Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-02-14
HOW MY BABY DIED.

The doctor said it was o severe cold, and
prescribed for it. He went away and re
turned in an hour without being called
Then knew my baby boy was more il
than had thought, and when he went away
J followed him out of the house and into the
snow burdened air, and said to him:
doctor, tell me hetruth. Will my baby
die ?"
sit is very ill.," he replied, shut there is
vet little hope.n Then returned and
looked again on that sweet face Of my little
boy. Where dimples had been, were hard
white lines of pain. Where the nostrils had
been such u soft and velvety pink, you
could see the light shine through their walls
and every hair.like vein was blue almost to
blackness. The little hands which | was
won't to feel patting my cheeks had lost
their cunning, and were lying uselessly on
its heaving bosom, purple and clenched.
knew my baby was not for long. l knew
that even the angels, who loved q little bet
ter than I, were waiting to take it away
I saw the death-dew stand in diamond bends
npon its alabaster brow and felt the damp
ening curls, that clustered like falling sun
shine where had been wont to kiss il.
heard tho faint gurgling in my haby's
throat, and saw 10 recognition III its eyes,
once so soft and blue, and laughing, but
now CLASSY with the film Of death. They
were looking through the ceiling and roof
of my humble cottage, into the realms
where the Recording Angel sat, with the
book of life open before him, at page as
white as snow, save where the name was
written at the top-the name of ray darling
boy.
The snow flakes ceased to fall, and the
glad sunlight from the west came in through
the window and fell upon my baby's bed,
flooding it with radiance and glory like
that which trembles on the golden tiles of
heaven, and then the sun sank out of view,
and in the gray. twilight my baby lay,
struggling body and soul, the one with the
other, for the mastery. AS the shadows
deepened, / saw the bany hand ofdeath
reach out from among the pillows, and
clutch my baby by the throat. tried to
fight the monster back, but he would not
loose his hold.
The lamps were lighted aud | saw my
baby smile, as if it saw a face more welcome,
kind and sweet, than the face Of her that
bore it, bending over its cradle-the face Of
Him who said Suffer little children TO
come unto me- aud forbid them not, for of
such is the kingdom of God" aud while it
yet smiled, the soul went out from the
tabernacle of clay, and left the temple ten.
antless and cold, but beautiful ns life itself.
NV baby was dead. and I was clasping to
my heart only the clay image Of its soul,
now winging is flight through lie bound
less depths of blue that lie between the
grave and the throne of Cod Is it Won
der that men worship idols Of clay, when
clay Is 50 grandly beautiful A. ihis?
slept aud dreamed, and as dreamed, |
saw the pearly gates swing open, and knew
my baby reached home. lcaught glimpse
of heaven, and saw it fly straight to the
arms of Him who died upon the cross, and
ere the gates were closed, the angel with
the book drew his wand across the page
and held it up to the others, and I saw that
nought but the name Of my darling boy was
there, written in characters of shining gold;
while al! the rest was pure and white, and
as the gates swung shut, the harps of mil
lions sang glad refrain Through Mail.