Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-05-07
BERTIE'S MISSION.
Found Out on Easter Sunday
What He "Was For"

All day the burning sun had scorched
he dry earth. Along country roads
he dust lay, fine and light as powder;
he grass by the wayside a Drowned;
he fields of yellow grain fell in great
waths beneath the scythe, and lay like
rNtcring gold along the ground, while
he crimson, blistercd face of the pant
he reaper pleaded in vain to the cruel
urinary to hide his own glowing coun-
enance behind a friendly cloud. The
|ey trees of the forest gasped for air,
heir leaves shriveled and the bark Civ
No forth an ominous ordor of possible
kmbustion.
Since early morning-when the suns
ksG> hut family foretold the heat to come
a Slight pale woman had been walk
as along those hot and dusty roads.
fnoon she had travelled many miles
ayet her journey was but half done !;
r ,hc had set out to reach the great
Ny, where 50 many sad hearts are lost
b the crowd save to their unhappy
FEners. She carried a little child who
ooked so pale and wan that he might
AVE been mistaken for one-half his real
Ege, which was almost two years. But
ven his light weight, upborne by the
owe which makes such weights easy to
barry. was at times insupportable to the
Feafy mother. From time to time she
anne TO the shade of a solitary tree and
hen sat down at the root of it or on a
tone by the wayside to rest for a few
Moments, and on each occasion she
topped over the child to kiss his brow
p lips, as if to assure him that he was
not the cause of her fatigue. She often
eAoved his little straw-hat, too, and
gently famed the tiny face, fair as a
howdrop and, Notwithstanding its deli
afe pallor, exquisitely lovely.
Al nigh noon the travellers met a
EENom country girl returning from the
led alter carrying dinner to the now
r, who stopped to admire the child and
a4ulrc if it was i'll.
NO, not ILL.," the mother answered,
'az'ng wistfully at her child; "but he's
never very strong"
How old is he?' was the girls next
question.
He will be two years old next
Month"
Land sake! And don't he walk
HE has never walked-yet-he's
anne. But l hope he will walk some day.
an taking him to the city, because I
la'e been told the doctors there are
never; and if [ earn money enough l
Vpe TO have him made strong, for he's
lever had any accident. One little
''Alc Is SO weak that he can't put the
9o' on the ground when he tries to
'@'o. You see he's never been able to
eaFn to walk, like other children of his
one spoke with a pitiful pleading, as
! was necessary to find excuses for the
,I'o' because he was less forward than
P'Aer children.
poor little fcllow!" said the farmers
H.. Kindly enough, "and you have to
Mfy INN all the timc-how tired you
s%S' De! Come to the house and rest.
maps he would take a cup Of milk"
me woman thanked her with a CRATE
~, look; and the girl continued, hold
oUt her hands to the child:
b;, Let ne carry him for you. I love
mnofen, and the little rogues know it.
lVln9, little pretty! What's his name?:"
li!s name is Albert, but call him
ZONE to me, BERTHE" said the girl,
",' me child smiled and held out his
And your own name?:" the girl went
WIN an inquisitiye look at the moth
,hrs.-what?n
wy name is Tingler,' the pale wom-
answered, coldly.
Inc farmers girl did not pursue her
s'ohs, Tor she saw they were unwel-
",'' an instinct of good breeding,
ns'er found among the untaught than
yet credit for, toh her further in
H,,H might give pain.
H.. ">. llngler proceeded in silence: but
r,, Sn! chartered to The baby and drew
Mn nm many an unexpected peal OF
5avcf' while at every sound of his
Mo L,lhent the pale mother smiled and
T"Iched till her own laughter mingled
A., mat of the child.
k.I' ,h a'le farmers house they Jared we'll:
"'c good people refused to let them