Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-05-17

Whom he came again, he was told
that the child was very i'll and that
Eleanor could not see him. WheI, ne
left the house, he paced the streets for
hours. 'lf the child should die I" he
thoug mt IF the child should die =.
But If he should live,-oh, even if she
loves me, as l feel sure that she does. |
could not ask her to marry me. | could
never live with him, and she would
never allow him to be sent away from
her. Even if l did not see him the
mere thought that he was in the hons,
| would make me ILL" He shudde.ed
again. Il cannot help it. 1t would be
useless to fight against it. Yet,-if the
child should die but if he should live
had better get away. 1 cannot do my
work. cannot think of anything but
her from morning till night. ! will
take up with that offer that came to me
last week,-and leave America.
He heard the next day that the child
was worse, and that day or two
more must decide the matter. The
brief time was an eternity to him.
Poor Mrs. Langdon Wing had miscal-
culated in regard to these two brilliant
beings with whom she had hoped TO
decorate her assemblies during the sea-
son. They had no heart to go any
where after that meeting in the con-
servatory, and, save for formal card
leaving on her day at home, they never
went near her beautiful parlors again
all winter.
On the night when the crisis came in
the child's illness, it was Eleanor's
chosen task to watch with him from
seven o'clock until midnight. She was
distraught and unbalanced from the
long strain to which she had been sub
jected, and she had not slept soundly
for week. She felt herself oppressed
tonight with an irresistible drowsi-
ness. Several times she found herself
dropping off into unconscious, to be
reused by the feeble wall that she knew
SO well, and to tremble lest she should
fail to remember to give the medicine,
on which, the doctor had warned her,
her child's life might depend. Again
she felt herself going to sleep, and
again she rose with start to find that
she had almost passed another medicine
time. The child was half-awake. and |
she administered the dose. Then she sat
down upon the divan, where she was at |
tempting to hold herself erect, and
strange mood descended upon her. Her
thoughts dwelt upon George Dover.
She acknowledged to herself anew that
he was the only man whom she had
really loved, and she almost sobbed
aloud that she was to be second time
sundered from him. He must have
felt something of the old attraction for
me, that night when we met so
strangely at Mrs. Wings, she ereasoned,
"or else he would not have come so soon
to see e,--and it is plain to me that
cast sort of spell upon him, he
tries to shake it off. Since he has seen
my poor baby, perhaps he cannot love
me. could feel that every fibre of his
being revolted at the sight of my poor
darling. He could never marry the
mother Of such a child. 1t would
always stand like ghost between us
and he might be afraid that, if /
should bear other children, they might
be like Clarence. But if Clarence
should die to-night-suppose that his
miserable, painful little life should be
ended, suppose l should forget to give
the medicine-ohw she cried, ''oh
what am thinking I am a wretch!
am murderer ! God forgive me! Oh,
L have had horrible dream | did not
think these things while L was awake
had nightmare. oh, 1 hope 1 have
not slept over p She rushed to the
g1lded clock on the mantel, and thrust
back the masses of her hair which she
had unbound in her agitation; but it |
was minutes before her distended ewes
could read the hour in the dim light. |
No, it was only little past the time.
Her nervousness abated. She gave the
drops, and it seemed to her that the
child looked better. She sat down close |
beside him, where she could mark |
every change which passed over his
wasted face, and she was able to serve
out her allotted period without prema
turely calling up one of the tired nurses
Two days later, DIR. George Dover
again sought Eleanor's house He had |
come to his decision. "If the child is
worse, l will stay" he said to himself,
as he waited in the parlor to see Eleanor.
''If he is better, will CO."
Presently, weak and haggard, but
not more than he was,-she stood before
him. Her long vigil had revealed lines
and pallors in her face which he had
not suspected, but her eyes were bright
and brave.
He is better, DR.. Dover" she said
half-conscious that she was pushing
him away forever by her words. Il
am told now that, unless some new and
development occurs, my
boy may live rs long as l do, and be
my comfort and solace, as he is now"
There was, after all, half-note of
definance in her tone. Instinctively,
though she could not know what he
was thinking, she wished him to under
stand that she was for her child against
all the world
''That-that is good" he faltered
Then he paused. He thought that he
I q I