Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-07-11

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above sounded the sleepy trill of bird,
safely snuggled in his nest under the
young leaves.
Curiously enough this tender note
alone had the power to rouse the dying
woman. She had always been in close
sympathy with all fair helpless things,
flowers, young birds and infants. Now,
in her extremity, this weak cry pierced
to her heart and woke her.
"Where's the baby ?" she whispered.
"Why don't they bring the baby to me?"
She was living over again her only
sickness. She tancied herself young
once more, young and filled with
strange great happiness.
The years between had vanished.
They were happy years, too, happier
than most people enjoy, for her desire
had been easily gratifed, her ambitions
were of the simplest kind. To live within
their small means; to lay aside little
each year; to keep the house immaculate
and the flowers thriving; to know peace
full nights and quiet, uneventful days;
to help a neighbor in trouble; to sit in
the village church regularly on Sundays,
and to be sure that the grass grew green
and the white violets hourished over a
certain small mound in the graveyard;
these were the utmost limits OF her
hopes.
Her great grief had grown to be a ten
been prosperous and serene, unclouded
by one harsh look or word.
Now, suddenly, she was young again,
young vile in her new home, with all
her humble household treasures new
about her, and this thrill ofexpectation
in her breast.
"Where's the baby ? Why don't they
bring the baby to me ?" she repeated
eagerly.
Her husband leaned forward, pressing
her hand in both of his.
"The baby ?' he said "what baby ?"
For him the sad present had swallowed
up the past.
,"Our baby" she whispered, with
look of rapture in her faced eyes.
"Oh, Lois ~
He bent his head still lower. That
shadowy child of theirs seemed hardly
more than dream to him. He had
never held it, or played with it, or
talked to it in imagination, as she
had.
''His name is Josiah, for you," con-
tinued the dying woman, trying to tight
en- her clasp of the hand holding hers
and looking earnestly up at him.
"He will be little 10. Perhaps his
eyes are like yours; and he will be a
good man like you [ hope. We will
teach him to be good, won't we ?''
Yes, yes, Lois"
"But why don't they bring him to me?
want SO much to hold him, only once,
for a little while. I won't keep him
long. [ want to feel his little hand on
my face and kiss his little cheek.
Please tell them to bring him."
s'Hush hush oiS dear -
"Perhaps they don't know where his
clothes are. [ laid them all ready in
the top drawer of the bureau in the
spare room. his little blue socks, and
his skirt. and the white slip-they said
he must wear slips at first, not dresses.
Every things ready. A boy, you said.
Oh do let me hold him now"
The old man groaned aloud and tried
to quiet her, but without success. Out
doors wind was rising, a soft wind fra
grant with the bitter-sweet breath of
blossoming peach trees. 1t sighed at
the open window, and swept d branch
of the birch tree against the upper
panes.
The deacon tried to rise to close the
glass, but she moved uneasily as if to
sit up in bed. He put his arms out to
support her. She hardly seemed to see
or feel them. Slowly her face grew ra-
diant with surprise and delight
'Ah, you have brought him to me
at last" she cried, with hands out
stretched. "Quick, give him to me here,
close to my heart. Oh, how dear, how
beautiful he is. I had no thought he
would be half SO beautiful"
She held her arms as if they encir-
c!ed a little form. and bent her face
over them in tenderest mother fashion.
"My baby my baby p she whispered.
Then, with sigh of utter content, sank
back upon her pillows.
The women downstairs listened for
the sound of voices to begin again, ex-
pecting to be summoned, but no such
summons came.
Night and darkness fell in the garden
and closed about the house. Fidelia
put lamp outside the chamber door
and smut the door quietly. She glanced
toward the bed where Mrs. True
seemed to be asleep, her husband, with
his face buried in the pillow, near her
She left all the necessary articles for
less step.
The hours went on slowly and silent
ly. The stars shone out in the sky at
last, while the flowers slept down in
the shadows, and the little bird was
gently rocked in his soft cradle ALI
was still in the house where childrens
feet had never battered up and down,
nor children's voices echoed.
When morning, calm and sunny,
frightened the quiet room it showed the
woman's face glorifed with a smile of
absolute peace Who knows? Per-
haps indeed her baby had been brought
te her.
Beside her, white and wan in the
sunshine, lay her faithful companion
Whether hearts do break or not, I can
not tell. Heaven, at least, had merci-
fully let them die together quietly, as
they lived.
A New Rat Trap