The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-08-30
THIBODAUX La, SATURDAY, AUGUST 80, 1884

= surely very sick; her face burns with
fever, and she is moaning, ~ il in pain.
Bee. she does not even ask to 60 to you. II
Kathleen was ut her side instantly.
She seized the child, and, pressing il
convulsively to her heart, "Oh. nv
darling, she cried, "do not you. TOO.
leave me! Barbara, she said, address
ing the woman, II cannot have her
sick. I must leave this house this very
night. Imust CO."
"Then. madame, you will imperil the
little ones life, for she is sickening OF
child's illness, and will require careful
nursing and rest. Tie Her Forster will
never allow you to go, madame. You
do not know how good he is. II he
knows the child il sick he will insist on
you remaining" And before Kathleen
+, could prevent her the woman had gone
Kathleen kneit down BY the bed. en-.
s1rcling Ler child in her arms. Pres
emily o firm step passed along the floor.
She did not need to look up. She knew
who stood there.
Kathleen" he said, and his voice
sounded softer and huskier than it had
the short hour before; kathleen. YOU
must stay. You must not imperil your
chlld's life by going. We shall not meet
any moro than we did before. for had
you not sought me we had neither OF us
known that the same roof sheltered us
two."
There was silence in the room. rave
tor the little ones means then: "H
You have any-any one-whom your long
absence will render anxious will send :
messenger. il you will tell me to whom" -"
The great heads stood on Critx's fore
head. It had cost him much to sav
this.
II have no one but my child"
A thrill Of Joy transfixed him at this
answer. He steadied his voice:
lyon are. then, . widow7"
She raised her head slowly, with her
eyes on his, which watched her with q
nAmeless fascination.
II was never . wife," she said.
"though I believed l was. and dropped
her head again.
He stood in silence over her. His
6rm-set mouth worked ominously: he
clenched his hands; somo storm was
brewing within him, but he beat it down.
Finally he said, gravely:
The doctor VIII be here tomorrow.
Your child shall lack for nothing. May
she be spared to you. Farewell !" He
turned to leave the room.
Fritz, she cried, holding ont her
clssped hands imploringly toward him;
Fritz, do not leave me-" for she felt
this to be farewell forever. and vet she
knew that he loved her still, and she
clung to him and could not bear that he
should.leave her thus.
He paused with his hand on the lock
Of tho door. Then, coming toward her
and resting it gently on her head,
Hush, he said, 90 you will disturb
your child, and opening the door he
quietly left the room.
After this Fritz went steadily and
sternly about his daily work. He never
saw Kathleen, but he understood that
fearful time was ensuing, and that she
battling with death for the possession
Ut her child, whose disease had been
pronounced scarlet-fever. of the most
virulent type. He still loved her blind
y, madly the sight Of her had brought
him back from death 10 life !; he knew
her free and yet he hesitated. How
could he forget Ill that was past with
the child always before himf A derue
jealousy consumed him. The child
might die This thought he brooded
over TIL Il became his one Wild hope and
desire. -
One day he met Kathleen in the pas
sage. He was startled by tho change in
her. Her lAoe vas wan and pinched
with cara her syes, unnatUally large.
were dim and sunken With sleepleosno9
and weeping. Her wh.Ae aspect vas
Piteoue: She chung for support against
the walls a. she slowly stumbled alona.
When Ffits sAw her gris9 he felt
ashamed Of his wicked hope. All his
generous nature sprang up in love and
protection toward har and her little
one.
Kathleen, he said, taking her hand,
"let me nurse your child With yoA /
have had much experience With tie 9ok
I may be able to help you"
She opened the door and drew him
into the room. Tho nurse who watched
the child motioned them to be quiet.
and, - the mother took her place beside
the couch, whispered, "She sleeps-
this is the crisis, and left the room.
Kathleen knelt down by the bedside,
leaning her wan cheek on the child'a
little hand. A lovely, tender expression
rested on her face. She was praying.
Fritz stood behind her and looked on.
The child's little face, which he had
seen last so radiant and sunny, was wan
and deathlike. The silken, Aaxen hair
hung over the pillow, matted and damp,
while the breath came SO softly that she |
hardly seemed to breathe at all.
His breast heaved, and the scaldimR
tears chased one another down his cheek
the first he had shed sinca ha had