The Wilmingtonian., 1885-01-03
How NV Baby Died

The doctor said it had severe cold and
prescribed for it. He went away and return
ed in an hour without being called. Then |
knew that my baby boy was more i'll than |
had thought, and when he went away fol-
lowed him out of the house and into the
snow-burdened air, and said to him:
doctor tell me the truth. Will my baby
dieP"
sit is very ill., lie replied, ''but there is
yet little hope" Then I returned and
looked again on the sweet face of my little
boy. Where dimples had been were hard.
whites lines of pain. Where the nostrils
bad been such soft and velvety pink, you
could see the light shine through their
walls, and every halr-like vein was blue
almost to backness. The little hands which
was wont to feel patting my face and press
ing my cheeks, had lost their tender cunning,
and were lying uselessly ON his heavy bosom,
purple and clenched. knew my baby was
not for long. l knew that even then, the
angels, who loved it a little better than I i,
were waiting to take it away. | saw the
death-dew stand in diamond beads upon its
alabaster brow, and felt the dampening
curls, that clustered like failing sunshine
where | had been wont to kiss it. | heard
the faint gurgling in my baby's throat and
saw no recognition in his eyes, once so soft
and blue, and laughing, but now CLASSY with
the film of death. They were looking away,
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 my darling boy.
The snowtlakes ceased to fall, and the glad
sunlight from the west came in through the
window and fell upon my baby's bed, flood
ing it with a radiance and glory like that
which trembles on the golden tiles of heaven,
and then the snow sank out of view, aud in
the gray twilight. my baby lay, struggling
body AND soul, the one with the other, for
til e mastery. AS the shadows deepened |
saw the bony hand of death reach out from
among the pillows, and clutch my baby by
the throat. l tried to fight the monster back,
but he would not loose his hold.
The lamps were lighted, and l saw my
baby smile, as if it saw 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, and forbid them not, for of
such is the Kingdom of God" and while it
yet smiled the soul went out from the taber-
nacle to clay, and left the temple tenantess
and cold, but beautiful as life itself. My
baby was dead, aud 1 was clasping to my
heart only the clay image of its soul, now
winging its flight through the boundless
depths of blue that lie between the grave
and throne of GOD. 1t is a wonder that men
worship idols of clay, when clay is so grand
ly beautiful as thisP
l slept and dreamed, and as l dreamed |
saw the pearly gates swing open, and
knew my baby had reached home. caught
a 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 saw that naught
but the name of my darling boy was there,
written in characters of shining gold, while
all the rest was pure and white, and as the
gates swung shut, the harps of millions
sang glad refrain.-F. e. Hubble.