The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-11-24

grown almost dark when he woke at
last, querulous and cold.
''We are out in the boat" she told |
him, cheerily; s'and the fog makes it |
dark. But have some b;scu is in my
pocket, and we will make believe we're
eating supper. We can have our real
tea when we get home"
So she lad the biscuits on the seat
and chartered on while he ate them
greedily, until she had made him laugh.
Then she drew him up on her knee and
sang him songs and hymns, until he fell |
again into heavy sleep. 1t was now
quite dark.
lit is night she said aloud. "And |
the children will be wanting me-"
Little Philip slept as calmly as in his
own little bed at home, but Jenny was
cold and restless. She sat up in the
darkness, after while, and clasped her
hands about her knees to think. She
could not see that gray mist any longer,
but she felt its chill breath all about
her. 1t seemed like some thin veil that
hung between her and the familiar
places "a veil behind which the sun had
set as usual, and would rise again to-
morrow. She was very hungry, but she
was very tired, but too cold to sleep.
She could not even think at last, but lay
down in the bottom of the boat half de-
lirious. saying over to herself, softly,
aloud.
"The children are calling me, but it
is too early yet-too early SO very
coldr'
She never knew when the day broke,
for the fog still enyeloped them; but the
mysterious veil grew lighter, and little
Philip woke. Jenny dragged herself
into sitting posture, and gave him the
two biscuits, turning her eyes away, so
that he might not see their hungry long
ing. He was as warm and happy as
possible after his long nights rest, but
Jenny was too cramped and wearied to
move much. Her very Ups refused to
open when she first tried, and when
words came they fell feebly from her.
But by and by, when the child grew
fretful, she had strength left to gather
him up into her weary arms, and whis-
per softly to him until he grew content
again.
"Sing, jenny he cried, imperiously.
She turned her eyes vacantly upon
him and tried to speak. but she was
shivering in the bitter wind, and numb,
and no words came. Then she tried to
smile, but it seemed as if she had for
gotten how. Slowly, one by one, the
tears rolled down her cheeks, because,
for the first time, this child had wanted
her. and she was too weak to answer.
Philip thought she was asleep-So fast
asleep that he could not awaken her.
And then, in moment, the mist rolled
away, and the sunlight fiickIed upon
the waters Just as it had done, the day
before. And they were quite. close to
land-so close that John Smsh, who
{. ryas rowing along the shore, searching for
! tEreSwallow, came out to them with a
' rev quIo'~- strokes of his oars. Men had
/ been Searching for Diminishing oles all
night. and John Smith rt,ss5 gtss
J. brought them together very swiftly, btt
| they ceased shouting when they stooI
i with little Philip, looking at that still
form that the Swallow had brough
u home. Sir Philip, pale and anxious
!, came down to the shore, and it was h
: ! who took Jenny out and laid her o
the sand, covering her with his GOA
and forcing brandy between her lips.
u oThe lassie's deid," the ne ghbol
y said solemnly to one another. +.
~ But Sir Philip knew better.
tShe is not dead" he said. 81 wi
y carry her to the house myself-but 81
- is overcome by the cold.
~ He knew the whole story instructive
10 when he looked from his little son
4 flushed face to the still fair whiteness
nj Jenny's sharpened features. For Il
" moment he was almost tempted
III think, with these rough fishermen, tn
the unspoken question OF Jenny s.
# ewes had been answered at last. b
nor she awoke at last-delirious.
az For seven days she lowered betwe
~ life and death; but even in delirium
y, love for little children was strange
"a visible. Hour after hour Lady Wyn
~. sat patiently beside the bed on viii
cd the long straight form left so slight
In impression. Sometimes she held
restless brown hands; sometimes 5
tho sang nursery rhymes softly.
y Jenny never knew her. She wol
tIo push her hands away, and murn
'be softly to herself about the waters, a
os the boat, and the rocks, and the lei
tho BILE biting wind. But at last the deliri
~ ~ wore itself out, and the great sad e
az looked quietly out from beneath
i'd short tangled locks. Jenny was har
in sensible even now, but she was viol
ind no longer.
90. 1.-THE Swallow will get home 500
She she said. ~ am cold and tired-tire
up Presently the baby cried in the in
1ke room, and the sound reused her.
ow- they hushed him to sleep and L
was Wynne brought him in herself and
had his little round head close TO Jenl
,rv- shoulder. She wrappedher arms tend
EN- about him and laid her cheek to his,
till then there was silence in the room
hid long time.
half ''She is sleeping" Lady Wynne
rom to the Doctor. But the Doctor sh
nch his head.
and 1t is, mere exhaustion, not slet
lpid he said. ut is possible we may n
that rouse her again.
vide So Lady Wynne sat down beside
bout bed once more and took the bah,
her own knee. And she watched,
bot tears in her eyes, the little life that
uted been sacrificed to Philip slowly tiiC
D. ~ 10 oh r