The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-07-20

my father and mother shook hands
with the young couple, and the rest OF
the family came down from the piazza
to add their good wishes. The pro-
cession then, IN reversed order, pro-
ceeded to the house Of the brides
grandmother where the wedding sup.
per was to be served. Upon the pro-
misses OF Cary aud Nanny that we
should be kept out OF mischief, and
sent back before ten o'clock, the happy
candle-bearers we're allowed to follow.
At first, | was placed on q little stool
by the side Of the aged hostess, but
Cary soon lifted me to u seat beside
my brother on the top Of o large cup
board in one corner OF the room, from
which coign Of vantage we could enjoy
the games which were substituted for
dancing, In Difference to the wishes of
the bride and certainly neither these
nor the good cheer that followed we're
more highly appreciated by any Other
guests.
Time passed on, and another harvest
had come, when, on my return from a
visit, Nanny told me with u smile,
as she was taking oil my bonnet that,
Edmund wanted to speak to me on the
piazza, where he was waiting to see
my iuVhSls L uduuSu Iue ~ lluUle
basket, as he said with a face wreathed
in smiles ::
Here's some patritch aigs | foun'
fur you, little missis, an Milly say you
must come down dar and see de little
maid she got fur YOU"
Milly's baby A rail little atom of
humanity, but almost as interesting in
my eyes as in those of her proud and
happy young mother.
When Miliy said, 81 dun give her
to you, an you must be mighty good to
her." | felt that q solemn compact had
been entered into.
My daily visits, my unsuitable gifts,
and my eager admiration, we're a
source Of general amusement.
My interest had not tagged, when
some six weeks later my grandmother
took me homo with her for u fort
nights visit. When the carriage
came for me, with my nurse and
younger sister, Nanny did not answer
my questions about the baby. noticed
too, that she not only checked my
little sister more than once when she
wished to tell me something, but that
when my grandmother talked with
her about something in my mothers
letter, they evidently took care that [
should not hear. | felt that all was
not right.
l was not long to be left in ignorance,
for the carriage WAS hardly in motion,
and Nanny was still busy in arrang-
ing the various packages entrusted to
her by my grandmother, when the
child, with the more e%ageruess for her
previous repression exclaimed
"Milly kill her caby !"
1t was useless to stop her now, and
Nanny was frightened at the violence
Of my feeling. | fell against her,
speechless with horror, and, when |
recovered my voice, screamed:
She didn't She didn't :" Milly,
my good Milly, a murdercss My
very soul wa sick at the thought,
MammJ took me in her arm, as she
had done in my infancy, and soothing
me with loving words, made me un.
derstand at last that though Milly had
undoubtedly caused her baby's death,
1t was an accident, and that | must try
to comfort her.
She u taken her baby into her bed
intending to put it back into the cradle
after nursing it, but had fallen asleep,
and thrown her arm over the little
face, and SO a stilled it's breath for
ever.
When, an hour later, softly entered
the room, which had been so interest.
ing to me in the past weeks, | almost
shrank back. In the centre OF the
room stood the little cradle, covered
with a white sheet, and prone on the
floor beside it, her face buried in hcl
arms, was Milly while beside her sal
my mother, repeating in a | broken voice
those blessed utteranCes which had
comforted her heart in her own be
reavements. AJthe slight n Use of my
| nnf,.o MAO AIillu n,iaAl lN. -. --l
seeing me, sprang to her feet. Hel
face was Of an ashen hue, but her eyes
were bright and fearless. | fel. afraid
of her. Before my mother could stol
her, she snatched the covering from
the cradle, and cried out "YOu come
to see yo' little maid again but | dur
kill her
had promised nanny to be quiet,
but at the sight of the little form,
rigid in death, ] burst into a passion
OF weeping. In another moment, the
unhappy mother bad fallen on her
knees and, clasping me in her arms,
rocked to and fro with means of tear
less agony that haunted me for many
a year.
Late that evening she stood, sup
ported by her husband and mother, a,
the head of the little grave, but at the
first sound Of the earth falling on the
coffin, she sank senseless into their
arms. A few hours later, the doctor
announced that she had brain fever,
and only a week had elapsed when she
was aiC in a grave beside that Of her
babe. AS ! sat between my parents in
the twilight Of that evening, my father
repeated some Of the views OF the
doctor as to her case, but my mother
turned her face upon my head as Il lay
upon her shoulder and said, with
emotion: "She died of u broken heart
If v there was one"