The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-01-28

Liza asked then.
"I-don't know, Lis" /" said Mrs. Liver
such, looking away.
"Cause, said Littla-iza, ''if | felt
mine a-comin', IL sort o fancy lid like
to be took up, and set on chair-and-
and die like other folk.
"But, Liza, when people are i'll they go
to bed Most of EN- dies there.
"Do they now =? -. Well, p'raps they
amt been there in their beds so long as
me. ;. lid like to be took up" She
began to idget with her shawl. ''Yer
see," she said hesitatingly, ''itld be awk-
ward if any one else was took i'll, now,
wouldn't it ~
Liza was not used to subterfuge. Some
thing like blush spread over the ashen
face
Liza said her mother, you heard
what Mrs. Hobbs was assayin'!''
Liza was silent.
''Did yer?'
Il sort-o fancied-shc said-you
might be wantin' this ere bed.
"Oh, Liza Mrs. Liversuch burst
into tears. ''To think as you should ha'
heerd Don't you go havin' them
thoughts. No, Liza l amt goin to
turn you of, not for nothin Oh, hope
1 amt been ard on yer Liza, there's
been so many to see to. And if you was
'elpless, you couldn't help it.
"No,' said Lit la-iza again, Il couldn't
'elp it"
"You amt been unhappy, Liza, ave
yer? Say you amt. I never see child
O. mine die afore. If We adn't fell on
bad times you might ave had things better.
Say you amt been unhappy, Liza"
Littla-iza turned her strange unchild-
like eyes on her mother. 1t seemed a
wonderful thing that any one could speak
to her in that tone 1t thrilled her with
hitherto unknown sensation. She put
out a claw-like hand and touched her
mothers cheek.
But she did not answer her question.
Something in her little throat prevented
any attempt at utterance. When she did
speak it was only to say softly
| efT Io,,oe vow
{" Liza" said her mother in a choked
voice, "don't you say no more about get
tin out O that bed. You amt fit. And
it Id lie on my mind if moved yer. On
that bed you stays comfortable for the
rest o yer days
"Well," said Litt'la-iza to herself, 81
must 'urry up and die. Praps the babyll
be crippley too Mrs. Hobbies said so.
couldn't abear that the baby'ld be Grip
pley. must urry up and die,
This thought having taken possession
of her mind occupied it to the exclusion
of all else. She laid the matter before her
Friend again and again, using the same
form so constantly that at last it became
an involuntary expression.
~ wouldn't be in an urry if it weren't
accuse of that 1t amt as l special wants
to die but please let me go afore the
baby comes, in case it should be crippley.
During the few days that followed her
talk with Mrs. Liversuch, the latter treated
her with an unusual kindness and consid-
Grafton, but it was evident that no care
could save Litt'la-iza now. She was
surely sinking. She refused food, and she
had become so very thin that it was pos
sible to count her bones So weak was
she, too, that she could hardly move in
bed. Her legs, of course, had always
been useless, but she had been able to sit
up and to employ her hands. She could
scarcely speak either. The shrill, unmusical
voice was only whisper. Fortunately dur
ing those hot summer days the children were
very little indoors, and Mrs. Liversuch
had commanded that they should sleep on
the floor, only Ben sharing poor I.itt'la-isa's
bed.
The child's mind shared with her body
in its failing power, but the dominant
thought was persistent. Often her lips
moved, though no sound issued from them.
'sPlease let me go afore the baby comes,
in case it should be crippley."
On the fourth day she seemed suddenly
to rally. She became more conscious of
what was going on around her. Mrs.
Hobbies, who had been summoned up stairs,
came and looked at her
"You'd best move this child, my dear,"
she said
"No," said Mrs. Liversuch firmly. II
amt goin' to, and forbids you to touch
her. Poor Litt'la-iza, let her die comfort
able, at any rate.
"I think you're behavin' foolish, said
Mrs. Hobbies, keeping her temper with dlf-
ficulty.
81 amt in state to quarrel about it,
said poor Mrs. Liversuch, "but what
ever comes to me, there she stays"
Litt'la-iza heard. They would not move
her. She opened her weary eyes They
rested for moment on her mothers white
suffering face. She understood,
There was only one thing to be done.
Could she do it?
81 amt died. she said to herself, "and
p'raps the baby'll be crippley."
She closed her eyes again. The perspi-
ration broke out on her face. She clenched
her little hands. From the bed to the
srro,,nd was about txro faet