The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-04

unoleasant things until they are forced
uison me- Only what troubles me. when
take broader view. that I cannot SEQ the
snotive Of IL all. this human game. There
1. 700 much suffering in 1t. too many peo-
I. vas then suggested that she ought to
b~'a Buddhist and she made laughing re-
rls: " Perhaps I am. without knowing
is. Buddha may have plasiarised my
then. with one Of those quick trans
formations usual with her. Mrs. Burnett
changed from thi, gay sally into intense
seriousness and spoke Of death.
II wish could make people know - I
do. for / have becn near IL twice. that
siaath In natural and pleasant process,
rot Q fearful thing. but only the easy
oesning Of . door which leads into an
either room"
did not venture TO inquire at the time
what she meant by having been near
death on two occasions. ! learned later
from an intimate friend Of hers that once
WAS when she lay unconscious for five
days from conclusion Of the brain, the re-
suIt Of . runaway accident in England:
she other time was when she
watched for eight months at the bed
ellie OF her dying boy. When I
heard that story l understood the depth
81 her womanly nature. Lionel died in
Paris about two years ago and up to the
sery last never knew that no WAS seri-
oasly Ill. His mother determined that
he should b spared that knowledge,
snd ~ his whole life had been happy
aud bright. no should his death be. Ills
illness vas long. developing from an at
sion. but long a. 1t Was and trying il
sss more than equalisd by the mothers
ss~yotion and courage. For 1t took cour-
s.e. rare courage, to cit beside that
handsome young fellow OF 10. and sec
tho warm color Of his face fade away,
and the hands grow thin. and the body
waste day BY day. and yet smile and DO
gay through 10 all and never let him
suspect anything was wrong. That Is
what Mrs. Burnett did during those eight
months. Her love made her capable Of
tiaytng part such rs no actress could
play, the part of a mother watching death
sirciinS her boy in its grasp and laughing
Al the grim spectre rs IL he were welcome
guest. No one will ever know the pa
sienec and ingenuity shown nv Mrs. Bur
nett during those weeks 80 long and ye, all
400 short TO keep L.onel's mind occupied,
tokcep him from worrying. from uistrust-
ing. She succeeded. though. and UP TO the
rnd the boy believed that he WAS merely
laid up with oothersomc case of grip"
and nothing more.
Weeks before his death Mrs. Burnett
u
s;he MAS determined not 10 break down
when IL came. but to smile at her son "a
she had done all along. From the begin
nine OF his illness until his death Lionel
never saw a tear in his mothers eyes. nor
cloud on her face, nor \ change in her
expression. She knows what shs sulfere<!
when alone. but her boy knew nothing-hs
was happy.
The doctors told Mrs. Burnett a lone
time in advance that the end would come
painIesssy. Lione! would pass away as in
sleep. IL VAS possible that. at the
very last be might have \ vague con
sciousness that he WAS dying, hut even
this tho mother wished 30 prevent
Days before she acted over the death
eceHs as IL must occur. preparing the
very words which she would say. and
training herself ~ say them calmly. II ali
happened rs she had anticipated Shs
played her part through without finch
ins. As be VAS diving Lionel raised hi,
. head with hslt-frigbtcaei look. which
MAS met BY bis mother 5 sgai.u
Does my boy ieel little sa.nte" shs
said, taking his hand. bona worry. /.
Will be all rssas in A tuosGeat.
Lionel smiled and dscd.
The SHOCK Of thai trial left Mrs Burnett
In dreadful state. she has qaita recov
cred from IL now physically and l., IN
deed. In the very heyaay III her visos D
body and mind Bat. as she expresses 4.
she feels ~ though size Was separated srou
sh- rest Of the weird by gulf wa1ch sA,
had passed and they had nc,.