Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1889-10-18

now nelpce hilH W ocaI Ills lTouoies 50
well.
As he caught it in his caressing
! grasp there was a slight movement Of
the little body. and pair of deep blue
eyes gazcd lovingly at him and Il smile
! of rare beauty circled the thin lips
/ and lent i heavenly look to the pale,
| shrunkcn features.
Poppy" a soft, low voice came.
Il SO gad you come. / been lonely
! to-day; amt mad no comp'ny tall"
| \ sound, almost Il sob, came from
| the man lips rs he bent closer and
imprinted kiss of passionate love ON
| her cheeks.
.'Is my little darling feeling betterP"
| he asked. knowing ut the time how
out Of place the query was. for could
he not see from her appearance that
the strength now possessed by her was
that which death lent to his victims
| only a few hours before lie finally calls
them.
"Oh. yes" sho gaily replied. Il doin'
TO dit up in mornin' and see you of TO
work"
But had not papa better stay with
you until you get well'"
No" with "A solemn gravity that
| had become part of her since her
| mother had been placed in her narrow
bed. Papa must work. cause you
might get out again. and you know
how hard it was to get the job you got
| now"
He groaned aloud, and the child
looked up quickly. and, fiinging her
arms about his neck, kissed him again
and again.
Only few months before he had
buried his wife. and now death was
claiming his little daughter, all that
life had in il was wanted No won
der he felt ~ II his heart would break
as these thoughts flashed over him.
After the death of his mate he had
struggled hard To keep above despair.
aud the mite of child had helped
wonderfully in that direction
He was thrown out OF employment
and had TO seek rooms in this poverty
stricken locality. but all the time the
brave heart Of his girl held him up.
Work came at last, and happiness
was almost assured. when she was
stricken with deadly malady. and
without means he was unable TO give
her the attention she should have had.
But all through the time OF her sick
ness she had not murmured but for one
thing, and that was company.
The people she was now thrown in
contact with were more repugnant to
her gentle nature than n comfort and
in her childish way she longcd for
bright faces that sue was used TO be-
fore her mother died.
As the night grew Older she sank in
TO n quiet sleep, and the lonely man
held vigil ut ser side, sitting as mo-
,ionlcss as statue. fearing lest the
slightest move ou his part would arouse
her.
Toward morning she became more
restless aud occasional means issued
from her psrched lips.
Just NJ the sun was peepiug over
the hou>ctops aud pouring glad
stream nf light iuto The curiaiuiess
Windows she once more opened her
eyes and gaZe,l lovingly at the bowed
| face. a soft. white arm WAS raised
from the cover aud gentle voice
| said:
Papa. I blieve I like YOU stay
with me to-day. | 50 weak an tired.
an wants comp'uy when feels that
way"
Ia an agony Of sorrow the man rails
ed her from the bed and held her
| tightly to his bosom. ali the while Civ
ing vent To groans and sobs Of heart
| breaking.
Shn sank I. sleep on his shoulder.
| aud for some time lay so quiet that he
thought she must be dead. but the
soft breath tanning his meek told him
that the end was not yet.
| Presently she moved again. and put
both her arms about his neck. Whisper
ing:
Papa. seed mamma las mite, sn'
| she told me to come to her."
my God" moaned the stricken
man. lis 1t not possible To spare me
| this one timer
| The child looked up At him with .
| puzzled expression on her coupteaance.
and nestling closer in his strong em-
brace, said:
Poppy. don't want to go and lesb
| you. but mamma said you would come
to us after a while"
| THAT l will. my love-" sobbed the
man. raining kisses ON the now almost
deatli-cold face. land it will not be
many days before We will all be to-
gether in . happier home"
''Don't lay me down, papa; like to
feel you hold me. an'-ans-it's get
ting cloudy, amt it? The room seems
to be darker than It was
There was no Mistaking this sign,
and the father pressed the child greed
lily TO his breast as il by his warm en,-
brace to ward off that foe which all
have found indestrustible.
The still quiet Of the room was only
broken by the dying ehild's gasps for
breath, now comm. irregularly, as the
little form trembled and Quivered in
the effort to catch the iie-giving cir.
but the attempts grew more convul-
sive and 1t greater intervals. and as
the father noticed this D pain Of utter
desolation shot through hrs heart.
MY pet" he cried passionately,
kissing the bright golden hair that be
had been used ~ run his fingers
through in days agone, and kissing
the pale lips that SO often welcomed
him home with smiles Ut affection,
kissing the once dimpled hands that
were now so thin and poor and that
were appealing to him for help in this
awful hour. kissing her--ah. poor soul,
kissing her longingly and madly. for
he knew that those happy days were
| gone forever, and that in . few mo-
ments only the once precious form
would be nought but y cold, calm
piece of clay. all Of its suiferings over.
all of the pains past.
Poppy" again came q whisper. 80
weak that you or would have thOught
it only the sound of q gentle breeze.
but he. with his eyes almost starting
out from his head. bent quickly and
eagerly ~ the face Of his child.
what. my darlingP" he said
II dis want to tell you." came the
voice, ''that dot comp'ny now. cause
mamma is here for me- Dood-by,
pop-py-dad-dy-I tome for you soon,
l." The sound died away and the
little head dropped on his arm, never
! to move Of its own will.