The Lamar register., 1892-05-07

.N5 which hunger
had accident
y ally driven
me, this story
isnot an invention, It actually occurred
as ! relate it-a little girl OF perhaps Z
years OF age was dying.
She was Il seems the child OF a
Partisan but "a Partisan who was
born and grew TO young womanhood
at Bocase.
One morning in Nav n carriage
stopped before the door OF Mother
Gerard. who now took care OF vine
yard but la her younger days
had been nurse for little chill
dren.
A young woman alighted from the
chrrinee followed by maid and a
little giri. delicate and feeble. but very
pretty nevertheless.
Mother Gerard" said the young
woman TO the peasant. "I have
brought my little girl TO you; she
need. country air and goats milk.
VIII you keep her for few months?"
The husband Of Mother Gerard
made an impatient movement, but be-
fore he could speak the young woman
said, Il will pay you a thousand
francs"
"a thousand francs" said the man;
''shc Is very sick, and the doctor will
have 20 be paid"
Doctor or no doctor, said Mother
Gerard brusqucly. Il will take care of
your child, Mini; will care for her as
tcnderly as / did for you, my
nursing"
a -. 49,. q q.
Kiss me. little one" continued the
good woman, taking the child IN her
arms.
The little girl did not want to be
urse,l. but kissed her affectionately.
"lou viii pay in advance!" said
the man.
Here are the thousand francs; give
me receipt"
The young mother then brought
from the carriage the child's clothing
dHintily arranged in small trunk.
The maid brought a large paper
box. in which lay a beautiful doll that
could cay Mamma when one
pressed n spring.
The little girl had been perfectly
silent during this time, but the great
tears were rolling down her thin, white
cheeks.
When the mother noticed that the
child was crying she made an impa-
tient gesture, which sine quickly sup
pressed, but not before Mother Ger
ard saw it. The little girl also saw
her mothers displeasure. and stretch.
ed toward her the little, emaciated
hands
1t was touching appeal, n mute
cAress, n silent prayer. but Irresistible
e. i Il
away her head to conceal her tears.
The mother was greatly moved. and
taking the child in her arms kissed her
again and again.
My dear Mini, do not cry, do not
cry any more. | shall come back for
you very soon"
"Will you surely Gomez" said the
child between her sobs. and covering
her mother face with kisses; "surely,
surely" she added, clasping her little |
hands as she did when she said her |
prayers.
Mother Gerard looked sharply at |
her former foster child face who turn
ed her head away with n flushed face. |
''Will you really come back for her,
Ninif" she said in low tone.
Certainly"
'Do not be too long about it,"
Mother Gerard said significantly.
Truly. mamma, you Will return?"
surely, yes, but do not be impa..
tient. Good-by; take good care ot |
dolly. Listen how beautifully it says
mammal and the mother made the |
doll repeat many times its one word, |
mammal The child was silent.
''She will be your little girl, and you
will love her very much"
"Oh, yes" said the child with adeep |
sigh, almost a sob, and she pressed |
the doll to her heart. The doll MUIR
INJURED mamma"
She really loved the little inanlmate
thing that called her mamma! She |
spent hours in looking at 1T, IN rock
ing it, and in talking to it in a low
tone, at the same time crying for her
own mamma.
DO not fear, Nini''-she had named |
it for herself. ~ will never leave you, |
neverl am your own mamma, 90
YOU hear2 Your real mammal And
She pressed the spring and the dol re-
peated Mammal
Then Mini took it in her arms and |
hugged it tightly, as if she feared that |
some one would take 1t from her.
The consumption was slowly put
surely doing its deadly work; Her
eyes became more and more brilliant,
the bones OF her cheeks more and
more prominent. A little dry cough |
constantly shook the narrow, hollow
chest, and her voice became feebler
day by day. They wrote to her moth
er, but received no response -.
There is nothing, think, more pitt
full than to witness the slow fading
out of little life which nothing can
arrest, neither science, nor love. nor
prayers. This martyrdom OF infancy
fnfiicts upon those who must witness
it the keenest torture. -,
Mother Gerard had learned to love
tLis ooor x-icti,o of filial affection, for