Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-10-12

| III IiOpS' AASP@i as ooiiO AiioAS AAASNASAAAo
and promising to call early in the morning,
he again left them together.
'sLet me take her, Etha," Fred again
urged. you go and lie down; you will
make yourself sick.''
But Etha was firm in her resolve that nc
one but herself should do anything for her
little one-no hands but hers battle the
fevered brow, and no voice but hers hush
the piteous means.
So three days OF watching and anxiety
passed, and then their darling was re-
leased from her suffering, and taken home
to a better world. In all this time Etha
had hardly left her baby, and not once
closed her eyes in sleep. Fred finding it
was useless to urge her to leave the baby,
had arranged couch on the lounge, and
taken what rest he could, refusing to leave
her alone with the child, although she told
him she had just as soon stay alone with
her as not But on the afternoon OF the
third day the little one Enclosed her eyes,
smiled up into her mothers face, and,
softly murmuring "Mamma!" passed away
to the quiet sleep that knows no waking.
Fred kuelt beside her, holding her tiny
hand, and deep sobs shook his frame as he
realized that she was gone forever But
Etha calmly closed the little eyes, straight
ened the limbs, and folded the tiny hands
across her breast.
ooh, Etha. how can you be so very
calm?" sobbed Fred.
ssThere will be time enough for tears by
and-by," she replied, ''When the house is
silent and empty, and there is nothing
more that can do for my treasurer
Presently, while they were still standing
around their baby, the door-bell rang.
and Fred. going to the door, found Etha S
mother outside.
"Oh, mother' he exclaimed, grasping
her hand i'll both of his. II am SO glad
that you have come, for we need you
sorely''
"How is Lula?' asked Mrs, LennoX.
Fred only shook lis head and spoke the
one word, ''Gone,'' then turned abruptly
and led the way into the room where Etha
was watching beside her dead baby.
| Mrs. Lennox clasped Etha closely in her
arms, and wept bitterly; but Etha's grief
was too deep for tears.
With the same strange calm she took
her mothers wrappings, inquired after her
| father and brothers, and if her mother had
had q pleasant journey. Mrs. Lennox
| looked at her anxiously; the deathly pal
lor of her face showed signs of deep suffer-
| ing, and the unnatural calmness made her
fear that she would also be ILL"
"Come, Etha,'' Fred said, that night,
''you must 60 to bed and get some rest"
But Etha only shook her head.
'sMy dear child her mother said, laying
both hands on Etna's shoulders, "you must
not tax yourself so; all your care is of no
/ use now, and you mast take care Of your
SELF
mo mother,'' she replied, lit is only a
little while now that can have my dar-
ling, and every moment is precious
''But, Etha,'' reasoned Mrs. Lennox,
''it is rot right for you to do so; you
should not endanger your health needless
ly; let me watch with Lula to-night.'
'.No mother" she replied, mo hand but
mine has done aught for my baby since she
has been i'll, and it shall be mine alone till
the bitter end
Finding it was useless to say more, Mrs.
| Lennox retired, and Fred again took his
I place on the lounge. Etha's manner
troubled him exceedingly. Now that he
felt she needed love and sympathy she ask
ed for none, and even repealed him by her
cold calmness. What did it all mean? The
wife whom he had seen weep over a few
hasty words, now that a real sorrow had
come, shed not a tear.
The day of the funeral came all too soon.
Etha felt as though she were living in a
dream she could not realize the fact that
her baby was really dead, With her hands
she had done everything for her little one,
she had dressed her baby, combed her hair,
and laid her tenderly in her little coffin.
But she had a terrible dread of the funeral.
If she could only bid her little one good
by with no one to see, no one to make
comments 1t seemed as if she could not
take the last look at her baby with a
crowd of people looking on; but she said
nothi' g Of her feelings to any one, only
nerved herself to endure until the end.
The funeral services were very tender
and touching, but to Etha it all seemed
meaningless. She could not have told one
word that was spoken, 1t was only at the
grave, when the little coffin was lowered
to its last resting place, and the minister
spoke those solemn words, Dust to dust,
and ashes to ashes, that she realized what
was going On around her then, as d cold
shudder shook her frame, with a low moan
she sank senseless to the earth.
Fred quickly raised her in his arms, and
bore her to the carriage. "Onlya fainting
tlt-she will soon recover" he thought.
But with all their efforts she still remained
unconscious, and in that condition they
carried her come.
Arrived there, Fred sent Immediately
for the doctor, but his efforts were as un-
availing as theirs.
All the rest Of that day and night they
watched beside her; toward morning she
began to grow restless.
''Fred," she murmured, dear Fred! We
will be so happy together! The future
looks so bright and beautifulr'
Fred stopped oyer and kissed her. How
we'll he remembered the time she had spo-
ken these very words
Again she became quiet. Then she said
suddenly
''Did he eyer love me? know that he
does not now, but wish knew that he
ever did,
! Fred started; what could she mean !?
! But he was soon to know, for the secret
she had borne silently, she was fast telling