Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-12-14
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4 LULLABY.
From ,l,s CHICAGO Inter-ocsdn.

FROM tic JNIcdgp IflIeF-OCeuN.
Every one seemed to know that the
baby was i'll. Baby was winsome lit
tie creature, and she hal made many
friends as she had toddled along the
street at the side of her mother or her
nurse, and now these friends came to
the door to inquire about her.
There we're all sorts of people. From
the stately old iudge, who had scraped
su acquaint nee with the little maid
over the front gate, to the small news
boy, who liked always to deliver the
paper into her plump little hand.
They we're a motley crowd-Bsby's
devoted admirers-who came on tiptoe
around to the back door, stepping
softly upon the straw strewn sidewalk
and going away with bowed heads
wien the servant told them that the
child was orse. For she grew stesd-
lily worse from day to day, and tn re
was no hope, the doctors said, that she
would ever he any better.
A first she had noticed the flowers
that cid lack Sam had sent, and she
would stretch out her hands for them,
or for the Oh snge which little Jennie
had brought for her, but afterward
she sank into stupor, tossing rest
lrssly at times aud making a pitiful
little wal ing sound.
The great room was hushed and
laI kened. The little white crib stood
ia the centre, and beside 1t dosed the
Nurse, worn from hours of watching.
he only sounds which broke the paiu-
ful stiffness were Baby's irregular
breathing aud the quick, nervous tick
ing OF tiny gold watch which lay be-
side the medicines upon the table.
Occasionally a clilker or a bit of
coal would drop through the bars CT
the CRATE an fall with tinkle into the
iron ash pan below, then Baby would
start up suddenly as if In frig t.
The mother, p lie and hollow eyed,
Enelt reside the crib, watching each
movement of the little sufferer. Baby's
iurk eyes we're opened wide, but there
was no recognition IN their gaze only
a vacant stare. She lay quite still for
some time, then the little head, with
IT'S ma tel mass OF tangled curls, began
! to roll T ON side to side upon the pill
low, and she uttered her queer little
rrv ofpaln. II was hardly human cry
1t all. It was like the moaning of some
| lumb animal, and euch sound cut the
mothers heart like knife.stab
The woman bowed her head in her
hands and culver ran through her
| frame. Then the strange cry rang out
| louder than before. and, ss with sud-
len inspiration, she began the lul-
laby that Baby loved so we'll:
Sleep, Baby, sleep,
| Thy faith, witches his sheep
she 5altered in low, trembling voice:
Thy mother ia Shaking
| The dream-land tree,
And down fail tile dreams on thee
Sleep. Baby, sleep!
''Sl e-ep, Baby, sl-e-ep," she began,
| nut the words ended in a sob. One
can keep from weeping if one is silent,
but the voice opens the foodgates OF
| tears, aud the woman had not wept be-
| fore.
Was it her fancy that Baby seemed
/ a lite Quietel? She could not trust
| her voice again, but she went to tie
| open piano and with her fingers she
! drew forth the melody which her ach-
ing throat refused to make Softly
over and again she played the sweet
| little air, looking back over shoulder
at Baby all tue while Tue moaning
grew fainter and the curly head turned
less uneasily. The mothers fingers
| grew tired and stiff, still she played on
| and on while the nurse dozed in hel
! chair.
At last the nurses head nodded SC
abruptly that it seemed as through her
neck must have been broken, and she
woke will start.
She bent over the crib Baby was
sleeping naturally, and there were little
beads OF Precipitation on her white
| fore cad The nurse beckoned with
her finger for the mother to come
nearer, out the mothers trembling
limbs refusel to act, and size croucheC
with hands half raised as, # to ward oil
a blow. Don't tell me-" she taltered,
/ ot-bear-it-yet."
''But see" whispered the nurse, 'it
IS rot as you fear. The fever is broker
and your baby will live.
MARIE MOORE MARsa