The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-04-04

And the changes that were maze IN our |
household for his sake were made entire |
ly without me. Sometimes after sthe |
most important things were decided, my
consent was then asked. ave were
obliged to have a nurse; hired one,
Anselm." / nodded silently. "Wel
must fit up a nursery; that room is too
warm for the child" ] nodded silently,
but heard the sound of the workmen,
who were already at work in the hall.
What could | do better? Was it not all
done for the child.
Nv wife and / did not talk much
about the child, and when we did men
ton it, we used only the name at. y
But this at" could be heard through
the house at almost any time of the day.
"Hushl not so much noise! 1t sleeps ?
1t must have its dinner-It should be
taken out for a drive-It has hurt ITSELF"
and so the whole house began to turn
round our at" This nameless neuter
yexed me.
cit must have its own NAME" said l
one day.
II entirely forgot to ask the mother
/ mean the woman-what its name is,
answered my wife. "She intended to
come again But she does not come; she
| is certainly sick. Now | call it Max.
Max is pretty, short name, is it not"
"H'm," returned | between two
draughts of my cigar. Fritz would
also be quite pretty name" zone
cannot change the name now on account
of domcstics," answered She shortly,
ard then called out loudly, "Is Max up
already" Never mind; was it not our
child"
| Once, though | played my justifable
part toward our child. At dinner it was
always served at a little table in an ad-
joining room. At such times we could
hear, between the scantily dropping
phrases of conversation, its merry pratt
Ting, accompanied by the Gathering Of
its spoon. My wife had no rest; there
was a continual coming and going be-
\ tween us and him; the soup might be too
hot, and he might eat too much!
"Wffe," said / very quietly, but very
decidedly, from tomorrow 1t shall eat
with us at our table. 1t is old enough
now, with its two years"
From that time on 'It' ate with us.
He sat there in his high chair like a
prince, close to my wife--both opposite
to me like declared enemies, as it were.
The yellowish paleness of poverty had
yielded to an aristocratic pink in his lit
tie cheeks, which, now becoming quite
chubby, sat comfortably on the stiff
folds of the napkin. 1t worked power
fully at its soup; and now that it had
finished set up the spoon like scepter
in its little round fist on the table. Ny
wife and exchanged few words, and
now we sat silent. Apparently on ac-
count OF this silence its large eyes be-
gan to open wider and wider. Whey
stared on me- stared at my wife, with a
surprised, almost frightened expressio ON,
as if they had a prescntiment that all
was not right between us. | confess
that those eyes embarrassed me, and thAt
| had a feeling of relief when Frederick
entered with dish. And | think that
my wife felt the same.
/ And the following days there were the
same large, wondering eyes, like an APP
pealing question, staring into,the pauses
OF our conversation. 1t sounds ridicu-
lous but it is, nevertheless true I'VE were
culprits before the child, we two grown
persons? And by degrees our conversa-
ton became most animated The occa-
sional prattlings of the little one were
noticed and spoken about; indeed, some
times there was mutual laughter at his
attempts to speak
All! how light, how bell-like pure
sounded her laughter. Had | never,
then, heard that before? And what was
the matter with me- that | sometimes
bent over my writing-desk, listening, as
though | heard from a distance these
same silyery tones?
With the first sunny spring, at" be-
gan to play in the garden, which could
overlook from my seat in my Office. She
! was generally with him, could hea1
the sound of his little feet on the peb-
bles, and then her footsteps. Now she
would playfuily chase him, and a chorus
OF twittering sparrows would Join in
their notes with the merry laughter.
Now she would ketch him and kiss his
, cheeks over and over. Once opened
my window; a warm, balsamic air
streamed around me, and butterfly
tuttered in and lit on my inkstand.
Just then she came out of green, vine
grown bower; she was dressed in a daz-
cling white negligee, trimmed with q
costly lace; all over her streamed the
golden sunshine, except that her face
was overshadowed by the pink of her
parasol.
How slim she appeared! how graceful
in her movements Had / been blind
Truly the aunts and cousins were right
she was in reality beautiful! A sweet
smile transformed her features! she was
happy,-and her happiness came from
her child, Then voice made itself
heard in my breast, which said very
plainly, "You are monsterw got IN
and walked to the window. at is =
beautiful day" called /. know how
cold and prosaic it must have sounded
to her, 1t came like heavy cloudshad.
ow over a sunny landscape. She an
swered something that l did not under.
stand; but the brightnes was gone from
her little face. Then she took nm tho
child, who was stretching out his arms
to her, and kissed and caressed him he.
fore my eyes.
There it was when the first feeling Of
jealousy was aroused in me, jealousy