Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-03-25

1t was with this feeling that she be-
gan the preparations for baby's Christ
mas. The child was now at that agC
SO enchanting to it's watchful lovers
when all its walk is among wonders
and it is seeking the keys and asking
them of all about it.
1t will be her last Christmas'' the
mother said as the festival drew near
I. Marc rose up at these words with g
gesture Of impatient tremonstrance.
" Now don't, please" she hurried tC
add. l know what / say, Marc; Il
will be her last Christmas, and we must
bring together all the Christmas de.
lights. She must hang up her stocking
on Christmas Eve; on Christmas Day
we will have a Santa Claus, and al
night tree, the handsomest possible.
We must crowd the Christmas with Joy
for her-must make it so delightful to
her that even amid the bliss Of heaven
she will remember her last Christmas
with gladness. The mothers Jealous
heart thrilled at the thought of making
it rival heaven in happiness.
Marc was always impatient with Ma
bells talk Of her vision, and impatient
of any plans bearing on its realization.
He would always put in his protest,
laughingly or Vehemently, hoping thus
to give salutary jolt to the morbid
fancy, and also because he was deter
mined to keep his heart set against her
fancy.
But, on the other hand, he had never
felt satisfied as to the best way of
meeting Mabel's halucination. To OPP
pose it to a practical final issue might
be to intensity the idea; and besides, in
the face of his resolve not to heed the
warning, the fear was for ever dogging
him that Mabel might be right So
set were her convictions that the only
alternative from this fear was con-
clusion hardly more tolerable to Marc
that her mind was diseased. So on
the present occasion, after making his
protest, he proceeded to fall in with
her plans for Christmas-her plans for
making it a great joy for baby.
to seem light. JIl1 80 9F'tp N
81 will keep her in my sight all
day." he thought; "if Watchfulness
can save her, she shall not die. 1t
would be almost miraculous for her to
die to-day" he said as the hours wore
on. She is in perfect health; every
instant she is in your arms or on your
knee, right here in our sight"
"Don't, Marc, waste the precious
moments in speculating as to how it is
to come about. Get all the sweetness
out of them that is possible"
The sad minutes melted away, and
when but seven remained the restless
little feet were yet pattering, the blue
eyes were laughing, the little mouth
was prattling. Baby sat on the moth
er's knee; Tommy, weary of the SOM
Der atmosphere, had slipped from the
room, and was unmissed; Marc sat by
in the silence of a dread he could not
shake off; the mothers soul was strain
ed in agony, yet hearing the great clock
in the next room slowly ticking.
Marc took out his watch and held it
open in his palm. "Three minutes to
fiVe," he said.
i" "Lemme hear it tick, papa" said
Lucy, making ian effort to get off the
mothers knee.
" Sit with mamma, sweet blessing"
the mother said, with such beseeching
tenderness that Mares eyes filed with
tears, adding grief to her heart. "She
must be in my arms when Death comes;
1 must help her meet the terror"
I" want to hear it talk" the child
persisted, struggling to get down and
beginning to cry.
"Mamma " will show you her watch, -"
said the poor mother, in a. terror at
having the child crossed in its last min
ute, while yet all her soul was pressing
close to, help and sustain the little one
in the supreme moment. |
In that instant Marc spoke: "There!
it is five o'clock! The time is up; let
her come to me,'7 h,jel.a. pas
The child stopped crying. Mabel
felt at her heart cool, indefnable
itWas as though all weight
had been dropped out Of her being and |
she was about to soar b. l.a
Lucy slipped away from her, and
chen footsteps were heard in the hall
and voices Tepressed, but
with passionin them. There was some
dread meaning in it all; perchance
Marels watch was fast - that her baby |
had not escaped. that this meant the
Oncoming fate. l OF D!og ts5s 3fy |
In the doorway stood a man, her
He bore in his arms a limp
body, little boys. The clothes were
wet, the head was dripping. g 1t is |
your boy, Marc little Tommy; he is
| picked him up in the creek
back Of my yard.nt 6a. ~. a.4s 4, III
No sound passed Mabel's lips, pallid
IS wax, but the mothers soul was
3hrieking: so, LcouId have given her
lpl For three years IhaVe been getting
,8ady to let her 60; my Hold was almost
ooseda / could have lether go. But
Tommy, my boy! my poor little slight
ID Tommy! my first baby! y, not him!
lot himr' She stretched out her arms
;oward her drowned boy, 1T has
killed mep' she cried, and then she fell |
on the floor. Neighbors came
pouring. in; two, three, four, doctors
we're brought Again and again was
The brought back to face the terrible
'eality, but they could not hold her con-
Swoon followed swooni life
ieemed bent on getting away from all
n DIR nffOrta