Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-07

trouble, ana Wrapping nef tiny patienC up as
warmly as she could, proceeded to kindle Q
fire which the meager means ut command would
have rendered q nearly hopeless task had not
the child's renewed agony OF itself cut short her
efforts. The symptoms Of the little sufferer
were growing aarmingiy worse every instant,
and thoroughly alarmed, the poor woman with
the gasping creature huddled closely to her
bosom, hurried into the adjoining bedroom to
rouse her sleeping husband. That worthy re-
sponded to her first tremulous scared call with
prolonged snore.
''Moses, wake up; wake up and help me do
something for the baby" she repeated, urging
her demand with shake OF the shoulder.
"Ah-h? Oh-h! Um-me," groaned Moses,
turning over and snoring more vociferously
than ever.
''Moses, do wake np Oh, Moses! Oh dear!"
ar >shrieked the poor mother. every nerve
,cked and strained BY increasing manifesto
lions of danger.
'.Eh what say7 which, Call me-sary?
What-a-h-h-what - the natter" mumbled
the disturbed sleeper, turning over again.
''Moses! don't you hear7 Baby has got an
other spell of Group. and you must get up and
pleaded the woman in a voice that might have
reused the dead.
"Eh7 Yes, yesl" acquiesed Moses, rousing to
drowsy sense Of the situation. ''Baby got
Group agin? Give um goose oil--goose Oil,
Sary-Ah-h! hum-me! Shouldn't woke me
so sudden. Any need of me gittin' up is they3
Don't be scarf, Sary. No use. Dear me-Any-
thing could do?'
'Yesl yes. Oh Moses, get up-Make a fire
get doctor! Oh, do something!"
So persistently and wildly importuned. the
poor man, with an injured air, pulled himself
reluctantly out of bed and slowly drew on his
pantaloons. suggesting this expedient and that
for the relief of the suffocating child, whose
condition was growing more critical with every
breath, strappng himself UP with unusual care
md nscin xr,hit hn 11S,
against the unreasonable fears of his distracted
wife.
You oughter take things more composed,
Sary," he urged philosophically. sit don't do
no good to get in such furry. Dear suz!-but
the child does make drefful to do. Did We say
ye wanted doctor, Sary?"
''Moses," spoke the woman with a desperate
earnestnesS that began at last to impress her
spouse with a sense Of his responsibility. '.if we
don't get help very soon the baby will die here
in my arms"
And glance at the pinched purple face, car
Tying conviction of this truth to the fathers
heart, spurred his sluggish movements and
staying only to suggest dozen expedients-so
when one has already proved their
utter futility-he stumbled out of the house in
quest OF medical aid.
Left alone with her suffering charge a strange
peace stole over the spirit of Mrs Moses There
was no longer any struggle. An easeful change,
whose meaning she felt she knew too well. was
creeping shadow-like upon the little victim, ex-
hausted by her brief but terrible grapple with
the disease springtng like wild beast on her
trusting innocent sleep. The Chi]d's large up
turned eyes were fixed on the mother-face with
a look in them strange and far away, whose sig
nificance the mOther-heart could only guess with
a thrill Grave. And as if she had feeling that
this was the last hour of conscious communion
between her and the babe whose coming
had not made her glad, and whom she
had pitied more than loved, Mrs Moses drew
the relaxing form closer to her bosom, and
looking Into the wide wondering eyes, prayed
silent forgiveness of the bigbted little soul to
whom she had unwllingly granted life. denying
what she had not to give-the gracious ante
natal influences that make existence wholesome,
strong and sweet. Would ali the ages of eter-
nifty make up to the poor defrauded one the
good she missed as her brthright? Mrs. Moses
dared not think. She trusted. as we all must
trust, to the all-wise Father to make that
good which we have made wrong-to make that
straight which we have made crooked. Remorse
could never undo the wrong that was done; it
might only harrow the soul and ut it's soil for
the seed of better harvest.
Not thinking all this clearly, feeling It only
vaguely, Mrs. Moses, sitting with gaze fixed
upon the baby's gray, panied face grew slowly
Of light like that Of the rising sun
streaming In upon her; yet. strangely unlike
the light OF this world. it did not bring out the
more vividly the barren dreariness of her sur
but seemed rather to shine through
them and make the place wide and fair with it's
gathering about the head lying still and heavy
on her heart and, as In dream, she saw the
benign. shining faces Of angels lowering over
the babe. felt the soft, fragrant air from their
sweeping fingers as with soft mesmeric touches,
more tender than mothers, they drew the
fainting spirit to their close, loving care.
How long she sat under this mysterious tran
qnihZing spell she did not know, nor could she
have believed that alone and mistaken BY any
storm of grief she had witnessed the death of
her child. Yet, SO beautiful and calm might
seem always the change that silences the life of
our dear one, could we dvest it Of the terrors
with which we are accustomed to regard 1t, and
meet the event when it comes with serenity
that would permit the influences of the sacred
hour to penetrate with light and healing to our
souls.
The tread of hurrying feet outside dspelled
the heavenly vision Of Mrs. Moses, and with a
touch like benediction the gracious angel.
holding the sleeping babe In her BOSOM ffoated
and faded from Sophisticated and faded, foated
and faded-until, In the dreary, hopeless days
that followed. she questioned with the faithless-
ness OF human hearts, whether it were indeed a
reality or only the illusion Of an excited brain.
80, Sary, I've fetched the DOCTOR" said
Moses stumbling, ian s'pose the baby's bet
ter, amt she2
''Tes," said Mrs Noses very softly never
Expected So" complained the martyred
man, with sense Of Injury that, after eli. his
cold night errand had been In vain. You
oughter he more considerable, Sary."
And with this mild reproof he turned to dis
miss the doctor who was just rising from sur
vey Of the child upon the mothers knee.
Asleep. hey!" said Moses, with humorous
nod and wink.
yes, said the doctor grayely. "she will
never waken, Moses"
cob. gracious goodness, doctor, she amt
dead!' burst forth the startled father, rushing
forward and taking the limp, lifeless form in
his arms. "POor little BessIel Poor little
baby" And all the fathers heart In hm-and
1t was soft, kindly heart in It's way-broke
out in passionate lament and selfreproach II
can't stand it, seems to mel Oh, Sary!" And
laying the unconscious bit Of clay on the
mothers lap he walked up and down the room
with groans and cries Of distress quite pitful,
and in strange contrast to the stony calm of
Mrs. Moses. who dropped no tear and uttered
no sound OF SORROW
''The most unteelin' woman that ever lived, ~
pronounced the sympathetic sisters whom the
doctor had sent in to pay the accustomed
n n livtyN