Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-19


10 lay by sweetmemories other TO which
the spirit could turn through life for re-
freshment. She kissed his tear-stained
face, and had him kiss baby's fists, and
told him that he must love the little sis
ter better than all the world besides.
Only in necessity would she suffer her
baby 20 be taken from her side, but
hung over IL with n reverent kind Of
love, rs for one already heaven-be-
spoken. At every waking her thoughts
flew first to baby, and her hand went
out with loving touch, and then the lit
tie one's face was laid against hers.
And when the mother on the third
morning felt an unmistakable closing of
the warm lips, and heard the low, soft
swallowing, she lay back with closed
lids, and under them came great thank
ful tears. And in Mares eyes were an
swering tears
When the baby was a week old the
mother insisted on having its picture
taken. The same day she entered on
the first page of "Lucy's Diary" "A
week Of precious time is gone; one hum
dred aud sixty-siX weeks and one day
are left. Every day since she came has
been a Joy to me. She does not notice
any yet but there is such sweetness in
ministering 90 her helplessnessl When
Marc holds her feet to the fire she works
! her toes as If in satisfaction; it must be
that she enjoys the warmth. | know
she enjoys the nursing. Dear Lord,
thank Thee that may get thus near to
her that she may build her life from
mine"
From this time on, day by day to the
last week, was recorded the story of
the child's unfolding. Perhaps such
another story was never written. 1t
noted every perceptible change-the
clearing of the skin; the opening of the
fists; the first watching of the light; the
| first notice of the dancing shadows on
the wall, and of the bright colors; the
first smile; the growth of the hair; the
first goo-goo; the first laugh; the first
tooth, and each after one; every infant
sickness, every frolic; the behavior
with each new toy. Then there was the
story of the sitting alone, of the creep
ing, of the standing alone, of the walk
ing by the chair, of the first unaided
walking. Every pain that came to the
little Lucy the mother noted with re-
morseful tears every sign of new
pleasure in the wee face was recorded
with thankful words.
Through the whole minute record
there ran an evident solicitude to put
some mark upon each day-to so indi-
vidualize it that it might be identified
in a review. And with each days rec
ord were entered the pitiless figures
which told what of the little life re-
mained.
On February IA, 1877, the mother
wrote: Zone year OLD to-day; nearly
one third of the precious time is spent
She is sleeping beside me. have shut
Tommy out, that he may not disturb
her: hear him crying for me. 1t gives
me something of a heartache to lock
the door against him, but 1 must give
myself to her now. When she has gone
1 will make il up to Tommy. We had
her tenth picture taken to-day. She
sat on my lap, with the dear head lean
ing against my palm, and the sweet,
wondering eyes watching the violin
which the operator played. The picture
is excellent, but miss the exquisite col
oring-the pale-rose complexion, the
blue eyes, and the hair unlike in color
any other ever saw-like the yellow
of threshed wheat. Nothing could be
more beautiful than her sleeping face at
this moment. begrudge the time that
my eyes must be drawn from its beauty
to this writing"
90 March 2, IS77.-I have such terri
BILE times with Marc! He has never ac-
cepted the vision, and has been all along
trying to get my mind away from it. He
has proposed a trip to California and a
Southern tour, and now he is bent on
going abroad for three years; but will
never, never consent to scatter the pre-
cious time in strange towns and foreign
hotels and along meaningless lines of
travel. My home, the familiar objects
with which my life is to be passed-with
these must associate ha': these must
help me to reproduce her life"
"AprH 8, IS77.-Lucy spoke her
first word to-day, and. o dear God! 1
thank Thee that it was mamma 1t
was perfectly spoken, and three times
repeated. l try to withdraw myself
from everything else and give all my
thoughts to baby; but Marc is so un-
reasonable as to complain of this =
that his comfort is neglected, and Tom
mys. So live in perpetual conflict.
l want them to get the good of her, to
| get sweet memories of her to keep
through life, but Tommy is so strong
and rough that dare not trust him
near her. Marc frets that she comes
between me and Tommy, and so heneg-
lects Lucy, and INDUCES Tommy until
the boy is almost ruined"
"ApriL 20, IS7S.-Just one year left
1t frightens me to think how her life is
rooted in mine. If hers is torn away
mine must perish. had thought that,
being warned, should get my mind
familiarized with the idea of losing her,
and that my heart would become acqui-
escent; but every day hold her closer,
every day the thought of parting seems
deeper agony"
May 3, 1873. Yesterday went with
Marc and baby to the cemetery: Tom
my was left with the sewing-girl. He
leases Lucy, and crosses her and frets
her: he is a constant interruption of my
enjoyment in her. We rode miles
along the road before found the spot;
but l recognized it the moment came
to it. The Norway pine, the peculiar
slope, Ine nelgnOOrlng enclOSureS, WeTe
all familiar. 1t is too terrible to write
here the agony-to feel the clinging
warmth of the little hand, to look into
her bright face, to hear her innocent
prattle, and then to see the very spot
where all her sweetness must in one
year be buried away. Oh, it seemed
that my poor heart must break. l cried
till thought could never stop. Ihad
argued that the vision was sent in mer
cy, in order that might fill every hOul