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


he thought. "if watchfulness can save
her, she shall not die. 10 would be al
most miraculous for her 10 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 Specializing as 10 how II is
10 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 somber
atmosphere, had slipped from the room,
and was unmissed; Marc sat by in the
silence Of a dread he could not shake
of; the mothers soul was strained 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 10
FIVE" he said
"Lemme hear IL tick, papa" said
Lucy, trying toget oiithe mothers knee.
Sit with mamma, sweet blessing"
the mother said, with such beseechfng
tenderness that Mares eyes filed with
tears, adding 10 her heart, "She must
be in my arms when Death comes: /
must help her meet the terror"
81 want 10 hear it talk the child
persisted, struggling to get down and
beginning 10 cry.
Mamma will show you her watch
said the poor mother, in terror at
having the child crossed in its last
minute, while yet all her soul was press
ing close to help and sustain the little
one in the supreme moment.
In that instant Marc spoke: "Therel
it is five o'clock! The time is up; let
her come to me.n
The child stopped crying. Mabel
felt at her heart a cool, indehnable
something; II was as though all weight
had been dropped out Of her being and
she was about TO soar.
Lucy slipped away from her, and
then footsteps were heard in the hall
advancing, and voices repressed, but
with passion in them. There was some
dread meaning in it all; perchance
Mares watch was fast-that her baby
had not escaped, that this meant the
oncoming fate.
In the doorway stood a man, her
neighbor He bore in his arms a limp
body, little boys. The clothes were
wet, the head was dripping. at is
your boy, Marc-little Tommy; he is
drowned. picked him up in the creek
back of my yard"
No sound passed Mabels lips. pallid
as wax, but the mothers soul was
shrieking: "Oh, could have given her
up! For three years l have been getting
ready to let her go; my hold was almost
loosed. l could have let her go. But
Tommy, my boy! mypoor little slighted
Tommy! my first baby! Oh, not himl
not him!' She stretched out her arms
toward her drowned boy. "It has
killed metz she cried, and then she fell
senseless on the floor, Neighbors came
pouring in; two, three, four doctors were
brought. Again and again was she
brought back to face the terrible reality,
but they could not hold her conscious
ness. Swoon followed swoon; life
seemed bent on getting away from all
their efforts.
AlSl SpllL 10 u my " BcI 10 lOu-
my's," the mothers said, weeping.
Then from the group about the boy
there came words that thrilled all the
hearts: "Therel did you see thatP'
was the cry. He gasped! he's alive!
he's coming tOr'
The workers by Mabers side repeat
ed the electrical words: He's alive!
he's alive! Tell her! quick! Bring
her back once more and tell her that
TOmmy's coming to-that her boys
alivew
And with the strength which comes
of hope they worked, the two bands of
faithful souls.
And when that poor sinking spirit
again was above the flood the rope was
thrown to it: "Tommy's alive! Tommy
is saved! Mabel, do you hear? Tom
my livesW And it was from Marc,
kneeling, weeping by her side, Tom
my is living" that her sinking spirit
caught this, held to it, and drew itself
up from the waves of death.-Sarah
Winter Kellogg, in LiPpincoHs Maga-
zine.