The record-union., 1895-07-06

waxen cheeks pinched up blue under the
| cheek bones. Her eyes was almost lnhu-
man in the terror that they held. sat
across the aisle from the group and
watched. 1 could not help further than
had In any way. There seemed nothing
more that could be done.
The unabating heat was like the very
core of a furnace. Everything was hor-
rlble, even the mirage that followed my
eyes along the horizon when | turned
away from the pain across the aisle.
once the mirage came very close-a clear
olue lake that billowed and Tapped and
| glittered, then on a sudden was filled
with vivid green sea monsters, with huge
neshy arms. that quivered and swan IN
horrld life and color. Then the spell was
In some way broken, the lake flashed
Into the air in shreds OF silver, and there
stood near by hundreds OF giant cactl
| stretching their abominable green limbs
| from the tops Of straight brown stalks.
My gaze came back to the car-the doc
tor still held the boy. the mother still
| gazed as though she would by very hyp-
notism compel the child to betterment.
But the baby had ceased to cry at all. and
its hands lay relaxed against its breast,
and its face was settling into deep worn
lines.
1t was o'clock and alter when we be-
gan to feel the first relief from the noun
tains. A cooler breath strayed into the
|
scenting deer's.
Doctor, it is getting cooler. 1t will
make him better, won't lt?"
'Perhaps," he answered.
But moment later he caught my eye. l
understood, rose, and crossing to her
side L said to the mother:
ut is nearly 5. Shall we not go and
pack your things in the other carp"
She heaitated, but the doctor nodded
Ills fever has gone down ever so
much. hasn't it, dOCtor?" she querled,
laying her hand on the baby's head.
y es, he has next 10 no fever noW."
She breathed quickly. raised her eyes
a moment and then hurried towards the
door. l waited at look from the doc
tor. He said:
Keep her away from here until she
gets to her husband if you can. This
| child will Gle, probably, in cOnvulsions,
in less than half an hour. Prepare her a
little if you can. but don't let her come
in here. or she'll die too"
| followed the little woman into the
| other car.
When we were in the midst of the pack
ing she suddenly paused and turned to-
wards me.
"Do 1 look very Dad-I mean very
sad?" she asked, then went on, as | hesi-
tated: Il must cheer up Tor JOes sake.
l don't want 10 make him sad for the first
|
way" and she tried to smile.
Her words gave me a clew to the solu
ton of tho difficulty of keeping her from
the other car. When we had everything
quite ready the porter had called mo
| javen' ana as she was starting for the
| door | SAID:
why don't you get off and meet your
husband first alone. and tell him after
wards about the baby's being sick? Do
not you think it would make him un-
| happy 10 see the boy sick the very first
! thlng?"
What l said was miserably weak. L
didn't half believe l was doing right
either, but the argument prevailed.
| "How thoughtful you are," she eX-
claimed, II will do that. He will think
| | have just lett the boy with the things
until ne can come to carry him for me-"
We were standing near the open door.
and she could see the mountains all
around, all rosy In the western sun. She
did not see the solitary row of squalid,
| battlement-i houses that faced the
| station across a dismal common.
/ Il shall like it here with Joe and the
baby" she said. baby is all right with
the doctor, don't you think SOP"
"E es," | choked.
II am glad you thought of my getting
out here" she went on, because 1 don't
want Joe to think even ior a minute that
! | came in the Pullman"
| Poor, pitiful, little, eager figure in the
stringy cashmere of rusty black, with
| the too heavy mass of bright hair slipped
| low on the small head, the thin, ungloved
| hands straining against the door cas-
| ing.
The train drew up to the platform and
stopped. she bent forward eagerly and
went outside, but DO one came to the
steps of the tourist" save the porter
with his stool. She stepped slowly down,
! then stopped and looked up and down
the platform.
| By the steps at the other end of the
"Medusa" stood tall, graceful, stylish
fellow conspicuous among a group of
friends by his excellent dress and bear
ing. She saw him and started forward,
then turned slowly a deep red and
stopped. l saw it all, and laid my hand
on her shoulder.
"Is that your husband?" 1 asked gen.
tly. She nodded.
Come; you are excited. / will go with
you.''
1t was little different from what I had
expected, though L hardly know how I
knew, AS we approached the man was
turning to go up the steps of the Pull
man. he glanced at us. but went on for
a moment, then turned and looked again,
and came swiftly towards us.
"Mamie!" he exclaimed. 'what does
| bulh Il0 klSSou uer, LD0u nGlO
| her back. 'Good heavens. Mamie, what
fright you look, and what the devil did
you come tourist for? You must have
been crazy, child"
lie put his arm round her, for she
looked at him strangely and stepped
| back. he went on:
'But L III mighty glad to see you Just
the same, little girl, and you'll look diff
ferent when I've got you something to
wear. ou must come and meet these
people,"
But, Joe, it was the debts L"
"Oh, debts be hanged. l am thinking
| OF appearances. Come"
But she could speak now, and she said:
Joe. the baby's sick in the Pullman,
with the DOCTOR"
''The baby's sick? My child! O girl!
L had almost forgotten him in you"
Then he took her arm and hurried her
to the car.
"What ails our boy?" he asked.
II had no money" The answer was
very bitter.
He rushed into the car and down the
aisle ahead of her, met the Doctors up
raised hand-the boy was dead.-Maude
L. Caldwell in New York Evening Post.
AN UNREALIZED DREAM.
he went fishing in the wildwood
In the dancing mountain brook
| W here he used to fish in childhood
| Il