Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-04-02


the pine tree swaying over the lily
covered mound Lord, it's II O'clock"
she murmured; won't you let her
| come soOE?
One. two, three three times the
kitchen clock sounded. Was it posi-
bic that the sounds were only an hour
| apart?
-Four o'clock! o Lord, won't you
let her Gomez"
| After four o'clock hopeless feeling
! settled upon Mary Tyler. Her head
sank on her hands; she had no more
| tears 10 shed. jest fer Il minute,
Lord" she pleaded: ''I won't asst her
| fer always Jest let me kiss her good
| by. She didn't know 1 was her mother,
Lord, and she wouldn't kiss me good.
Ivy. Let me set and hold her while the
PEOPLE is singin' of the resurrection,
| and I'll believe"
Clear and peacefully the bell rang
| out. The people crowded up from the
village. She knew how the procession
| fled from the doors of the church. the
| minister leading. Yes, it was very beau
| tiful. They were in the graveyard, the
dawn was breaking in the east, men
| and women and children were singing.
Her prayer had not been answered.
The clock in the kitchen struck five.
Mrs. Tyler raised her head from her
| nerveless hands. She was going to look
at the church and that throng of
singers. She was going to call out her
| unbelief in loud voice. She was
going-Ah. what was it?
Crossing over the graveyard, coming
directly toward her cottage, was
little Hhite-robed figure.
The woman rose, trembling, from her
door of the bedroom and called:
| "Petei"
Pete, whose rest had been broken. ap-
peared in answer to the call.
pete, she's comm. 1 prayed al.
night, Pete. I asst the Lord to let me
Eev her fer a minute; knew it couldn't
be fer always
you've been drcamin'," said Pete.
Don't you hear the noise at the
door? Go and open it! It's our baby
come to give me good-by. Go and open
the door, Pete" But even as she spoke
she grasped his arm and held him back.
''Mary, you shouldn't be prayin' fer
sech things; it want meant. You've
went to sleep; you've been dreamin'."
Lord, believe in the resurrection"
murmured the woman, reverently.
Pete, don't you hear that"
Its nothin' but the dog"
Il prayed all night, and now you will
not even open the door. o Lord! dear
Lord! do believe in the resurrection"
Decidedly there was a noise at the
door; something was pushing against
it, Pete Tyler, repeating that it was
''nothin' but the dog advanced eau
tionsly and turned the knob. JEFF.
we amt a-gunno hev you in YER he
announced, cheerfully enough; and
then he uttered an exclamation, not of
delight, but of establishment and ter
ror; and little white-robed figure
came unbidden into the room.
She stood there, gazing about her as
though she did not see or understand.
The pretty yellow hair was ali about
the fair little face.
Lord, I believe in the resurrection"
murnured Mrs. Tyler, huskily.
1t was the man who never prayed for
the impossible, who went up to the
child, and, catching hold of the little
damp robe with his shaking fingers,
drew her to him. MARY" he said,
brokenly, you asst the Lord to let you
kiss her. She's come back fer her kiss"
But somehow the strange terror van
ished with the sense of touch; flesh and
blood were under Pete Tyler's fingers.
He reached across to the lamp and
turned the wick as high it would go.
Yes, Mary, you must kiss her and hold
herinyer arms jest for little" be said;
then he scrutinized the dinninutive EN-
bodied spirit closely and then he burst
into a nervous laugh. ''Teck yer hands
away from yer eyes, Mary, and quit
he ordered; Its Idly Wilson's baby,
and she's wanderin' in her sleep"
At this moment Idly Wilson's baby
awoke, perceived the unfamiliar sur
roundings and commenced screaming
in a thoroughly human manner.
''Git off them damp clothes and quiet
her." said Pete.
Half an hour later Idly Wilson's baby
was closing her big blue eyes right con-
tentedly as her small body grew more
and more accustomed to the pitch and
fling of Mrs. Tyler's favorite rocker.
''Mebbe we kin keep her; 1nebbe as
she was sent in place of the other one"
said Pete, anXiously.
"Mebbe we kin keep her? reckon
So" answered Mrs. Tyler, continuing
the rocking. ''Pete Tyler, wouldn't
eriya ber mn for oil ha ySiISo1s