Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-11-04


newly-born, and turned her eyes up
wards with a gesture afhorror and dis
may.
The gossips approached; one busted
herself about the young mother, the
others had turned to the child.
s'Merciful-!"
"Heaven save u.s."
"Hush!" uttered the dame, in an
authoritative whisper, Indicating the
bed and it's occupant by a sign.
A clear, calm voice spoke form the
bed, rational as any in the room.
'It is dead?" she said.
A faint cry seemed to answer the
mothers question.
"Bring me my baby
Dame Rullocks hesitated, as she
looked at the medical man.
He signed that she should comply.
The newly-made mother clasped it
in her arms turned her languid eyes
upon it's infant face, then uttering the
words
"My husbandP' q glance round told
her he was absent-she burst into
tears. The first she had shed since
that terrible night.
CHAPTER VII.
AFTER THE sTOkM.
She was saved to life, and from
worse than death; those blessed tears
seemed to lift from her heart the icy
numbness of despair, which had OPP
pressed it.
At first she took but little notice of
the new claimant on her love. In her
yet uncertain state they carefully
guarded from her knowledge the
strange visitation entailed upon the
hapless innocent; it was not difficult,
for the child was quiet to a miracle
sleepingfor hours at time, and, when
it woke, would lie with it's eyes wide
open, fixed on vacancy, but seldom
making any sign till some one came
to take it up.
"It beant natural-like for babe to
be so quiet at times, and that strange
look in its syes-"
Dame Rullocks shook her head.
"Poor lamb" she said softly, sit be
right enough, never fear-it be right
enough; it's just the weight of her
trouble like, poor soul; andno wonder,
is't, Kitty? the wonder be, think,
how she come thro' at all.
Many were the consultations, at.
tended by due head-shaking and con-
snming of snuff, held over the singular
Disagreement Of the child, by the doc
tor who had attended the other; and
brother medico, whose greater ex-
perience and allowed skill yet failed
to devise any remedy.
They had propped her in the bed
with pillows one afternoon, and the
curtains were drawn back from the
windows, that she might feel the
warmth Of the spring sunshine. which
was making everything bright and
glad without when she said
"Give me my baby. Please take off
that shawl; it makes her SO heavy for
me-"
The dame hesitated but for a mo-
ment. She saw the time was come;
longer concealment was impossible;
she was only glad they were alone.
With more of animation in her pale
face than she had yet displayed, the
young mother took her child in her
arms, and laid it tenderly before her;
the dame still left a corner Of the Gov
ering unremoved.
''Nelly, dearn' she began; but the
young woman had thrown the shawl
aside, and, as she did SO, uttered
cry
my baby, Oh, my child, my darling!
what have you done to it?"
NELLY, lass, she'll grow out of it;
doan't thee, my child, doan't theevex;
the doctor says
The mother heard her not. Clasp
ing the wrist of one hand tightly in the
fingers of the other, she sWayed to and
fro above her infant, and cried and
sobbed vehemently.
II know, | know" she said, in brok-
en- accents; ooh, baby dear! baby dear!
what shall I do for you-oh! what
shall I do?"
That evening she would part with
her child to none.
How shall we pretend to reason, or
say this or that is natural, or con-
trary to it? The very thing which
they had feared to shock her with,
studiously had concealed, lest, sudden
~ beheld, it might even unseat her
reason wholly, was to restore her
suddenly to action, toreconclle her to
life, endear to her the one whom that
very affliction would ALLEVIATE from
the regard Of others.
After breakfast Nelly announced her
intention ofgetting up, as decidedly as
though she anticipated the vehement
opposition which was Immediately
raised.
Dear heart, not for the world!''
cried the dame.
Unjust! I am quite strong1" was
the firm reply.
"Nellv, dear, better wait a bit,
suggested Meg.
s'IWouldn tor the world. help yon to
such thug, added the dame.
But Mrs Franklin was obstinate.
II have tried you all long enough, :
she said; Il am strong. and it's time |
went to my own place." She stopped
a moment-"And there's my child to
see to"
cat least, wait till the doctor comes;
he will look in to-day, he said SO, and
hear what he says" urged Meg. So
far, the invalid yielded but she would
not no rt with tho infant meanwhile