Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-04-14
going to try theice on the river before

The great house was still and lonely,
even the French clock on themantel
had a more than unusual .subdued
sound as it tinkled out the hour of 5
with its silvery gong. / had just COM
pleted my work, and was holding it
up before me, a delicate mull-scarf
which had embroidered in pale blue
forget-me-nots, admiring my own
handiwork and thinking with little
pleased smile of Mamie's delight when
she would find it among her presents
Christmas morning-for what does a
little maiden of to-day admire so much
as a dainty embroidered article of wear
ing apparel ?-when l was startled by
a sudden peal of the door bell. l
hastily put my work aside and rose
from my chair as the door was thrown
open and the mad appeared with a
strangely scared look on her face, as
she exclaimed:
"Oh, ma'am, Master Laurie is hurt
dreadful, and they've just brought him
home. Whatever shall we do? Mrs.
Wait is gone. Oh dear oh dear !"
And she hurried away, wringing her
hands in her distress, while l, qu.ver-
ing from head to foot, but with great
effort to control myself, fastened after
her. met the strange procession in
the hall. -Four boys of Laurie's age,
carrying lifeless figure between them;
four grave young faces, but one still
white one, across VIII oh trickled a
stream of warm, red blood four merry
voices hushed to silence in the midst
of their boyish zee by the sudden
mysterious shadow of calamity fallen
upon one of their mates.
"What is it ?" asked in a breath
less whisper, as caught one Of the
cold, lifeless hands in my warm ones.
" Tell me, what have you done to
Laurie?"
And they told me in low, frightened
tones, while l pul!e out the broad
sofa in the end Of the hall for them to
lay their precious burden on, and hur-
ried one of the distre sed servants off
for the doctor, how they hal all been
skating on the river, and Laurie sud
denly fell and struck his head against
a sharp block OF ice which had just
been cut, and when they p cked him up
he was senseless. and the blood was
rushing down his forehead from great
cash near his temple.
They carried him home as quickly
as possible; the river was only little
distance away, and even the. cruel
skates were still fastened to the life
less feet.
One of the boys stopped down and
took them off as tenderly as a mother
would the little shoes from her dead
child's feet, while the rest looked on in
mute sorrow.
/ sent a maid for hot water and a
sponge, and while waiting for the doc
tor " ashed the dark blood from the
poor bruised head and face, feeling that
now at least l was Of some use to Lau-
rie; and, Strange t, say, filed with
anxious alarm as l was, the thought
was sweet to me.
When the doctor came-it seemed
hours,t tn ough in reality it was scarcely
ordered all away except
and while he examined the
wound he babe me hold Laurie's heal
in both my hands. Oh, how l prayed
that the verdict might be favor bic, as
l bent over the still face and pressed a
kiss on the blood-stained hair ! And
what a great overwhelm ny load rolled
from my heart, when, the examination
being over, he said with a low shake
of the head:
One-eighth of an inch nearer the
temple and he would have been beyond
all human skill, but now we'll soon
have him himself again."
AS if in direct reply to the words,
Laurie suddenly opened wide his eyes,
then shut them again and bent his
brows in pain, while a great tear
rolled down his cheek qr;ckly
wiped it away with my handkerchief,
When he again opened his handsome
eyes and locked for a moment into my
face, then closed them. with little,
weary sigh. The doctor in the mean
time had prepared himself for the
painful operation of sewing up the
ugly cash in the side Of the head, and,
turning to ne. said: where is Mrs.
Wat? l need her badly"
/ told him That she WAS in the city,
and would not get back till Laurie's
father came. He frowned lightly, and
said: TOP bad! Is there any one in
the house who could take her place,
and hold Laure's head while l go
through this operation 2" he continued
in low voice. and motioning toward
the long thread and sharp needle on
the table.