Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-04-22
A Touching Incident.

From Mr. Balloons new book OF trav-
els. Equatorial America" published
recently. we quote the description Of
touching experience OF sea life
which occurred on the Pacific coast
Of South America:
An invalid girl OF Spanish birth,
who was perphapS sixteen years OF
age, very tenderly cared for by her
mother, was propped up daily ina re
clining seat upon deck. where she
might tud amusement in watching
the sea and distant shore, also inhal-
ing the saline tonic Of the atmosphere.
Poor child, How her large dark eyes,
palid lips, and painful respiration,
appealed 10 ones sympathy. Ii re-
quired no professional knowledge to
divine her approaching fate. She
wAS really in the last stages ot CON
sumption. and was on her way 10
popular sanitHrium near the coast,
hoping against reason that the change
might prove restorative and OF radi-
/ cq benefit. IL was pleasant 10 ob-
serve how promptly every one on
| board -trove TO add 10 her comfort
/ bv simple attentions and services,
/ and how the choicest bits from thr
| table were secured To tempt her ca
PRECIOUS appetite The grateful moth
/ erS eNes were often sutlusrd with
tears. carefully hidden from the gen
I tie invalid Her maternal heart was
| too full Tor the utterauce even ot
| thanks
one day small, weary sea bird,
/ newly out OF its nest, flew on board
/ OF our ship quite exhausted, and be-
/ ing easily secured. WAS given 10 the
/ young girl 10 pet. IL soon became
/ quite at home in her lap, eating small
| bread crumbs and httlr bits OF meat
/ from her fingers Confidence being
thus established between them, the
/ little half nrdged creature would not
/ willingly leave its new found hene-
/ factras~ l. seemed TO be "A providon-
/ lial occurrence, atTording conSldcra
/ bic diversion 10 the sick one. For
while. az least. she was accused from
/ the listl"ssnrss which is 80 very sisniil
cant in consumption. aud her whole
/ heart went ont 10 the couiiding little
waif IL was pretty sight to see the
bird nestle conientedly close TO her
bosom. the pale faced girl scarcely
less fragile than the little feaihrrr'
stranger she had adopted. No one
thought that Death was lowering 30
very near. yet the third night after
the bird flew on board the young girl
! Law i'm her shroud. with al ivory cruel
! fix. typical OF the Romsh faith In one
hand. aud the other resting upon the
bird she had befriend"d. which had
also brrathcd its last
Attempted consolation 10 "A freshly
/ bleeding heart Is almost always pre-
mature, and t'ere are few, very few,
human beings competent TO ofier II
eHectually under the best circum-
stances The sad-eyed mother listened
| to few welluneant words of this
character, but slowly shook her head
auL made no reply. Time could only
assuagp the keeuness Of her sorrow
By and by she spoke, with her eyes
still resting upon that pale. drad face.
where nothing but wonderful peace
and serenity was now expressed.
Have birds souls. do you Think
she asked, ia low. trembling voice.
Possibly" was the reply; but
why do yon ask
"Bccause, she continued. speaking
very slowly, that tiny creature aud
my darling died almost At the same
moment. aud IL 20, her spirit would
have company on It's way TO the good
God
The unconscious poetry Of the
thought. so quietly expressed by the
sorrowing mother, as she sht beside
the corpse with folded hands and
burning eyes. which could not find
the relief Of tears, was very touching.
The motor OF the biz ship throb-
bed on, the routine Of duty continued
unchanged. passengers ate, drank,
aud were merry, the sea birds wheeled
about us uttering their sharp, con
tentiUus cries, and we pressed for
ward through the opposing wind aud
tide, "a thought nothing had happen
ed Only mothers 10 wing heart was
broken. Only soul gone TO it, God.
Such sweet innocence must be wei
come IN heaven. But, all. the great
uv.tary Of IL ALI