The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-11-08

In all that time did she know the clc-
ment> TO be thus at war. 1t il no won
der, then, when the flash of lightning
came. and the mountains shook with
the roar of the thunder. that the steady
old horse which John Parsons rode
should be frightened into springing sud-
denly to one side, throwing his rider.
and with nostrils di-icndcd and head
and tail in the ar dash away i'm the
darkness. leaving him lying stunned by
the roadside.
How long he lay there John Parsons
never knew, nobody eser will know.
unless the angels aho watch over each
OF Us have made 4 record Of it Is part
of the account against those wEo-e
greed sent fellow mortal on that JOUR-
ney up the mountain through the worst
STERN known for years, with his brain
turned by the knowledge of his loss, and
all the blood in his body congesiing
about his heart. And If the angels do
keep such an account, there must be
added to IL the sufl.r;ngs Of Martha Par
sons. as she watches by the cot Of Their
child grown dangerously ill since
morning watches and waits, and lis
tens in vain for some sound that shall
tell her that. through the storm and the
darkness, her husband is safe at home
Ut last.
Johnny. as his mother had written
Lucy, had been growing weaker for
some months. and had finally appeared
SO Lad that his parents had taken alarm
and called a physic an but as the lad
seemed to rally under the prescription
left him, they had ceased 10 fear any
serious results. But now that the effect
of The medicine had spent itself the pa-
tent again began TO sink rapidly.
In the excitement of making and
signing the deed the day before, for
which purpose Justice of the Peace
had come TO the cottage IN person. and
in the departure Of Mr.. Parsons with the
deed in his poke. with the intention Of
eon.ummatir. the sale of the place, the
change ]. .,ohnny's condition. if any,
hal not been observed; and the lad
made no complaint. having come to "a
cept his crippled and weakly condition
rs something viii 'ch could no. be
changed. Her husband had not been
long gone. however. before Mrs. Par
sons noticed that Johnny had \ slight
fever and at once began to censnre her.
self for not having observed il sooner
and asked John to have the doctor come
out, or nj least send another prescr.p-
ton. il was now 100 late To ito this.
and size must do the best she could
alone; perhaps after all the fever would
soon pass oil.
She prepared and gave the child some
simple household remedy, spcngei his
person with tepid water, and sought to
amuse him BY talking OF tie coming
journey to the Slough. whore Lucy and
Era.tas were. and tie pleasant time
they would have when they got there.
But the fever did not 20 down; Oh the
contrary 1t became higher as the hours
passed. until finally Mrs. Parsons be-
came greatly frightened.
She prepared 4 note to DR.. Brenton.
asking him 10 come al once. Upon the
envelope she wrote a re4ue.. that any
one going to town would deliver it into
his hand. She then fastened the letter
to stick. one end Of VIII CHI she sharp
enei with butcher knife, and telling
Johnny she was going into the yard
and would be back in few moments,
ran down TO the big road and stuck the
stick, with the letter attached, into the
ground where any one passn. would be
almost certain OF seeing ii. This done
she returned to the honse az quickly as
she had gone. and waited aud watched
| the one point of the road which was
visible from the window hopiag to see
pass team or horseman. rs an assur-
| ance that the message he'd found a car
rier. One team she saw going in the
| opposite direction. but If the driver OF
il saw the letter he made no effort to
| forward it 10 its dest nation. fancying,
| perhaps. that some one going to town
would soon pass and take it.
| As the afternoon came on. new
cause for alarm to the watcher by the
!; co. Of tho sick boy appeared. The
clouds were gathering IN way that
| bafokened long-continued and heavy
| rainfall. What il John should be de-
| tanned until late By the business on
which he hal gone: would he ~ allie
10 return a. night in the mias; Il The
storm which was approaching? l. not
how should size get through the night
| all alone with the sick child2 Or. what
If John should atsemptto come through
the darkness and rain and should meet
with an accident? She felt certain that
he would make the attempt to reach
home that night, no matter what the
weather might be: bat would he be able
to get through Would not the rayines
fill with water and make the road dan.
gerous. if not absolutely impassablea
She could not tell, she could only wait
and hope for the best: but every mo-
ment seemed IN hour, for hours before
she had any reason to expect her hus-
bands return, even if he was not de-
layed BY the storm.
II was but little after three o'clock
when it began to rain: but so
thick We're tire clouds that il
seemed rs if night were already
at hand. Johnny had dropped of iato
Light sleep, and she sat by the window
that commanded view OF the garden,
the level ground with the ravine below,
and the hills stretching away towards
Phippsburg and the river. The rain
came down in torrents. and she noticed
how quickly little rills formed and ran
in the garden. and lost themselves in the
stubble field beyond The turkeys and
chickens. deceived by the unusual dark
ness. had all sought their roos.s, ex.
cept here and there one who had been
late about getting in and now stood
with dropping tai feathers and gen.
orally demoralized look beneath the
thick leaves of some shrub or vine.
Then it occurred 10 her to save for
washing purposes some of the water
that was falling, soft water Icing lux.
ury during halt the year OH the mount
ain: and she threw IN old shawl about
her head and shoulders and went ont
and set the wa>h-tub and boiler under
the cave spout, and saw them filed al.
most before she could turn back into
the kitchen.
And now Johnny had Weakened and
was calling her. She went to him and
, felt her heart give great throb as she
noticed that his fever was higher than
ever, and that his eyes had strange
!. look about them. She preserved heI
, calm appearance, minis.ered to his
wants, and when he asked for his
, father, told him that lie had not re-
, turned, and that they must not look fol-
him yet awhile, but that he would come