Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-29

them softly through her fingers, and
laid them against her cheek with loving
tenderness. as if the ribbon had been
some animate creature
1t was indeed a lovely piece of goods;
soft, iustrous background of bright,
delicate blue, over which was careless
ly strewn half-opened moss-roses and
buds, the deep pink of the flowers and
soft shaded green of the leaves forming
lovely contrast to the lustrous blue of
the groundwork.
Older eyes than Maggie's, and those
more accustomed to luxuries, might
have dilated in delight at sight of so
beautiful gift.
"And is it mine-for true?" she said.
at last as if such great good fortune
could not possibly be hers.
Eyes, all your own, to do just as you
choose with"
''Oh! ohr' was all the delighted child
could say, but there was such world
of love and gratitude in the depths of
the SOFT dark eyes, that DR.. Jay turned
away with suspiciously wet eye-lashes.
''You have made a heaven for little
Maggie" the head nurse said, upon his
next call. 81 never saw such pleasure
as the child takes with that bit of rib
bon. She has certainly made hun
dred different combinations of bows and
dolls and all sorts of fancy fixings out
of it. She is queen, fairy princess,
and everything else by turns. Once l
offered to cut it for her, that she might
make bows more conveniently. You
should have seen her. She Rugged it
up to her, and looked at me with such
frightened, pleading eyes, one would
certainly have thought it was some liv-
ing creature l was going to harm.
There, just look at her! Isn't she pct
ure?"
She certainly was most lovely pict-
ure. as the doctor came up to the little
bed. The dark eyes were bright with
happiness, and the pale cheeks flushed
a delicate pink, rivalling the roses on
her beautiful gift. Pain and sorrow
were all forgotten in the delight of her
new possession.
She had evidently exercised all her
taste and skill in arranging her beloved
ribbon to the best advantage. in antici-
patton of the doctors visit. 1t was
hooped and bowed and festooned in a
most graceful manner about her head
and form, for, all unknown to herself,
Maggie had inherited all the taste and
skill of the loving, gentle little French
mother vino, deserted by the one who
| should have been her protector, had
| died broken-hearted at the birth of her
child.
eff she could but see how pretty she
looksr' the nurse said, softly.
The next day when, from the capa-
cious pockets of his overcoat DIR. jaw
brought forth small hand-mirror, and
held it before the eyes of the delighted
child, her cup of happiness was over
| flowing.
Every night the beloved gift was care
fully smoothed and folded in tissue
paper. With one bunch of roses turned
on the outside of the package, and with
a tender pressure oft against her cheek,
and loving goodnight kiss. Maggie
would fall asleep, her hand resting ov-
ingly upon its soft, lustrous folds. At
her first waking moments it was unroll-
ed, and the delight of manifold mani
pulations recommended, with ever fresh
delight.
But there came day when even the
possession of her hearts treasure could
not overcome the terrible pain which
racked her slight frame.
For days she had been growing worse,
and the physicians saw no hope save in
an operation-difficult and dangerous,
one which if unsuccessful must result
fatally.
They had postponed it from week to
week. hoping for favorable result with
out IT. But one morning Dr. Jay found
Maggie lying SO white and exhausted
from pain and sleeplessness, he saw
clearly that there was no alternative.
She seemed unconscious of his pres
ence, even when he pressed the thin
white hand as he felt her pulse. The
pailid, pain-marked face, the limp,
wasted little form. appealed most pathe-
tically to his kind heart, and bending
over her, he pressed kiss of fatherly
tenderness on the white forehead. Her
large dark eyes suddenly Enclosed, the
warm blood flushed the pale cheeks, and
a smile OF tender, loving delight flashed
over her face.
''ls the pain so hard to bear, dear
childP" he asked, alphabetically.
at is better now" was her low reply.
All, how little DR.. Jay suspected, as
the dark eyes followed him with such
worshipful tenderness, that his kiss was
the first caress the poor child had ever
known! Kicks and cuffs and drunken
oaths had been often showered upon
her. but fathers kiss, mothers ten
der caress. poor Maggie-worse than
orphaned-had never known.
There must be an operation without
delay" was DR.. jays decision, after
brief consultation with the house physi-
clans. Tomorrow at eleven at the
very latest. She cannot live over forty
eirht hours in her rresant condition .