The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-29

situation as far as IL was able, with n
manly self-restraint hey ond his years.
The sick child had suffered so much
himself that he knew by instinct how
not to add to the suffering of another.
He did not cry out nor make fuss,
nor stnrtle the mangled woman with,
his grief. He only put his thin cheek
down close to hers and patted her two
or three times.
Poor mamma" he said, "dear NAM
ma; you got hurt, haven't you? Never
mind; Bulbs here. I'll take care of
you. Shall j get the quinine?" said
Bub, gulping down the tears. Receiv-
ing no answer but the groans of the
dying woman, the child said:
Perhaps you'd rather have the mus
tard plaster? i think l know where
the blue pills are" added Bub, they're
under the seat in the wagon some
where's" But power greater than
quinine and blue mass (the main con-
stituents of the boomers materia med
ica) defied the little nurse. His moth
er's gaunt, blue eyes ret rded him sol
emnly. Death looked out of them.
A woman's protest against the fate of
her motherless babes gathered like an
army in her nature and fought for
life.
"Poor Bub," she moaned, "my little,
little Bub! My sick boy! And oh, my
babyl Where's my baby? Where Is
Wee?"
'Here she Is, marm!" =
r. .Ial x.yith
tion as new to the desperate as the
baby's delicate kiss upon his coarse
cheeks, interrupted the piteous scene:
Grizzly Jim stood there, Jerry pant
ing behind him; Wee, the baby, cud .
died trustfully against his blood
stained heart.
"You!" cried sharp, young voice
suddenly. 1t was the girl with the yell
| low hair-the adventures, who hal
abandoned the choicest claim in Okla
| homa for another woman's sake. She
ylarced NJ Grizzly Jim with scorp. "r
| only went TO get water for her." sale
the girl in a matter-of-fact tone, re.
straining herself powerfully: II only
left her for minute. Here, you poor
thing! Drink, if you can. I'll hold
you. Come, my little lad" gently to
the crippled boy; ''let me helps I'm
stronger than you. won't hurt her.
She needs woman--a woman does,
when it comes to dying"
At this juncture the baby-girl began
to laugh and pat her pink hands, open
ing and shutting her little fingers rapid
ly with delight.
"Mummerl" cried Wee, "Mummeri
Dee mummer!"
Lord have mercy on mel" walled
the dying woman, "two of 'em babies
left in this awful place. Why, Ican't
die. won't diet"
Grizzly Jim advanced suddenly; he
removed the soiled sombrero from his
shaggy head; he sank upon one muddy
knee before poor Caddy.
| 'Marm," he said, ,bluntly."I shot at We |,
1 own to Z. / meant to hit another
woman. / missed my dog-goned aim
for the fust time in twenty year."
| A slight smile crossed the lips of the
| yellow-haired girl who held the dying
woman's head upon her broad. strong
| breast; but she didn't look up, nor
answer Grizzly Jim. After an instant's
silence she said in a low voice:
you've got the floor, you, sir. Keep
| il. Drive ahead. She won't hold out
many minutes"
"All I've got to say, marin, is this
here" pursued Jim unsteadily: "I've
done the mischief and I'll bide the con-
sequence. Yer horse an yer behby got
yer claim, an staked it fur 'em, an
| by Heaven above us, marin, I'll keep il
| an the young ones too" The anguish
of the dying woman's face wrenched
this great resolve from the depth oil
that news tumult in Jim's soul, which
we call repentance.
"Goody mani" gurgled Wee, going
over to him with lolling, curving mo.
ton like n kitten at play with light
string. "Goody man, div Wee drink
o-watah. Mummer! Dee, dee, mum
| merl"
The woman's stiffening lips set them.
selves into one word only:
"Pray-pray!"
Grizzly Jim looked at the strong girl!
The girl looked at Grizzly Jim.
| Ndu SuC luittItu. I've TOTROt-
zen how"
IL darsn't," he muttered. 81 dun
know how"
II do" said Bub, mamma taught
ne"
The boy folded his thin hands, grimy
with tears, and in shrilly quavering
voice began:
Now lay me down to sleep"
at this moment the baby laughed
outright, lurching over. In the ring
ing Of that little laugh, poor Caddy's
soul passed on. She smiled as she died
and so died most quietly.
The adventures covered the dead
matron's face; she did not speak. The
baby girl curled against Jim's breast
and put up her fingers and began to
play "Danbury Cross" on his cheek.
Jim bowed his barred head over Wee,
SO low that II was impossible to see his
eyes. Only Bub cried, and he made no
noise about IL, but walled i'm low mon