, 1884-05-03

i NOnllLkIeT N nm II IA EIR " aid
| the journalist with eonviotjon vhan ,has
n,rtad Uu. iooLaI ~, an ny
/ bad that such a weak delicats cbild sho,,Id
nave to lie cut nights in such bitter weatner.
rGEh. what WINS that, Sick did %, s,yTn
cried the manager with alarm y 7 boDa M.
/ hope not. 1t might affeoL b,sinsss vo,,
know. IL he didn't annaar n. = .hAy
est card ON the bill this week
Ray,non1 c1,risd H. n, ..A.u :.
the others heartlessness I'D waIkad on
Somehow Little Dot interested rim
strangely. 1t might haye bean thar no
regarded the tiny fayorite of me footJiybts
with plying tenderness. for the sake of hi
own children.
The next night he rsttunsi 10 rho vor,A
ties to find the fears he had antartainad 81
lied. The manager met him wjth a nota In
his hand, "
"Read it, he ssii with n sooyI ,,non hi
face.
Thus ,dinra, R.,
glanced hurried at the contents. IL was 10
the effect that Little Dot was danverouxIv
low with the scarlet fever. and. as a copss-
quence, could not perform the resi- of m.
week
Tie words bs ra.d bro,nh, b.;a
recollection of the two babes who had lain
in the terrible grasp of the scarlet tland untjl
only the great mother-loye had won tb.m
back to life. A lump took possession of hi.
throat.
"Poor Little Dot. - he murmureJ.
II wouldn't ha yeyhnd IL hanpan for sIoo u
grumbled the manager scr pIacas
me in a deuce of a fix. It's almost impossibl.
to put any one on in his place at such a short
notice"
you're in hnrd lines said hammond
collly.
Gn,,.tkE.- - - IT.
the newspaper office that night to seek ths
second class hotel where tne child and
his mother were stopping Passing
n florists OH his way. he purchased
n bunch of the creamy. full. blown
roses that were temptinqly disnlayed
in the widow. These he sent up to the sick
room with his card and n reo,,ast 10 know
how the little fellow was.
Presently the ansvxa, c.m.-no h.,,a,
Would he 20 upl Mr.. Whitley would like
to see him.
Raymond followed the bow upstairs and
softly entered the darkened room This
mother, with the marks Of WEAKNESS about
her eyes, came from the window where She
1ad been standing and led the way to the
ped.
He wa taken i'll last night ON his wav
back from the theatre she whispered in a
loarse, strained tone. Il thought it was
nothing but "a cold and-and did not
call in "a doctor. But he grew so much yorss
in the night that | had to send for one. and
he says its scarlet fever in its most msIie-
nant form. He has been delirious nearly all
the time. The doctor did not tell NE so ind
yet--I'm sure he'll never get well again.
She gave a bitter sob but her ewes were dry-
her tears had been exhausted long ago "0b
why doesn't he come, why Doesn't he come,s
She rpS1mAl her ulana hy tho ,.;nl,,.
looking vacantly out at the wild, black night.
RAYMOND remained by the bedside and vazad
cornpassionately down upon the small face
marked with liyid spot. Near him stooi a
stand upon which his fragrant offering and
several vials of medicine we're placed.
Suddenly the little sufferer opened his ayes
with a faint moan. For a moment they rested
upon Raymond and then YEARLY closed
aguin.
Dad" the parched lips formed.
His mother approached the bed noiselessly
and bent anxiously over him.
YES, Dot" she said, soothingly, 4he will
soon be here-soon be here. You won't have
long to wait now, darling" and looking up
at Raymond, she continued, in a choking
voice, "he wants to see his father. l have
sent for him, but-but | don't know whether
he will come. He drank and-and we parted.
God forgive me, l nave been to blame. too.
oh, do you think that he will conner
Raymond looked at his watch. The tins
lacked a few minute OF II.
Yes, l am sure he WILL he said pityingly.
II il at the Globe, l think. The perform.
ance is scarcely over. No matter how heavy
an actors grief may be, he is obliged to dis
guise it sometimes and play his part. Yes,
he will come without doubt
Slowly the minutes dragged by. Finally Il
faint knock was heard at the door She
went and softly opened it. A man entered
on tiptoe. q
Thank heaven, you are here at lastl' she
said.
81 could not come before he uttered,
hoarsely. How is he-betteri7
She m%ournfully shook her head. He went
and looked down at his child. His hazgard
face told Of the violent grief that was raging
in his breast.
Raymond turned to 20. He deemed the
scene too sacred for his presence. But the
mother orasnad him bv -ka ar, oiui.. Ii.