The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1894-06-05

worn.
Papa is not hungry, said she. He
is somewhat tired and suffers with
rheumatism, but it is nothing. In
three or four days he will be over it.
You nay go and kiss him in little
while
MY heart was very heavy. / ate
little, and l looked sideways at my
poor mother, fearing to read my con-
domination in her eyes. No blame
appeared upon her face, but she had
no appetite either, and she seemed to
wait with impotence until little An
toine-that is my brother, the pres
ident--had finished his prunes and
his nuts AS soon as the napkins were
folded she went up stairs to see if ev.
erything was in order in the room.
Then from the landing at the top of
the stairs she called to us, Come up
and bid your papa good night.
II arrived first of all, thanks to my
long legs. My father was stretched
out on his back, with three pillows
under his head, but he did not seem
tosuffer very much. 1 kissed him,
lIoi,iing back my tears with difficulty,
aA1 whispered in his ear:
Dear father, swear to me that /
am not bad son.
Albert, answered he, you are
good boy, and love you with all my
heart That is all that 1 have to say
to you
1.-The little ones came running aft
er me and began to Chamber upon his
bed, as they often did in the morning
in their long nightdresses.
Take care cried he. I have a
little rheumatism today
IT alone could not believe in this
sudden attack of disease which he
had never had before. I leave you
to imagine whether that night APP
peared to me to be long. 1t was nm
possible to close my eyes without see
ing my poor fathers leg pierced all
over with shot and 80 swollen that
the doctor had to cut the trousers to
bare 1t. But was not at the end of
my troubles. The following Is days
were almost uncomfortable.
Zone morning between II and 10
l looked through the window and
saw our excellent physician, fol-
lowed by three gentlemen. They
were middle aged men and wore
the red ribbon of the cross Of
the Legion of Honor. They went
straight up to my fathers room,
and after visit which lasted about
a quarter of an hour they came down
to the parlor to consult together. I
felt not the slightest scruple about
listening at the door, for it was q
question not only of the repose of my
conscience, but also of our dearest in
terests. The little that l could seize
by fits and starts made my hair stand
up on my head. There was a grain
of shot-shot from my gun-in the
joint of my fathers knee. They spoke
of phlegmon, of phlebolite, and these
words, which / heard for the first
time, became engraved in my mem
DRY as upon steel plate.
1.-The learned practitioners agreed
upon the gravity of the case and up
on the urgency of an operation, but
none of them wanted to run the risk
of performing it. The responsibility
was too great, and success a matter
of too much uncertainty. They fear
ed that the patient, exhausted by two
weeks of suffering, would succumb
under the operation. A gruff voice
repeated three or four times, 'Iwould
prefer to extract 10 ammunition bull
let's.
OR Mangin alone insisted, adding
that he would guarantee the physical
and mental vigor OF his patient. He
became so animated that he said to
them: i shall go and get NJ Sedillot.
He will be more courageous than you
ate.'
"After that I heard nothing more
but the tumult of confused voices.
''Our physician did not come back
that day, and concluded that he had
gone to get the great surgeon from
Strasburg. This seemed more likely
still when the next morning at 6
o'clock my mother had us dressed
and conducted us to my fathers
room. He kissed us all with unwont-
ed solemnity. Then my mother put
us all into a rockaway, recommend
ing the little ones tony care.
My child, said she to me, your
uncle from Hochfeld expects you for
the fete which is to begin in three
days. Do not feel anxious about your
fathers health. From this day he
will be better and better
'"The dear woman deceived me
through pity, as my father himself
had deceived me. The operation had
been decided upon; it was imminent,
since they sent us away. No more
doubt, thought 1. 1T is for today.
My place is at the house. shall go
back there went away therefore
from Hochfeld on foot, without tax
ing leave of anybody, and in less