Wichita eagle., 1888-03-06

Aunt Kitty's porriGge slO;vets-her to be a
hungry one; and finally she became a
sleepy one. For while Rachel had only
time to be happy. But long after little
Ethel lay asleep in her cradle before the
fire, and after Aunt Kitty in her stuffy
room had courted slumber by last pipe
in bed, Rachel still sat before the fire,
feeding it sparingly from time to time as
| II not expecting to need its warmth much
/ longer. Hours, however, went by, and
still she did not go to bed; but instead,
rose every now and then, and drawing g
her blanket shawl more closely about her,
crept up the stairs to peep through the
balustrade at her brother, who wrote on
with nervous energy.
His momentary kindness had filed her
with tenderness toward him, and as she
watched him she thought how old and
faded he looked For the first time in
her life her attitude toward him had some
thing of protection in it. Was he not
working too hard? Would he not make
himself sick2 she asked herself; but old
habit was strong with her, and she al
ways ended her cogitations by going down
ctairs again as silently as she had come
up, and seating herself by the fire to wait
| for him
At last she must have slept. When she
became conscious, the drab light Of win
ter morning was in the room; and David
was lying motionless beside the cradle
with one arm across it and his head rest
ing on the coverlet.
From that day he was partially para
lyzed feeble minded old man, whose
chief delight lay in little Ethel, con-
| corning whom he evidently had queer
ideas. He told Aunt Kitty some
thing about having hatched her out
| of big egg up in his laboratory.
which made the old woman wag her head
when she chanced to catch Ethel's elfish
| eyes upon her, and mutter, "Dat chile
know too much!'' In spite of RacheI's
efforts to divert his mind from the fancy
he clung tenaciously to it, and was always
| finding resemblances between Ethel and
the birds about the garden, which he said
came from her having lain in shell, and
he pointed out that the white down on
her face was referable to the bird part of
her nature. Her fear of Rachels old
tabby, he also averred, arose from that
source.
One February morning he found Ethel
standing On chair looking out of the
l.
| falling, and gurgling contentedly to herself.
''What is thee looking at, Ethelf' he
said, hobbling to her. Then seeing the
snowbirds hopping about the rose bush
outside the window, he said eagerly.
what did hear thee saying to them,
Ethel?'
He brought his face down coaxingly to
hers, and the child with an impulse of
mischief flung her arms around his neck
and gabbled in his ear
''Uncle Dave doesn't understand" he
said regretfully. "Shall we feed the
birdies?'
He soon had the window open and little
Ethel seated on the sill scattering crumbs
about her. To her delight the birds, wax
ing bold, first snatched the crumbs from
her fingers ard then took to junketing in
her lap, calling, Peep, peep"
Peep, peep" cried Ethel in return,
bobbing her head from side to side in imi
tation of them. "Peep, peepr and she
lolled back in David's arms to laugh up
in his face.
Suddenly her feathered friends flew off.
''Oh, Dave" cried Rachel, 'how can thee
act so! Ethel will take her death of cold;"
and taking the child in her arms she shut
the window and hurried to the fire, where
she proceeded to rub the childs blue arms
and legs. Later in the day she had recourse
to her stock Of patent medicines; but in
spite of their vaunted virtues, and even of
the hot bath that Aunt Kitty suggested.
Ethel grew rapidly worse. until at bed
time the old woman set forth to seek q
physician.
David, finding his playfellow too i'll to
care for his attempts to amuse her,
dragged himself about the house like an
uneasy ghost, or sat whimpering by the
fire. Rachel thought that he had at last
dozed off, as, with Ethel wrapped in her
blanket shawl, she sat on the opposite
side Of the fireplace from him awaiting
Aunt kitty's return. But the moment
the front door opened he grasped his
stick, and, pulling himself up out of his
armchair, went into the hall to meet the
doctor. Plucking him by the sleeve he
said earnestly:
Friend, does thee know anything
about the ailments of birds? Otherwise
thy skill avails thee not here. This child
is half bird in her nature
The physician turned his searching eyes
on the fitful face.
Yes" he answered good naturedly.
You should see my birds at homer
David's face frightened. Come" he
said eagerly, ''the women folks don't un-
derstand. 1t is gapes," and steadying him.
self by putting hand on the wall he lead
the way with considerable quickness to
the door, where Aunt Kitty already
waited for them with impatience.
AS they were about to enter the physi-
clan laid his hand on David's arm and
said gravely:
''You know you must be very quiet If
you go with me?''
David nodded, and faithful to his prom
ise sat silent at his corner of the fireplace,
watching with painful eagerness every
motion of the physician.
1t was an anxious night, but at last the |
little one was evidently growing better |
and the doctor, with cheerful assurances, |
finally left them, promising an early call |
on the morrow. David did not rise to |
follow him TO the door. His head was |
bent on his breast, and one would have |
said that he slept, # his face had not been |
radiant with happiness. Even when |
Rachel rose TO carry the sleeping child |
into her bedroom he made no motion to |
follow her
Life and its motions were over for him.
Another soul had sunk below our horizon,
and the light upon. the austere face was
but the radiance of past joy.-"E. C. S."
in Overland Monthly
Something Worth Remembering.
Putting buttons, beads and similar objects
into the nose is a vicious habit, which is bv
40 means rare among children. When it is
lone the ,nDrhar or soma ofI1cious raiob bo,. |