Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-09-05

wife declaring that little Paolo was the
yeriest darling she had ever seen, that
he reminded her of our youngest, and
that she should like to carry him off,
probably because we had not enough of
our own.
Now, she was woman not given to
morbid fancies, thoroughly healthy,
with plenty of common sense. So |
was little surprised at this extravagant
admiration, and to hear her say that
the child bore any resemblance TO ours.
l could see none; but it was cher Holt
day." and she was not to be crossed.
Well, If | was surprised, by this, judge
how much more so was when she sud-
denly one morning announced her wish
to return home.
"We have not been away three
weeks" mildly protested.
"NO," she said; ''but I have got a
strange longing to see the children; |
can't bear to be away from them any
longer. | never have been away from
them two days, much less two weeks,
before, and L can't bear it; ] must go
back"
And leave thus suddenly your
pretty little protege on the hill up
there| ventured to say.
Yes" she answered, that is the
reason, that is what has made me wish
to 90. / mean the right of that moth
er's love for her child makes me en-
ViOus; | want to be with my own"
What could / say? 1t was her holi-
day to do as she pleased with; if she
pleased to cut 1t snort she must.
owe will be off tonight, love-" / said;
but inwardly l was grieyed, saddened,
not only by the disappointment, but be-
cause, seeing that we had excellent ac-
counts from home, this strange freak
had something morbid in it, unlike
her. Yet there was no appeal, and [
began making arrangements for our
departure.
You will go UP and say goodbye to
the little chap, your friend" [ asked
Certainly" she answered; "you will
come with me, won'tyou%
awe will go at once" | said. / was
the slave, | had nothing to do but to
obey.
1t was a wild and gusty day for Aug
ust, and the landscape looked less in
viting than usual, as we assembled the
zigzag path leading to the sanctuary a
little above which on the hillside lay
the home of our new friends. AT one
ofthe angles near the top CT this zigzag
the path passed perilOusly close to a
steep precipice, which for some dis
lance formed one bank of a mountain
stream as it came tearing down over a
rocky bed. This spot was a great height
hr ga No ,l- II -
| plce itself just there was some forty feet
above the river. A few rough bushes
made feeble parapet on the broken
ground at the actual edge, but beyond
these there was nothing but q sheer
down wall ofrock. AS we reached this
corner we saw luttering in the wind
what looked at first like handkerchief
hanging from one of the bushes, but
which proved at our coming closer to
be the garment of child who was
standing at the very verge of the
chasm.
GLOW dangerous" exclaimed my
wife. "Who can have left q child in
such placer"
1t was a solitary walk this, especially
at midday, and we had not met Great
the town, except an old monk toddling
down upon some mundane Grand
"Ah !" she cried as we got still nearer,
"why it is-yes, I declare-why it is
dear little Paolo himself. Good graci-
Gus He has strayed away down here
| alone to look for blackberries, no doubt, .
and as she spoke she rushed forward,
and Selling the child by tt . skirt drew
it back from the perilous edge over
which it was craning. AS l came up we
both saw that the little creature was
crying bitterly, and he Immediately be-
gan pointing down toward the stream,
and isping out, "AIia madre, mia ma
/ Dire !"
[ bent over and looked down in the
| direction the little one was pointing,
and to my dismay among the rocks at
! the verge of the river beheld, lying pros
trate thirty feet below, the mOtionless
! form of the mother.
| Then ensued a scene which will not
dwell upon. flew up the sanctuary
for assistance. My wife, clasping the
! little one in her arms, fastened down to
| the place where it was just possible by
very rough scramble to get round to
the bed of the river. Here | and those
whom Ihad brought with me, presently
/ joined her, and we made our way to the
| luckless woman. She was not dead but
quite insensible, and after infinite
| trouble and care we managed to carry
/ her up to her home, my wife with Paolo
in her arms preceding us, and bringing
! the sad news to the father.
The only sort of medical aid obtain
able in that primitive place came from
the sanctuary, and soon an old monk
| to whom the natives all seemed to de-
fer, was in attendance, and after care
full examination of the patient pro-
nounced that by great mercy no bones
were broken, bat that the poor woman
was suffering from conclusion of the
| brain, and that some weeks might
elapSe before she would be about
again.
do you still hold to your determine
ton ofreturning homer / said to my
wife, when the excitement and the sor-
row which this catastrophe had caused
were a little abated; for | own [ was
selfish enough to hope that out of this
| evil good might come in the shape Of
making her prolong her holiday. The
hope was realized.
"No," she answered; perhaps l can
be Of some use here; Twill not go back
yet This little one will want a mothers
care now; will be that mother, for |
love him more than ever, and / wish
more than ever that he belonged to
me-"
L need hardly say that under other
circumstances I should have entirely
objected to her assuming such maternal
responsibilities; that | should have
pointed out that it was no duty of hers,
Il well-born lady, in this fashion to look
after the offspring Of an unknown peas