The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-03-07

so watched for, so longcd for, is
come.
But the thrill of expectation that hope
has planted in the hearts OF the watchers
beside the bed of the stricken babe, with
ers and dies, aud disappointment weaves
Il chaplet of the dead leaves.
The eyes of the little sufferer, erstwhiIe
50 bright, glow like Goals. The flush OF
fever is still deep on its cheeks that SO
lately were rosy and pink with the hues
OF health and vigor. The inroads of dis
ease are already marked, and anguish fur
rows deep lines around the once jocund
The Gay grows on apace. The fever in
creases with the heat, and the anguish of
the little sufferer keeps pace with the
speeding hours. Evening comes again
with it's freslrening, winds and again Hope
whispers,
'"To-morrow he'll be better"
Night, succeeding evening spreads once
more its pail, and again anxious watchers
administer to the wants, and strive to
alleviate the suffering of the stricken
.child-strive 10 cool the heated brow,
moisten the parched and fevered lips.
The brief reign OF darkness Is over; day
dawns again, but the dawning brings no
relief to the now pale and languid child,
nor balm TO the distressed and anxious
hearts of the parents. And this day passes
on, but at its close Hope again whispers,
"To-morrow he'll be BETTER"
And thus it goes. Hours grow into
days, days into weeks, and three of these
come and go. Weaker, and weaker Grows
the sufferer, now worn to n skeleton, a
creature OF suffering and extreme emacia-
ton. The hue of ruddy health that once
bloomed upon his baby cheeks, has long
since faded. The flush OF fever has given
place to a deadly pallor. The joyous light
of the eye is gone, and the sight is lustre-
less and dim. The limbs that once were
so active and strong, have lost their cum
ming and lay. limp and nerveless across
the painting breast. Friends pass in, take
one look at Baby as he lies moaning there,
and with q sigh, n word of sympathy, pass
out again. But still unto the aching
hearts of / parents, Gods holy messenger,
Hope, divine anchor of the soul, whispers,
Tomorrow he'll be better"
O q & = . g
Again the morrow comes.
Over the eastern hills, where the forest
fringe lay dark and blue, the autumn sun,
sending ahead as avaunt couriers those
day, comes grandly in view; and the night
with it's glittering stars INK chilly air
hides itself away off beyond the western
horizon.
Wearied with almost ceaseless vigil, the
father has fallen asleep, but as the first
ray of yellow sunshine comes peeping in
through the shutters, glinting Il golden
ribbon on the wall, he awakens. His sleep
has been a brief one; but in it has come
vision of Hope, with it's pleasant reflec-
tons, to be dispelled by the growing pain
and dread of what n day may bring forth.
In the adjoining room where the little
sufferer lies pale and pearly, its tiny
hands crossed upon its breast, slowly
heaving to the coming and going breath,
hushed whisperings indicate the prepar-
alton of departing watchers.
He at once arises and creeps softly in,
and walking to where the sick child is,
enquiries,
"Any changer"
sleeping; and resting Just a little bet
ter" is the response. $50 back and rest
mo, / am rested. L will watch now
replies the anxious father.
Taking from n shelf a small thermome-
ter and seeing that the narrow tube is free
and the mercury settled in its bulb, he
softly places it just under the armpit Of
the sick child, and taking out his watch
counts the minutes until five have
drifted into the sea of eternity. Then
withdrawing the thermometer, he scans
with an anxiously throbbing heart the
reading: 100" 1t had been 105h n little
while before and the physician had said
that in all his experience he had never
known Il child to recover after its temper
atUre had reached 100.
Does the change mean life or death?
If the latter, then must the grim mon.
ster be lowering very near.
Directly the mother, with anxiety writ
ten all over her pale features, with tear
stained cheeks, and eyes red from weeping
comes into the room, takes one anxious
hungry look and turns away despairingly
An hour passes and the doctor comes
Long he gaZes Mt the ~listless baby, theL
turning TO the father he asks:
'Haye you taken his temperature this
morning?"
every thirty minutes" "Here's the
record"
The maximum was 1854, the minimum
100.
some hundred and five and a quarter
humph!"
Then hardly daring to trust his voice he
says, as he arises to go, "Well, give him {
warm bath, and put some clean clothes or
him."
The child has been so very i'll that they
had not dared to change its garments fol
several days, and ne needs the bath ant
the clean clothes, but that is not the doc.
doris meaning. 1t means death and dis
pair.
ooh God! and is this TO be the end?"
The father looks ut The mother. She toe
has caught the DOCTORS meaning and {
great agony is drawing deep lines about
her beautiful mouth.
Hot water is brought, soap and q soft
sponge, towels warm and soothing laiC
conveniently near, and next u basin. al
save father and mother IRE excluded from
the room. The doors arc closed and lock,
ed. Nc chilling draught must be allowed
to come in 10 extinguisb the little sparl
Of life that yet remains.
Then mother and father set to work
viii the little sufferer live through the
ordeal OF undressing and d~ressing7 Hot
scalding tears laIl upon each little limb q:
it ID stripped laved in the soft, warm water
and reclothed.
AT last the service 10 rendered and the
little one, Grrayed in clean, white baby
clothes, locks pearly enough in tht
change. Then it asks in its baby way Il
be laid in its iavorite chair, II large hick'
CRY rocker it has often gone to sleep OF
under the soothing effects Of its mother!
lullaby.
II is placed as it desires and for u feN
moments rests quietly seeming to sleep
One hopeful sight has closed its eye.
and seems free from the racling pain tina
has tortured II for weeks.
But oven that may mean dissolution
and dissolution means death.
Ten minutes pass and baby open it,