Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-06-21

II = her mother love. with co.,.
,ns snx,efy she watches the Ode, =
s.' Earrings die a slow dealt, a scu,v.
~ isuf is sufferings are ended -.
,no,hers heart is breaking with aoo ~,
ana more feryently thar ~. 10y =.
s'asps ner remaining child 10 her NJ
No more terrible days have passe,,
ever 'heir heads, they begin to feei ~
penetrating cold as well az the ona,.;-s
munger forthe human body needs fe~,d
'or ''s inward fuel to generate ~
,''''essary natural warmth. Everythino
',as been consumed except the lad ra;r
deer, which provides the infant w;,h
In''k. The parents shrink from killing
Tue animal and thus deprive their dali,
cate child Of this one source of nou-;sh
menf which nothing can replace
NO, they would rather die
And what Is then to become ~ q.
l'tt'e helpless ereaturea Is there No
way out OF this labyrinth Of misery2
Ihey decide to postpone the k;II;no
OF the last reindeer as long as poss;ble
ana ior a short time will share the food
OF the animal, the moss.
with ieaden heaviness the bours
drag YEARLY by. Esther almost faint
with hunger Suddenly the child
awskens. It was hungry when she
rocked 1t to sleep and now demands its
1000 with infant vehemency. The fee
pie cry OF her baby arouses Esther
rom her stupor. She springs to her
ieef, selzes the knife and places it in
her husbands outstretched hand
Our child, Ahasverl Save our
child!"
Answers apathy instantly dispersed;
ne must feed his furnishing child. and
ne hurries into the adjoining space. A
dull thud, gurgling sound, and it is
done. After they have fed their child
on the warm blood of the reindeer
these two starving people still their
own hunger.
Days pass by-perhaps weeks-for
these two have ceased to measure time
The portions of food become smaller,
the child grows weaker, for the meat
diet is not good for it, and the hope Of
salvation from this misery has fed.
The infant. with its tiny. shrunkeu
body and wizened face, lies dead in its
mothers arms The cry of anguish
breaks from her lips at this last, cruel
lash OF fate. No tear of grief falls from
her burning eyes. Ahasver and Esther
have watched the inevitable draw near
with silent resignation, and their hearts
are filled with but one desire of being
reunited soon with their loved ones.
They are calm and composed now, and
submissive to the will of the Almighty.
without uttering complaint they d.
vide the last morseI of the reindeer
meat.
Days have passed since they have
eaten the last bite Everything has
been consumed; there is nothing left.
They hold each other in one last en-
brace-death fingers in their faces.
The quiet of the tomb reigns within
Each hears the others heart beating
family. The flame of the gas is dying
away. Esther is too weak to replen-
ish the material, and she does not want
to be separated for even the brief space
of moment from her husbands loyal
breast.
Profound darkness envelops every
thing.
| There, oh, wonder. suddenly a ray
of light Eliminates the hut. The ray
steals softly through the roof. 1t is
the magnetic polar light Answer and
| Esther, almost removed from this
world. show no surprise. Heavenly
joy fills their souls, and more firmly
than before they clasp each other, for
death cannot part them. 1t grows
brighter before their eyes; mild, warm
breezes sweep softly around them
heavenly melodies fall on their ears,
and before the enraptured gaze is
spread world of whose wonders they
have never dreamed.
Arrayed in garments of softest light
and wandering under glorious palms
/ their children come toward them and
nestle against their hearts. And hold
ing their darlings to their breasts they
are carried upward as if on angels
wings to a life of heavenly bliss
The snow is drilling on increasingly,
All life on the globe is dead and it
will never be renewed The earth, nc