th
e coutagion with me. Carefully W
1. destroyed every article that coul
n endanged our dear ones, and star
II ed for Memphis with the pleasin
= certainty that no accident befallin
" we could travel by easy stages, al
" reach home before my boy con
A. pleted the second month of his Ii