The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-09
A BURIAL IN THE
CARPATHIANS.
BY RMEN SYLV
Queen OF RoumaniaJ.
CONTINUED

his knees, said:
NO, papa, it is not so, is it? Ben does
does not tell the truth. does hep
Ben was standing i'll the doorway and fear
ing that his father would believe he had
been harsh to his sister.
What is il, my chidren?" said their
father, in tired voice. lie would have pre-
ferred not to know anything through fear Of
being obliged to sculd or punish them
Ben says sobbrd the girl, that we
shall never see mamma again; it is not true,
is II, papa?" and she threw her arms around
his neck. Answer, papa, and tell me that
she will come BACK" she continued, in
higher tone, while her father smOothed her
tlaXen hair, whose golden waves recalled to
his mind those other waves OF Jet.
Ben then approached, saying: I'VE have
never seen our little brother again that the
negroes carried away-they put him, too, in
long boX-and lis skin was cold. / know
il was so"
Your mamma is in heaven, but she sees
You STILL
This was all that Delhormie was able to
say. And he thought himself almost
wicked in making an assertion that was so
opposed 10 his belief. But his mother had
used the same words TO him at the death of
his father and they had consoled him.
But ! want to see her. II | am Yery
very good, shall l not see her ,"
Yes, Mad, II you are good all your life,"
ami as he said it he heaved deep and hope
less sigh. OIL if he could believe that
heaven was the reward Of life of earthly
trials. But the faith Of his childhood had
vanished; at present he saw nothing but
emptiness, either on this side of the tomb or
beyond il.
The children stood mute and dismayed as
their father rrlapSed into 4 fit OF weeping
Then the little boy approached him, and
LAYING his hand upon his shoulder, said in a
low voice; Papa"
The night was falling and the poor little
ones were in an agony OF fear.
Then DeihOTmie rose deliberately and
SAID. in reSolute tone:
u must be hungry, my darlings?"
." e., and you toe, MaTstya SAYS so. The
co K has co.ne back, and dinner is ready"
10 eat. lie was going o refuse, when he
thought Of what she would say if she saw
HIM abandon the children the first day. Be
tore the relapse in which her life had gone
out, when she Lad thought her recovery
doubtful, had he not sworn to care for the
poor innOcents-sO dear so devoted TO her
and whom it cost her so much to leave?
And in that deluSiVe passage from sleep to
death she had passed away without a bene-
dictiOn and last farewell to her dear little
ones.
Yes, we viii 20 to dinner" he said TAX
ing them by the hand and going into the
other room, where the lamp was burning on
the Il bic and fire roaring IN the stove. On
a small tIble in the corner lay piece OF I'M
finished sewing, as if the dead enc should
return to complete It.
Mad repeated the blessing in low voice,
and then all were silent
How sad are these first meals without the
good angel OF the family. Every one seems
to hear rusting OF cloth or some other
sound Which atlests the presence of the
departed. 1t is in vain that one attempts TO
dlspel the agoniZing silence; the trouble
spme guest and obstinate companion re-
Turns and seats himself in the midst again
Besides, into what discourse can one enter
that Is not still more painfully sad than this
silence?
Usually after dinner their father over
looked picture books with the children, or
their mother told stories until bed time.
But to-day they knew Of no Way in which
to occupy the eyening-and they felt alone
abandoned as II lost in a desert, or in the
snow. But when the soul of the fireside
vent out It Teincarnatrd Itself in the young
girl who was left. and raised her by instinct
10 the role Of little mother aud watchful
hOuSekeeper.
MAIDS blue eyes showed that n world of
thoughts were running through her fair lit
tie head-nOw they were clear, now dark,
now saadowy. 1t was as though a proyiden-
tlai intuition had revealed to her what is
usually learned only through years of expo
rience.
Papa" she said. 4 am going to light
your lamp for you to WRITE" which was no
sooner said than done; and IN a few mo-
ments she returned.
Now, papa, our study is light and warm
and you can come, ana he allowed her to
lead him there resignedy, and as matter
of course.
Then, when he was seated, she said:
Now, papa, tell us about the time when
you were little bOy-and about grandma,
too. l am gong to sit on one knee and Ben
on the other"
And thus she unCOnsciously forged the
chains which were TO rcattach him TO life.
lie took them in his lap. Ben had entered
INTO the thought Of his sister, and did his
best to second her
1T was then that you climbed up the great
palm tree, wasn't it, papa?"
and grandma was So frightened?"
And you acted like a monkey?'
And cracked cOcOauuis?"
And the negro who always carried you
when you were little?'
oh, yes, the negro whom you struck two
or three times?"
And then you kissed her as many times
as you struck her to be forgiven, didn't
yOu?"
thus they chartered on like two iackdaws.
without even waiting for an answer, and the
childish rambling distracted the thoughts of
the pour father from his sorrow. Martha now
hali-opened the door to announce that it was
time Tor them to go to bed.
w hen We are in bed you will come to hear
call again."
Very well, Mad, will come"
ne regretted the promise as soon as it was
made. But he went, and went after the
short prayer, in which their mothers name
was interviewer, they held him tight in their
young arms, he was wholly overpowered.
lie realized that all suicidal thoughts were
now passed by forever.
While he remained in the rom, ha+roon
the Two small twin beds Mad annearad co
rene and happy, but when he left She hmried
her head in the pillow and cried bitterlv
Suddenly she felt two great paws upon the
eoverlet and warm breath upon her cheek
She threw her arms around the neck of the
good dog, and drew him toward her, where
he curled himself up and wept to sleep. So
hcilous for his sister Ben awoke during the
night, turned over and peeped out to see that
she was comfortable. In reaching across his
hands touched 4 warm, sleek coat and a
great tongue licked him.
oh, you are there, Baby?" he said in n
low voice. Little Mad was well guarded.
ana ne went to sleep again.
Delhormie himself was stretched ont on n
sola, ms clothes still on. He had not dared
TO retire In his own room, where. near his
own, was that other vacant bed
% when Mad entered the room In the
morning to awaken him She saw tho, he
had not slept there. nv
Martha" she said with delicate Intui-
uon, we must move papa's bed to a room
on the other side" The servant looked at
the cnIld WIN establishment, but obeyed her
as If she had been the real mistress of the
honse, anu the bed was moved while Del
Eormle was out of doors attending to his
duties. ~
rms was tne last snow OF the winter. 1t
melted rapidly at the first breath of spring.
The Urlatoapa and the Dostana, the Pra-
hoVa and the Pelesh were still swollen, vel
Tow, tumultuous and foaming. washing up
the roads and depositing the floating wood
upon the thanksgiving bare the roads and
covering the fields around with their alIuvia.
The sound of the great waters rose from
the valley to the heights of the chaIets.
WINTER was moving off with great hustle.
Inc spring marched in with radiant sun
After the snow-drops came the viola, or
eiamens, black hellebores, blue eentisns
.b9ttercups and lilac primroses The noun
LaIn anrmones shGne like silver IA thew
waved waved their eoroIas in the dew. The Young
Vi tne Drech trees glistened like little
mirrors IN their silver tufted frames The
lender foliage Of the early budded treas
formed strong contrast 10 the dried Ieayes