St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-06-06

| morning he SAID ne felt too bad to get
up, and asked me to see about his COW.
and especially the calf.
] grumbled o good deal, and went
and told grandma that Jack was too lazy
TO get up. She went to see about him
and she said he had fever. / went out
and attended to the COW, expecting to
/ find him up when I returned, but lie
was still tossing about in bed, and he
began to talk foolish.
I scolded him aboutit and told grand.
na. She looked very grave when shs
| went in and felt of his face, and she
went and told one of the boys to go
| after the doctor.
Then / began to get uneasy. The
place seemed 50 lonely and never
| missed anyone SO much in my life.
The cat dozcd ON the hearth in peace
and the house was SO quiet and still.
The old doctor drove up to the gate in
his sulky and took out his little leather
saddle-bags and walked into the room
where Jack was.
| watched him anxiously and when
he took grandma aside and talked low
to her just caught the word .'pneu-
monla," 1t was unfamiliar to me, and
/ felt a premonition of coming sorrow,
All day long hung about the door
and late in the evening they told me
that / would have to sleep in another
room. I went in to see Jack, and he was
tossing about, muttering something
about his cow.
II fed her, Jack, and l threw down
some straw for her to sleep on,. said
He looked at me, but he did not seem
to understand. His eyes were so bright
and his cheeks were SO red that didn't
know what to make of it. That night
Icould not go to sleep and kept staring
at the ceiling, thinking, thinking.
thinking.
AT last l got up softly and stole into
his room. The candle was burning
low and grandma and grandpa were
sitting by the fire. jack was lying still,
with his eyes half open and he was
breathing hard.
"Is he any better?'' asked, with a
great lump in my throat
mo, my son, he is mighty sick. Go
back to bed now"
/ went back to my. room and / got
down on my knees. I never will for.
get that night. I prayed; prayed as
never prayed before, as I have never
prayed since. The words were broken
with sebs.
Oh, the anguish of those dark hours,
sxycJI1G ord
stop and wonder if the good Lord
heard me. Perhaps He was too busy at
the time. and would ask Him again in
my childish simplicity, hoping that |
might attract His attention.
A way long towards day fell asieep
and the sun was shining when I awoke,
shining in the cloudless heavens, and
the day was real mild.
went into the room where the sick
boy lay, and saw that there was j
change. His face was pale and his eyes
sunlken, and his breath came in gasps.
gulped down a sob as looked at that
shaggy head, and thought how often
Such n day as this we would be out
about the lot. and you could hear his
whistle as merry as moeking bird in
May.
And now
The candlestick with the half-burned
candle, three medicine bottles on the
mantel; the cup and the spoon and all
the sad reminders of sickness and suf,
ferfng. Aunt Ailsie walking softly
about the room, keeping watch while
the old folks got little sleep.
rs he any better?"
NO chile, he amt no better, honey.
De doctah say eff dey ain some change
po' little Jack won't be heah long.
I couldn't bear it. The good old
nanny came and put her withered
arms around me and kissed me and told
me not to cry. / went out to the lot
and Pepper Joe was giving the COW
some nubbins, and the calf was skip
ping c1umsily around. The sight Of
them set me to crying again, and I
turned away. All, the dismal day
Better the clouds and the dreary rain
with Jack well, than floods of sun
shine and he so sick. Late in the aft
ernoon grandma called me.
Come in here, son, Jack wants 10
see you"
went into the room. The lingering
rays of the wintry sun struggled in
through the windows and fell ON tIfe
snowy eounterpane.
His face was ashen pale, and his eyes
were no longer restless. He looked at
me and a faint smile played about the
pinched features. II was like the dy-
ing light of the wintry day.
He motioned me to come closer, and
found that his voice was SO weak that
he could but speak in whispers. The
old doctor sat with his hand on the
little wrist, and the family were gath
cred around the bed.
Then the fountains of my heart were
broken up and I gave way to my grief.
II want you to hare all my things
Good-by," he whispered, and then they
took me away.
As Lay sobbing and incoming in my
room, heard cry from Aunt Ailsie:
a0h, God bless my po' chile. Dey's
one mo- angel done gone to gloryt"
Now, have told you the story.
cannot. even unto this day, dwell 1
further on the sad theme. But it is
mystery to me why people should keep
on harping about good boys and bad
boys when / know just as well as am
sitting here that my boy comrade has
gone to a better world than this.
hnl IeoI..n4 no sr. {, 9, ,n,1,xI oI z-.s