Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-21


only making it worse for me to bear
Every hour I will let you know how he
{ is"
''Mrs. Matthews" began without hes
itation, twill you let me have the large
| bath out Of your room? If you will show
me the way, can get it. j"
| Mrs. Matthews said nothing, but looked
quickly at Mrs. Darlington, who stood
up with poor little Reggie in her arms.
{ ''Take Baby, please, Miss Clark, and
viii fetch the BATH" she said hastily;
! and, stretching out her hand, she clutch
ed that Of Mrs. Matthews, and dragged
=. her out of the room.
| As they passed up the stairsI heard her
, whisper in an agitated manner
! Cannot you stay in your own room
: for my sake"
I What could it all mean? I had not
much time to think, however, for she
soon returned with the bath, and for the
next hour the poor child occupied all our
i thoughts.
| 1t was avery severe attack of neglected
Group, but fortunately was Just in time
with my remedies, and I had the salts
| faction of seeing the little fellow fall
asleep in his cot after his hot bath.
He. seemed better, but the case was
critical. His mother and | bent over the
! little bed and listened to his feverish
| breathing.
"Win he die?" she asked, with bated
breath
81 trust not; but he is very ILL.," I re-
piled, with a dull pain at my heart as
| realized how fond L had grown of this
little child.
looked at the mother as she sat with
her eyes fixed on the small flushed face.
''Mrs. Darlington" 1 said presently,
''of course you know your own affairs
best; but, in case Reggie should get worse.
would you not like his father to be here?''
This thought entered my head through
hearing the poor child call out once or
twice in his weak, hoarse little voice foI
Daddie-daddier"
At my words Mrs. Darlington covered.
her face with her hands and burst into
tears.
81 wish [ could tell you ALL" she Sob
bed. perhaps [ may some day-but not
yet;" then, looking up with swimming
eyes, she added, 81 am in sore trouble,
Miss Clark-a trouble that haunts me
night and day"
II would help you if I could, believe
me, [ made answer, feeling that, what
| ever the trouble was, this poor little
woman was not to blame. [ went back
to the subject of the child. ct think you
must let me send for the doctor in the
morning"
''Oh, do you think SOP she asked anx-
! iously, SIS there any necessity? He
seems better, poor little dear; and would
rather a stranger did not come near us
! just now"
Mrs. Matthews must be mad, and she
| is afraid the doctor will find it out"
thought; but I only said, every well.
| Of course it must be as you wish, and we
need not decide till the morning. And
now, Mrs. Darlington, will you please &c
! to bed and leave me to look after Reggie:
! No, don't say a word; [ am used to nurs
| ing, and sha'n't feel bit tired; only
| please let Mary run in and tell Jane no.
to expect me home tonight"
After little remOnstrance, she con-
| sented; and presently a rush of bowling
wind shook the house and I heard the
| had been sent to No. with my message.
Little Reggie struggled through the
night and through two or three days that
| followed, and during that time my life
was bound up in that of the child.
| think [ was more anxious than his own
mother, to whom perhaps the weight of
| her other trouble made the boys illness
| appear light by comparison. | saw little
of Mrs. Matthews, and that was always
in the dusk, when she stole in to look
at the boy; but seldom got glimpse of
her face. She seemed to have clear-cut,
strongly-marked features; but her eyes
were always hidden by the blue specta-
cles, and she invariably wore a dark
| knitted shawl, which she held up to hel
! face.
my mother suffers terribly from neur
| algia," Mrs. Darlington remarked, in an
| evasive manner; and made no comment.
Mrs. Matthews, tall and gaunt, used tc
! stand in silence over Reggie's bed, bend
| ing down to lay her hand upon his hair,
| but never saying word to the boy, who
seemed afraid of her.
$50 away-you brighten me-" he cried
| once, with faint moan.
Mrs. Matthews left the room at once
| but Mrs. Darlington ran after her; and ]
| heard her voice in agOniZed accents ex
claiming
''Darling-my darling, you mustn't
mindr'
After that Mrs. Matthews paid no more
visits except when the child was asleep,
when she would steal in like grim spec
tire and look at the boy for perhaps five
minutes at a time in absolute silence.
Mrs. Darlington would not hear of doc.
tor being called in. She would do well
enough, she said, and she was sure that
/ knew as much as any doctor. She
| seemed so frightened and nervous that
did not press the point, but did what
| ever my common sense, aided by the
medical book, told me; and the result
was highly satisfactory.
Reggie recovered under my treatment,
| and, though he was pale, thin, ghostly
| little fellow, began to play about again
| in feeble way, and to take interest in
| toys and picture-books.
I still spent the greater part of every
| day at No. 2, for the child could not bear
me out of his sight: and so, as he seemed
to have a strong dislike for his grand
mother, finally persuaded Mrs. Caring
| ton to let me take him home to my own
| house for a week-for even such a slight
| change of air would perhaps have a good
result; besides, Mrs. Matthews was ILL.,
and Mrs. Darlington could hardly leave
! her for moment.
| Poor little woman! she looked wretched
| in those days, with her pale cheeks and
| heavy eyes-as though a heavy weight of
! sorrow were upon her mind. | pitied
| her greatly, and longed to be able to
| comfort her, when | saw how often her
| lips quivered and her eyes filed with
| tears.
rs your mother so very lip" I asked
| one day. when Mrs. Darlington appeared
with her eyes swollen from crying.
| My mother? What do you mean?"
| she said, looking at me distractedly; and
| then, as if recovering her presence of
/ mind. she added, Yes, very well; and
am in such trouble that 1 don't know