The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-01-04

But he seemed SO much to anticipate sur
prIslng her; and then he argued that it was
too tar tor the little mother to come alone and
he was getting we'll SO fast. The nextday and
! the net found my tboy5fuifi OF hope, anu
impatient TO get well and start for home.
We had such pleasant talks. He told mo
about his home and his little sisters and
widowed mother. / told him about Jamie
and my lonely life. l found myself laugh
Ing over his funny speeches a good many
times, q very unusual thing for a sober old
maid like mo. He SO firmly believed and
insisted that he was getting well that he
made mo.believeit Since then ! have won
dered how | could have been SO deceived.
The sixth morning wien / opened the
door, | missed the raised head; and when !
reached bis corner / saw it lay on the pill
low. The smile was a little fainter than
usual. l noticed at once the cheek was
marked with a flushed spot. and that hc
breathed in short, quick breaths. In an
swer as to how he felt lie said: "All right
only out of wind. Can't you raise u
breeze some way
] boistered him up and famed him as
though life depended on il. All the time
my heart was beating so fast / didn't care
to speak, He breathed easier and seemed
to feel better. He tried to swallow the
breakfast J ] mad ttaheii Is little extra trouble
to prepare, and grew cheerful oil the time.
Tine surgeon didn't do anything more
than ! had done. and only frowned when
the boy asked him in a careless way, that
was all assumed, If he wouldn't be up in
q few days. He whispered in my ear as he
passed:
inflammation set in. Better send for
friends If he has any.
II didn't loose any time, and with hands
that trembled and eyes that blurred wrote
to that mother-who, somehow, had grown
akin to me-that Willie was wounded and
the doctor thought he wouldn't live. AT
the close / wrote, Il am doing all I can for
your dear boy" ] thought, perhaps. il
would ease her mind q little. I wasn't
gong TO tell him of the letter until he spoke
Of writing; but toward night he grew worse
again, and / could see he was thinking
about it. Finally / asked what | could do
for him. He only turned his head away
and kept very still. He thought / didn't
see his lips culver, and the tears that no
tried 10 hide in the WOODEN shawl. After
a moment he spoke mp just as pleasant rs
ever.
Perhaps you'd better-Iet mother know
- ~ u ECNNBE ~ AHok dO Il MA5
1 told him Just rs quietly as / could that
/ had thought for some time that his mother
hadbetter come and see il she couldn't do
better than / ut nursing, SO | had sent a
word to her that morning. He seemed
really pleased, but didn't have breath to ,
tell me SO for a long time. After O while
he seemed easier, and / almost thought he
bad gone to sleep; but in a minute his eye
opened "Antie"-I was at his side III s
stantly-"ds you think I'll get well?"
What conld / say2 Did yon ever have to
answer such a hard question? j never did
totell the truth Il hope 50, Will
lie. but I'm afraid not.
Another question followed: "Wil; mother
come-in the r1ornine?"
Perhaps so. Can't you 90 to sleep?'
He shook his head, and pretty soon laid
his hand in mine. ! gave it a warm pres
sure.
''Auniie, I'm 'fraid-I haven't been good.
Didn't ever forget topray, though-just as
mother said. Won't you, now"
MY first thought was to send for the
chaplain; but. no, Willie had asked me, so
I prayed the best j co~uld--prayed that the
mother might come soon. and il not that.
the dear Savior would help he suffering
boy here and the mother at home, and that
they might meet by and 10y in Heaven.
When / raised my head Thought he was
dying. / called an attendant and the doc
TOR: but after q time he became conscious,
and then began a struggle for breath that
lasted all through that long weary night.
Not one word of complaint. and always q
smile when We tried 10 relieve him. AZ
day break he was better. As soon as the
stage came i was at the door to see ii one
of its occupants wasn't a little woman In
black. / ought TO have known that the time
was too short, but i was too excited to be
reasonable. / cam forget what IN anxious
face turned to me-,
Did she Gomez
/ could only shake my head, and swal-
lowed hard to keep the lump out OF my
throat.
IF she-dont come-till too lare--tell
her-its all right. You prayed prayed me
through"
These were the last conscious words he
ever spoke. / was almost glad to have him
unconscious, because his breath came SO
hard. / never left that bedside all the
morning. The doctor came, and said he
could not last long, and 1 saw the Same
beautiful look coming back to bis face. i
whispered.
Willie" and kissed his fore head grow
ing moist with the death damp, Just as /
thought his mothef would have done were
she present.
Nov Observation-Disclosures
sleep
And he wns dead, even while l held him
to my beating heart.
Do yon know anything about hospital
funerals They buried him next day and
still his mother had not come. There vas
Il pine coffin, a few flowers I had o great
deal OF trouble to get. 4 short prayer, and
dust to dust"
The one mourner had to choke back her
tears, and go back to duties, grown more
sacred, but never more TO be lightened or
refreshed BY the smiles and cheers OF her