The Magnolia gazette., 1883-10-18

him. eheerily; land the fog makes it
dark. But have some biscuits in my
pocket, and we will make believe We re +
eating supper. We can have our real
tea when we get home
So She laid the biscuits on the seat
and chartered on while he ate them !
greedilY, until she had made him laugh. I
Then she drew him up on her knee and /
sang him songs and hymns, until hefell |
again int0a heavy sleep. It was now
quite dark.
at is night she said aloud. 'sAnd |
the children viii be wanting me-
Little Philip slept is calmly Us in his
own little bed at home, but Jenny was
cold and restless She sat up in the |
darkness, after a 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 aud the familiar
places veil behind which the sun had
set as usual, and would rise again to-
morrow. She was very hungry, but she
left the biscuits for little Philip. 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 carly yet too early SO very
coldn
She never knew when the day broke,
for the fog still cnveloped them; but the
mysterious veil grew lighter and little
Philip woke. Jenny dragged herself
into q 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 wcaried to
move much. Her very lips 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 yacantly upon
him and tried to speak, but She was
! shivering in the bitter wind, and numb,
and nc 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 checks, 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 flickcred upon
the waters just as it had done the day
before And they were quite close 70
land-so close that John Smith, who
was rowing along the shore, searching for
the Swallow, came out to them with 4
few quick strokes of his oars. Men had
been searching for the missing ones all
night, and John Smiths lusty shouts
brought them together very swiftly, but
they ceased shouting when they stood
with little Philip, looking ct that still
form that the Swallow had brought
home. Sir Philip, pale and anxious,
came down to the shore, and II was he
who took Jenny out and laid her OF
the sand, covering her with his coat,
and forcing brandy between her lips.
''The lassie's deid," the neighbor
said solemnly to one another.
But Sir Philip knew better.
"She is not dead, y he said. Il viii
carry her to the house myself-but she
is overcome by the cold.
He knew the whole story instinctivel,
, when he looked from his little som
flushed face to the still fair whiteness o
! Jenny's sharpened features. For th'
moment he was almost tempted t
/ think, with these rough fishermen, tina
the unspoken question Of Jenny's sa'
ewes had been answered at last. Bu
!. she awoke ut delirious.
For seven days she hovered betweel
life and death; but even in delirium he
: love for little children was strangel.
/ visible. Hour after hour Lady Wynn
. sat patiently beside the bed on whicl
4 the long Straight form LETT 90 slgnt ~
!, impression. Sometimes she held TIL
restless brown hands; sometimes sh
q sang nursery rhymes softly ~
. Jenny never knew her. She woul
! push her hands away, and murmu
a softly to herself about the waters, an
the boat, and the rocks, and the terri
!, bic biting wind. But at last the deliriur
!, wore itself ont, and the great sad eye
i looked quietly out from beneath th
short tangled locks. Jenny was hardl
il sensible even now, but she was Vlolen
d no longer.
J. "The Swallow will get home soon.
E she said. II am cold and tired tired.
! Presently the baby cried in the innt
q. room, and the sound reused her. J
4 they hushed him TO sleep and Lad
: Wynne brought him in herself and lai
d his little round head close TO Jenny
= shoulder. She wrappedher arms tender
!. about him and laid her cheek to his, an
/ then there was silence in the room for
d long time.
II .!she is sleeping, = Lady Wynne sal
n to the Doctor. But the Doctor shoe
Ii his head.
ID alt IS mere exhaustion, mot sleep,
ID he said .'It is possible we may ney
at rouse her again.
le So Lady Wynne sat down beside Il
nt bed once more and took the baby {
her own knee. And she watched, wi