The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-30


and is now delirious. She says constantly,
No place for mother.'' A glance at each
other and the two knew the secret of those
words, She had overheard their cruel con-
versation. They slipped into her room and
stood beside her. How wan and haggard
her face was and how the veins showed at
her brow and throat. Her eyes were CLASSY
and her lips muttered continually. They
smoothed back the tangled, thin hair, and
tried to awaken her to consciousness, but it
was useless. Her fever increased and the
mind wandered to pleasant places and bright
scenes She talked of the woods of finding
ferns and spring flowers, of the cool shade
where she could rest, and the spring among
the rocks where she would drink, for she
was so thirsty. She told incoherently of her
hope for a happy day in the country, but the
saddest, hardest blow to the two sobbing girls
were the words, ''No place for mother"
She laughed wildly at her own ap-
pearance, her dresses, her whitening hair,
and the laughter changed to a sad cry for
them to love and kiss her. She would start
up to go to see about the work, to attend to
the cooking. to iron her husbands shirts, to
help the girls sew. Then in moment she
was begging them to bring her the little
ones that were dead. She plead with her
husband to call her his own Katie again, as
he did so long ago, and holding him close to
her she talked to him of friends and scenes
of their early life. What that husband and
those daughters suffered that night only
merciful Father in heaven will ever know.
They endured the agony, praying with every
breath for God to spare her to them. They
besought Him not to let her die, and in their
earnestness they promised Him to watch
more tenderly over the weary, patient one
who never reproached them, even when un-
conscious of her words. Two or three times
that night they thought she was dying, but
the morning found ber rational and better,
though she was very, very weak. Mr. Chase
had never known how precious his
wife was until he SO nearly lost her, and
now that she knew him and called him by
name he could only KISS her and pet her
more tenderly than if she were indeed his
young bride. Kate and Sue could hardly
speak for tears. They held her thin hands
and saw how worn they were with work,
and they promised God to save their mother
from toll and anxiety henceforth.
Not word of those revelations told in
her delrium ever reached Mrs. Chase but
all strove to Danish from her mind the MEM
ory of past pain. Her husband, as she grew
stronger took her for long rides, travelling
the shady green country lanes, stopping
here and there at a farm house for glass of
milk for the invalid, ever striving to please
| her by every means in his power. As she
| was able he would lift her from the carriage,
and together they gathered the ferns and
flowers that she had once so coveted. She
never again knew household cares. The
daughters divided between them her tasks
and allowed her no share in the daily fret
and worry of the wearisome routine. They
read and talked to her, made her part OF
their circle in the parlor every evening, and
when John Morris asked Sue to marry
him her mother heard the love
story before any one else. They
hinted to their father to take her with him
on one of his most pleasant trips, and with
out bothering her with their plans they had
suitable clothing prepared for her, and when
she wore the soft grey silk with its trim
mings of delicate lace, she was beautiful
despite her fifty years. She never lacked
for admiration henceforth, for her daugh-
ters constantly told her of her lovliness, and
smoothing the bands of gray haIr from her
brow they would kiss her fondly and low
ingly. They tried to make her feel and
know that she had place in their hearts
and minds, that they wanted to give her the
best of everything, that she was first in all
things with them. Mr.. Chase would antici-
pate her slightest wish and strove to prove
to ner how GEAR sne was TO him, and with
his arm about her, he tried to shield her
from every vexation or care. The subject
was too sacred to tell to others, and yet the
| girls determined to let their experience teach
others, and so in one way or another they
would talk to other young girls and try to
save them from the anguish they had known.
They would beg every daughter to be more
thoughtful, more gentle to the patient, care
worn mother. They would plead with her
to make the mother, instead of any one else,
her confident, her counselor. They would
say to her, ''Give somewhat of the love she
has ever shown you back to her again. When
she Is weary or suffering, soethe gently the
motker who has never been 700 tired or sick
to answer your cry of distress Be reyer-
emily tender to her. You do not know how
much like balm to a bleeding wound your
kisses and caresses may come to her heart.
AS fast as you can take her burdens from
her. do not wait until the coffin lid shuts
her from you, and standing beside her you
pray for death to blot out your memory"
When Mr.. Chase buys Jackets tor pleasure
Arix h.,c md IL,