Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26

Lord Welbury, well pleased. and now
/ that come to see him more closely, he's
not unlike what his father was at the
same age, only quieter. Do you know he
almost strikes me as being a little dull'
Have you found him so, MADAME"
L have been too sad q companion for
! him, sir. | know-I feel it now" sighed
the poor mother, her eyes wandering from
her own boy to follow the antics of the
other, who, astride a stick, was careering
merrily about the room.
THAT can be soon remedied," said Lord
/ Welbury, putting Charlie off his knee.
''let the two youngsters romp together
warrant they Will make friends If let
alone"
| And In order to try the experiment we
three sat apart and kept up some desultory
talk. This lasted but short time, how
ever. 1t was broken in upon by startled
cry from the younger boy, George, who,
apparently terror-stricken, rushed across
| the room.
Naughty boy!-naughty boyl Send
him away. He's making faces at mer'
cried the spoiled child in an outburst of
| passion, pointing with outstretched finger
1 at his little companion.
| The nurse dropped her knitting and rose
instantly. GIVE seen it from the first, ~
she said, calmly confronting US. THE
child is half an idiot, my lord"
All eyes were turned to poor Charlie,
who stood among some broken toys, his
features distorted into the CHASTITY sem
blance of a smile
Mrs. Wilton, running to her boy, shield
ed him with her arms. my darlingI my
darling! Has God no pity?" she cried, and
bore him from the room. She had prayed
day and night-this unhappy mother-to
see either smile on her baby's lips or q
tear in his eye, and hitherto her prayer
had been denied. 1t was granted now.
The poor dulled senses of the child, reused
into something like activity by the antics
of his lively playfellow, had caused the
lips to smile. But what smile!
Lord Welbury turned pale A look of
disgust not unmiXed with anger, settled
on his face
''There is no doubt the boy is imbecile,"
he said, as l was about to follow Mrs. Will
ton from the room. ''Dr. Gray, were you
aware of this when you allowed him to be
brought here?"
ST was not aware of it," replied, readi
ly For the sad foreboding that first as
sailed me on the lawn at Croft house had
received no confirmation hitherto. But
even if the case is as we fear" / added,
earnestly, cit may be durable"
Excuse me, doctor,' he interrupted,
sno man who has seen that child as w
have seen him can have the slightest doubt
but that he is an idiot for life.''
"On the contrary, my lord; we must re
gard the matter from another point Re
| l. h. 1l1a IL
mother before his birth. Where there is
no hereditary faint"
"What then? On the mere chance of the
child being durable, do you suppose am
going to leave my money to him? Mop he
cried, excitedly. "My own life is too pre-
carious for me to delay longer the settling
of my affairs. My niece's child is still my
heir. / regard the other as non est For
heavens sake don't let me have my feel
ings narrowed by the sight of that poor
idiot any more. The mother shall have q
handsome annuity. / pity herl''
And that day Lord Welbury made his
will, leaving his immense fortune as he
had said.
Once more I returned to my country
practice: Mrs Wilton and Charlie to Croft
house.
Never was grief grander in it's simplicity
or more nObly borne than that of Mrs.
Wilton. She still prayed-prayed with
the faith which we are told will move
mountains. Her eyes, when not raised to
heaven, were bent on her child, ever seek
ing for the dawning of that intelligence
which she believed must come in answer
to her prayers. She tried to teach him his
childish lessons; she read, she talked to
him; even chanted in low, sad voice the
nursery rhymes that happy mothers sing.
AT last, one day, exercising over herself
a supreme control, she told her son the
STORY of his fathers death; told it in SIM
pie. chlld-like language, but with pathos
that might have moved heart of stone.
The boy was standing at her knee, she
holding his unresponsive hand. But, as
she proceeded with her narration, he
pressed gradually close to her side. With
thrill of rapture she looked at the droop-
ed eyelids, hoping, praying to see a tear
gllsten on the dark curled lashes. Trem-
bling, she reached the climax of her sad
tale, and, bending over him:
Charlie" she whispered-"Charlie he
was dead! You understands"
Alas, she knew then, even ere she had
done speaking, that the boy was incapable
of understanding her. His eyes were
closed. He slept.
And he seemed forever thus Whether
the beautiful but expressionless eyes were
open or closed his mental faculties were in
that dulled, dormant state it might be said
they slept.
HE is like that little statue of Jesus
now" she once said to me, pointing to q
marble figure of Christ, "but some day
God will awaken his soul. All, doctor,
shall live to see that day?"
scarcely thought she could, but did not
tell her SO.
From the day on which she related the
story of her husbands death, she herself
dropped visibly.
But grief kills very slowly. Five years
passed by. Lord Welbury was dead His
wealth-with the exception of the annuity
to his sons widow-was left to his niece's
child: his title now by right became his
grandson's.
The boy grew fast; he was s years old,
but his mind still slumbered. He knew
the sound of his mothers voice; would
come to the side of her couch when called;
would lie for hours folded in her arms,
whispering back her loving words, re-
peating her gentle admonitions like an
echo. The words apparently conveyed
no meaning, but they touched some hid
den chord.
Weaker and weaker grew Mrs. Wilton.
On one of my daily visits the sick nurse,
who was in constant attendance now, whis-
pered to me that the end was near. /
was startled, shocked, to perceive how
neari
Doctor, dear FRIEND" she gasped very
family as / pressed her moor TRANSPARENT