The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-09-24

ed Itself into her brain her breath
escaping in short gasps. The
scenes Of her short lite rushed be.
fore with electric flashes. She saw
herself tiny waifIeft on the steps
OF the good, hard ndtured mother of
this dying boy; she felt, as in 9th
er days, her tender little heart
shrink from the heavy ales that
had fallen upon her in tie house
hold service, she quivered at the
flashed memory OF hours of longing
that had swept over her soul; long
ing for the infinite expanse of free
dom; that seemed denied to only
her; hours when she felt that the
hateful clay of her body was meant
to drag her downward, and then
came the first fond remem5 5rance. a
consciousness that the heart of the
son was less of iron than that of his
mother.
How bright that hour. That sin
gle electric spark had lighted her
pathway through all the years /;
how cheerfulIy she had toiled, how
patiently waited for an approving
word, or glance. Aud, when he
had bravely come to fill this place,
left vacant by tever-stricken
friend, and even when, when the
same moon was but a slender cres-
cent, she had followed, followed
feeling the latent power awakening
in her feeble hands. She had toiled
by day and watched by night as
the restless sOunder beat its warn-
ing, like the quick heart throbs OF
a nation; aud the electric fluid like
the life blood carried strength to
the utierm0st parts. Had she not
followed ? she conld only have bid
ed her time, but he was there, he
had risked his liie-he was stlick-
en-. What could a life be worth
after its idol had fallenR After its
shrine was broken Why swing a
smoking cenSor-befOre an empty
niche There was rest in labor,
there was relief in action. Glad
that she had cOme-come in time
to take the key from the ievered
hands Of her earthly idol. The
morning hours had brought his
mother, but alas! she feared that
the noon, with its burning breath
wOnld fail to warm the chill Reaper
that had entered too. "lf it could
only be Thy will" she feebly moan
ed; "to take the mother with her
silveTed hair; to take the one that
longs to go-cut from a bitter life ;
if it could only be Thy will Thy
will.o And the clouds seemed clos
ing in and darkness filed the space.
"N. H."-N. Ii. -. .... -.
80. Can You give me the death
rate now % clicked the sounder
from the Office. She CROPPED her
way thither, with one hand clasped
before her eyes; and a great, bitter
cry of rebellion in her heart.
''What is your death rate ~ sound
ed through the room. "Oh God
Gan this be just ~ Since her all
were dying-why give the death
rate of others! She bowed her
face upon the key in utter desOla,
ton, when Il weak and trembling
voice, a voice filed with tears,
aroused her; and an aged man |
stood, holding a telegram. "Iell |
my wife, said he, "that our last
boy is taken-three have gone
)nly a little while before me. But
not our will, but Thine be done.'
'It is done,' she murmured, as she
pointed to the darkened room. The
Did man advancing. turned hurried
y, and called, "Child, child, be
lnick, the crisis is passed-he re-
'ives-be can be saved. "Joy
oy y she clasred the hands of the
eeble, old mother, aud tried to
Irouse her, bat she sank upon the
boards, and the old man said sol
,nnly, "She viii never know that
Ter boy is saved, poor woman, for
he is dead" dead Aud l
,rayed for her death instead of his.
JOw | can say His will be DONE"
Vas she selfish when an hour later
he sent the message, "All is well T; /
e is saved, but yet the death rate
5 greater than for any other day
lore nurses needed-the doctors .
re very few nOw-send more ply
icians aud food for the hungry 4,
eOple; but he-he is sayed.n
The yellow sands gave back their
eat aud the slated roofs aud /
cOrchiug paves still radlated, as
he yellow plague swept on, leaving /
ONES desOlate, widows aud or {
hans. Brothers deserted brothers, :
nd fathers left their sons; and /
till the harvest of death was gar /
cred, while. the autumn days drag I
ed their weary length along. But {
he Frost King came az last. A ] {
reat sbOut of Joy wentup-a pray {
r of thanksgiving that the wander
rs from home might return. Then I
cooling breeze swept the sands,
nd filled the dropping sails. Five {
lugusts have glOwed since then,
nd many million times has the an. i
- call been answered. 1t is the /
our of sunset, and she the Priest Z
IS of a happy home, stands on the /
lst OF many ties OF the bridge /
roSsing an arm OF the bay. She
lrns her lustrous eyes wess ward,
here the glowing disk is just sink
lg below the waters edge; she {
counts the seven blacken-
4 wires that stretch fr0m pier 10
ier, seemingly across the very face