Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-02-26
From the London World.
WHILE THU CHILD LIVED.

W HILL Lfu OlIlIlD LII Lila
This death scene was the strangest [
had ever witnessed. Quite in the CEN
ter of the room, which was furnished
with every conceivable luxury, and
made beautiful by bright silk oraperies
and flowers, was a bed which seemed a
world too wide and too long for the
frail infant that lay upon it, slowly
breathing its short life away. An en-
broidered screen was spread out at its
head to shield it from the draughts, and
the brilliant hues, so deity mingled
that they seemed a shimmering mass of
undistinguishable color, made more no.
ticeable the waxen pallor of the dying
child-a child who had always been del
icate, and who could never hope to gain
health or strength, even if it lived;
therefore whose dreaded loss could not
surely be the sole cause of that tragedy
of the emotions which was being enact
ed before me.
Strangely enough, the two who should
have been drawn together by this COM
mon trouble seemed held apart by it.
Each met it in different manner, yet
neither with that resignation which /,
knowing the facts of the child's case,
had expected. Like statue stood the
mother, so erect and motionless, the
straight-falling folds of her severe white
morning gown tending to complete the
illusion. Her features also were hard
and absolutely as expressionless as mar
BILE, though once as she raised their
heavy lids [ saw in her eyes a sup
pressed gleam-more like fear than sor-
row. 1t was as though she was paralyz-
ed by some resistless dread. Tears and
warm soft grief | could have under
stood; 1t is natural g woman should
cling TO @ first and only child, even
though its retention may mean lile-iong
misery for itself and her; but this deep,
silent agony of mind-or heartless CAL
Iousness, whichever it might bel con-
fess was quite beyond my comprehen-
sion, and [ turned to her husband to
see if could learn anything from his
aspect that would help to solve the
problem.
Jack Carisfort's face wore no such i'm
penetrable mask. He was white and
eyes, blurred with not unmanly Eois-
sure as they met my gaze, were express
sive of very real feeling. that yet-as |
studied him more attentively-I could
not help fancying Was connected only
IN secondary degree with their threat
ened bereavement. 1t appeared as if
he were suffering another pain through
this; and the eager chances which sped
frequently in my direction-as though
we're the Deiphic oracle, and possessed
of snuarhuman powers to bring my
prophecies to pass-w~rc full of anxiety
and surely this time it must be my i'm
aglnation suggested fear.
Had l been unaware of the true Cir
-toya = II Ia
have allowed fancy to run riot In an OPP
posed him passionately. devoted to a
wife who had no love to give him in re-
turn. and by that means come to the
conclusion that jealousy of the child,
which had, perhaps, been nearer to her
heart, was the keynote of this mysteri-
Gus attitude toward her. But this could
not be SO, knew. Since | had entered
the room he had not addressed a word
20 her, save the necessary common
places, and all the time he had kept
aloof from her, without an attempt at
consolation, while she never turned to
him as though expecting it. Beside
which, I remembered well their wed
ding day and the disagreeable impress
sion it bad left upon my mind.
Jacks father had been an old friend
of mine, and when the boy was left to
fight his way in the world as best he
could, on his slender pay as lieutenant
IN the navy, / had felt semi paternal
interest in him, which | had demon
srEated as often as possible in acts of
practical help. He was warm-hearted,
reckless younester, whose worst faults
had been the natural ones of his age.
1t came upon me as a shock when the
report reached me that he was deliber-
ately intending to marry for monev-a
fact which he himself subsequently
confirmed.
81 sha'n't have to sponge on you any
more, doctor. Do you think don't
know that you have atten deprived
yourself OF little luxuries, perhaps nee
esSaries. on my account ?'
at is better to accept trifle now and
then from an old friend than live alto
gether on the Lounty OF woman" |
retorted dryly.
For moment he was confused, and a
dark flush of shame sufused his face;
then he answered, hesitatingly:
"You are viewing it from its worst
point. Suppose I happen to know
would not say it to any one but you
that she is so fond OF NE, it might kill
her if she thought | did not care, too
Besides, she is enchantingly pretty. II
she had not had this money | should
nave fallen horelesslY in love with her,
L expect, and that would have been still
more awkward, considering the circum-
stances, don't you think?"
But wrat / thought it was useless say
zng, as the wedding day was already
fixed and his word pledged beyond re-
call; though when / saw the bride ]
felt more strongly than ever how great
and irreparable mistake he bad made.
This was no mindless child, to be sat
5sfed with sugared phrases and graceful
deeds, that cost the doer nothing. II
sine were blinded now by love and the
novelty Of her position, the truth must
dawn upon her eventually, and she
would suffer cruelty in a knowledge
come too late. Her face, with its lovely
smiling mouth, and soft, sweet eyes
ever wandering toward her husband, as
birds at eventjde hutter round theil
lofty nests, haunted me for many days
In spite of ali forebodings, I was
amazed that in two short years she
could have developed into the stony.
eyed woman who greeted me with such
cold. unnatural composure when. in
answer to telegraphic summons, ar
rived Just an hour before; for / had
x,nx,o~~~, ~ how IN fbo ipforvol ond no n