Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-02-07
q yellow Qster.
BY IOTE

was Surging wildly, her whole heart
and soul were PROSTATE in one wild
prayer for help from the horrors that
were closing her in. There was no
idea of God in the prayer, however.
Humphrey, Humphrey, Humphrey?'
was the only thought that possessed
her, and tried to break aloud in sound
through her dry lips.
Then her mothers eyes closed again
and she murmured in her half sleep,
when she aroused herself after lew
minutes her gentle eyes were bright
and wild. She caught Ovens dimpled
fingers and put them into her mouth
and she set to bite them softly and
to kiss them with little ripples Of a
girls laughter, and her few wrinkles
smOothed themselves and the sweet
rosy color came again into the thin
cheeks, and she was careless, happy
young mother playing with her first
child.
Mr.. Warning had come softly into the
room some minutes before; he paused
and peered eagerly forward, and then
there leaped into his eyes binding
agony; he swayed, shivering, and drop
ped on his knees by the bed. But OF
this Gwen saw nothing.
As her mother kissed, and bit, and
mumbled over her hand, and half
sang little quaint snatches of baby
songs, and took her pretty fingers one
by one and told them with low sill
very laughs this little pig went to
market and the other stayed at home!
and broke out into a loud ripple as
''the little one cried queakr' her OWL
baby "'leapt in her womb" and the
scales fell from her eyes and her heart
melted within her, and the breast OF
| her dying mother was an open book
| to her; she could read all the love
| there and the remorse and the infinite
sorrow.
Ovens heart stopped and her breath
! refused to cOme-She would have dice
| then. Her soul lowered shuddering on
the threshold of life but her baby stir
red imperiouSly and pulled it back
| and then a torrent of tears came tt
her help and left her with soft mois
! eyes, a child by her mothers side.
Mother, oh, mother!' the infinite
tenderness in her voice smote into hel
heart and made Mr.. Warning rist
quickly and wait trembling with fea1
| and a great awe, mother, oh, my
darling -speak-touch me-Iove me
your child, Gwen-!'
Il will not let thee go unless thol
bless me-" The picture Involuntary
rose before Mr.. Warnings eyes as HI
murmured the words.
Speak to me once, mother-I know
| everything nOW-everything- yol
hear, darling?'
But the mother still kissed ant
| played with the trembling clingins
fingers, and sang her soft old songs
and her eyes looked up full of sunny
irresponsible happiness, and saw
things of which we have not though
in our philosophy.
Mother, oh my mother!'-but still
she baIbbled Oh, smiling.
Mr.. Warning came forward with bow
ed head, silent, in fearful reverence.
1t was not for him to speak or in
| terfere; the ground WhereOn he stood
was holy ground.
Mother, mother, mother!'
The babbling had now grown low
! and drOWsy, and Gwen had to benz
close to catch it, then, it ceased, an(
the mother lay very still. Gwen turned
| in terror and saw her father
Help, helpH' she cried, ''she mus
Speak-oh God, she muStr'
Her father took her hand, and bend
| ing softly he took her mothers, anG
t held the two in his, and one soft shiv
ering moan broke from him. tneT
father and daughter stood in the pal
! plating silence and waited breathless
| but the silence grew and spread like
a net around them, crushing hearts
and the breathing of the woman grew
| less and less and her face whittier anC
whittier then a strong cry rent the vel
of awful silence and Gwen fell for
ward as one dead on her mothers
! breast.