The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-09-04

III ben she feacueu tue Ola fence enc
stood upright on the top rail, ani
shading her oyesvith one band, looked
away over tho plowed fields.
There was no little blue shirt 70 DO
seen bending over tho potato billie.
only Andy's soareerow. staring dumbiy
back at her from tho corn rows.
1T looks like tho ghost Of i'm,
thought sary Ann, as she started on
across the fields. candy e. sho called,
as she noared tho middle Of the potato
field, and still no sight Of tho familiar
little figure.
"Andyl" then she listened for On
answer but only the "eaw-caw" Of
yenturesome crow, cireling over her
head, broke the stiffness
"He's over t'other side somoers.'
she unused as sue hurried on.
But she did not see him until she
came close upon nina limp little
heap in the middle of the long row,
his poor pinched cheek lying white
and still, against the dark earth, his
half-empty basket beside him.
ooh. Andy, Andy what's the mat
ter? Be you sick?" she cried, as she
fell upon her knees and drew the poor
little head upon her lap.
"He's a-sunstrokin' she cried, as
the pale lips parted and gasped for
breath. She lifted him in her arms
and carried him to the friendly shell
ter Of the Eastwood shrub.
Oh, how pitifully frnil the little
figure was She bathed his burning
face with the refreshing water, and
forced q few drops of it between his
closed teeth. Then as swift as the
wind she sped away over the field for
Uncle Jerry.
Together they carried him, limp
and unconscious to the house, and
laid him on Aunt Marthy's white bed
in the spare room. They placed cool,
soothing bandages to his head, and
famed him softly, until the blue eyes
opened, only to stare around the
room unconsciousIy, and close again.
They worked over him patiently
until Aunt Marthy came home with
the horse and buggy, then Uncle
Jerry drove back to town for the
doctor, and Aunt Marthy took his
place at the bedside. There we're
tears in her eyes as she bent over the
little figure, and laid her hand on the
white brow.
"Poor leetle fellerl" she murmured.
"We've been too hard on him. He's
plum tuckered out" And very ten
derby Aunt Marthy brought cloths
and batbed the dusty little body, doing
all that she could to bring him back
to life and consciousness.
Then the doctor came and admins
tered such remedies as he could; but
this was only the beginning of many
long days of suffering and anxiety.
Aunt Marthy grew very gentle in
these days. She went about the house
with subdued footsteps, speaking in a
low soft voice, quite unlike the harsh
fretful tones Of old She was even
kind and lenient towards Sary Ann,
who hung anxiously over Andy's bed,
watching for some sign of recovery f;
and when it came it was Aunt Marthy
who heaped the little sufferers room
with Injuries, who Invented such dainty
delicacies to tempt him back to life.
1t seemed to Andy that he opened
his eyes upon fairy land. The pretty
spare room, with a window opening
; out upon Aunt Martby's bed of pan.
sizes; and, yes, there was bowl OF
them on the stand beside his bed the
bright rag carpet, and muslin curtains,
draped cheerily back from the green
morning-glory vines outside.
He looked about him silently for a
long time, with evident enjoyment,
:, then he raised his great blue eyes t.
Aunt Marthy's in speechless graft
s tude.
d II didn't get the taters all drapped
+ did I, Aunt Marthy? Is it too late tx
y drap EN- now?" he questioned in tina
|, strange, weak, little voice of his.
y Don't you worry bout then
d taters, child, you dent have to dral