Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-12-28
BABY BETH.
r
A New Years story.

III
nc was New Years eve. Down stairs
the parlor was Baby Beth's Christ
as tree, just as 1t had been arranged
week ago-bisque doll, toys, glitter
q balls, marvellous sugar dogs and
ar and "elphunts," candy apples and
arts, pop corn, colored tapers just
acy to be righted-you know 1t all, 1t
rs Just what you had for your three
ar-old ~baby-and up stairs Baby
erth was dying. All week long, with
e ~ferceness of a tigress fighting for
IAr young, Margaret Thorne had
ught for her child's life. From the
e moment that the first hoarse cough
lote upon her ear and Beth had said,
Hama, 1t hurts me here when I toff,"
Ee had lost no time. All that doctors,
slrseS, servants, friends-cven mother
We ~itself-couid do, had been done,
Id now In her darkened chamber the
pther sat with her baby on her knees
Id waited. Towards night a change
i'd come. The harsh cough ceased,
e painting breath came more quietly.
didn't she seem eastern" she asked,
Id the doctor had answered briefly,
Mes." Then, after an interval OF wait
s, Wasn't her breathing less Ia
tredY' The doctor made no reply.
E.Doctor," piteously, don't you think
se is bettery
Or Lemoyne turned away. He had
acticed many years, and witnessed
any a scene like this, but to his kind
kart each was new.
my child" he said, "she will never
any b~etter-she is dying"
q was curious to see the effect upon
ferent temperaments of such a shock.
me receive 1t with cries and lamen-
lions; others with silent tears; some
Eth blanched faces and Tightening lips;
nile a few shut the teeth together
ID make no other sign. And under 1t
II is the mother heart and the same
ound, and who shall say that there
great grief, but here Is less?
margaret Thorne made no outcry,
ed no tear-she would have 'to-mor-
wv and all after life for tears" to-day
lie had-her baby. She bent w the
Hid and half stretched out her arms
9Th the impulse to take her and go
Emewhere - anywhere away from
gerybody. 1t was the instinct OF the
bounded animal. Then she fell into
ge monotonous swinging motion Of the
bees, familiar to mothers. patting her
EEtle one softly the while as IL she
erc putting her to sleep.
ut was heart-breaking. The women
whom the child was only a dear lit
lie baby who would be better of in
eaven," as the phrase goes. crept
Spout the room weeping softly with
ching hearts, while she to whom she
gas all of earth was dry-eyed. After a
Kfne Margaret looked up.
"Doctor," she asked. 'how longg
#'I can hardly tell" he answered,
kbut only a few hours at best, / think
MShe turned to the women.
"Send for her father" she said brief.
There was a slight stir of surprise
l%gnificant glances passed from one to
bother behind her bowed head. Then
hey went out TO do her bidding.
And do you ask why the father must
De SEN for? why husband and wife had
food alone on this long. long day. wher
~ all days they should have Learned
BON each other? / cannot tell.
&lly know that m year sgo to-day
an ~ungTiarded hour a word--bom
~ a throbbing brain OF a quiverinl
serve, or an aching tooth. perhaps
tad wounded a heart; that other words
and more stingiDg. had fol
}wed, that the imprisoned demons o1
misunderstanding and pride and obsti
lacy had been let loose; and that these
&xo who Lad vowed Ito love and t.
sherish" had stood and crially thrust
,ach other through until their hearts
tFere torn and bleeding.
N And the sun went down on a blasted
<bme. Aud q man tossed on a ~slecples:
zed that night, saying over and over
1hf l could only take 1t back" And
woman knelt in her lonely house and
Rbbbed, 20 God! o God! If I haG.n'i
hid 1T! And Memory wrWng her han ia
Md wept over them both and moaned
Mt wa5 Just a word-just n word--buI
hey can't get 1t back!'
"a
The message vas quickly sent and