Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-08-12

now Gwen is five and Budsie is
seven. They're good children. Harry.
and your very owl"
The nurse came in and shifted the
shade of the lamp. Then. for the
hundredth time. the woman on the
bed asked if he had come or sent any
word to her. The nurse shook her
head
.'Let me fix your pillow, dear.
mo; it il quite easy.
She closed her eyes. Soon she was
breathing softly.
asleep again-that's good sign ="
The nurse arose to go and tell the
doctor, who was still behind the por-
there. As she did so. the white hand
stole under the pillow ana feebly
| grasped the photograph lying there.
The eyelids moved softly; then they
closed, and the soft breathing went
on.
/ Auntie Tilford put the children to
/ bed. Then she lay down on the cot
( by the side Of the sick woman. The
cot creaked little under her portly
form as she settled herself down.
Il won't go to sleep, she promises
] herself ..l'll jest rest bit and keep
one eye open. if she'd need anything"
But the poor old soul had not slept
for three nights, and it was not long
before she was doing Soon she
was in a profound slumber,
Harry was what she heard when
startled out of her sleep in the mid
die Of the night; Harry. you'll not
forget They're you've own.
The woman lay with the photo
graph held before her eyes. The
! light was strong enough for the
nurse to see that the picture was
shaking. But it shook only for
moment. Then the hands that held
it fell upon the breast.
Mrs. North. whispered the nurse
/ gently. Then she touched her hand
Mrs North-dear Mrs North! Ny
God, she's dead!'
Auntie Tilford went about with
! frightened face and guilty look The
first thing she did was to turn up the
light Then she Strengthened the
dead woman out. lowered the pillow
under her heal and crossed her
hands. still holding the photograph
4 over her breast Through the thin
! fingers looked out the face Of the
man with the pointed beard 1t was
4 just as handsome a. ever; the smile
I just as sslf-5atisfed; the eyes were
just as clear and forward-looking
The children finally awoks from
! their merciful sleep and were gently
made aware of their loss 1t was a
hard task, that of Auntie Tilford and
! Mrs. Buffers, to make them cease
their sobs. So they gave it up and
/ the two little ones. choking with
I grief. went out in the garden to pick
! flowers to lay on their mothers
/ breast.
I IF their good-for-nothing father
/ don't take care Of them, | will said
I Mrs. Buffers, whose mother. heart
( was sore at their tear-staineI faces.
All the children could find in the
flower garden were marguerites and
Gala lilies. They pulled these out
from among the tall mustard weeds
that choked the plants and vines
everywhere in the little Enclosure
''Mama said papa would come.
He'll come p'raps to-day" was Buds
one cheering thought, and ne com
municated it to Gwen over and over
again
Don't cry. Gwennie." he said,
bravely striving to keep back his own
tears. "Papa'll take US all to the
city, an you can go to the matinee
wiv him and go out to the park an
see the buffaloes, an the monkeys,
an the big deer wivout any horns"
'W'y don't he tum DEM" sobbed
Gwen. wy don't he tum?"
"Oh, it's business -sellin' things,
you know. He'll be here by-'n'-by,
an he'll bring you big new doll
baby !"
There was comfort in the words,
and the girl ceased crying. To the
boy, however, there was yet much
anxiety. Papa had been coming for
a long time, very long time, and he
never came
After they had placed the flowers
on the strangely quiet form, they
went out to the gate and watched the
carriages and work-teams go by. The
wind sighed through the tall gum
trees, and the waiting ones heard the
mournful sound with greater ear for
it. than ever before. The dry leaves
rustled along the ground and the
dust from the passing wheels aoated
over the fence and sifted down upon
the green alfalfa Everything seemed
misty to them. for their eyes were
swollen with grief They watched
patiently for the coming Of their
father, until Auntie Tilford called
them in to dinner They ate lightly
and hurriedly, and started again for
the gate. AS they reached the door
they saw carriage coming down the
road. In it was a tall, handsome
man with a pointed beard.
! Glad looks overspread the faces Of
the two watchers.
! Its papa--papa. coming to get
usn screamed Buds, his face whiten-