River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-07-21

| linen was all out on the line, drying
as fast as a steady breeze and fair sun
could manage; the ''coloreds'-that
distressful after-dribble of wash day IS
tiGe-were well on TO completion; the
tradesmen were less frequent, and,
surest sign Of ali, there were hints of
potato cake for tea. Even wash day
can find compensation in potato cake.
And the little mamie shall have a
wee brown cake all to himself"
crooned Mrs. Jameson, impartfng to
baby's dumpy body an affectionate
wriggle only known of mothers!
"Gi-gi!" The clustering eyes still
held the dazzle Of that sometime glory
they had caught.
I'm sure he is sickening for some
thing" said Mrs. Jameson; Il don't like
this flush on his poor little cheeks"
The child moved restlessly. His head
ached and there was hot sense of dis
comfort about his eyes All day he had
felt i'll, but not being able to correctly
sort out his little sensations he had re.
/ lapsed into that pathetic abstraction
/ which seems to be the refuge of baby
| hood under such circumstances. Then
had come the glittering coin-an incar-
/ nate thing of desire, giving point and
form to his distress; and now, amid the
/ feyerish restlessness that was growing
upon him, it still shone IN
/ determinately upon his IL gina
tion as the thing hoped for, the
/ dream goal, the resolution OF
4 his suffering. Child epitome oil
grown mankind, he little guessed his
i kinship with every woman that bore
babe, every poet that ever sang from
/ breaking heart, every weary worker
man and woman, that ever lived, and
! desired and struggled and seemed tc
/ lose; nay, he did not know that at the
4 portals of his tiny heart were beating
/ the strong wings of the Son of GOO
/ Himself
/ Presently the woeful wash subsidized
/ all the clothes were gathered in from
the drying, ready for the mangle; the
kitchen, freshly cleaned and sanded
became cheerful once again, and the
long looked for tea time arrived-po-
tato cakes and all.
But baby by now was i'll indeed, and
! he doctor had been sent for. 1t was
not very serious ailment, only one
of the timer tragedies Of babyhood
/ which mean q few days hectic checks
cough, a tired mothers sleepless
nights-little things, yet these little
things press sorely upon the heart.
"Gi-gi." Still the plaintive cry.
! 1t was a short time after this that
! Mrs Jameson, having occasion to go
once more to the small box of change
/ in the cupboard, brought out the very
half penny of the child's desire In the
Iamplight it shone like star. Baby
| had refused every other offering in.
tended to divert him; with motherly
craft Mrs. jameson made one other
/ venture.
See, baby" she said, holding up the
4 cleaning treasure, see, pretty hall
penny"
The child turned a slow, large eye
upon the brightness; lifting up his
hand he took it feebly; for moment
he seemed to wayer between desire
and WEAKNESS, then, with a petulant
gesture, he put it away from him.
"Na-na." he said
The evening drew on. The hurry
scurry Of wash day was over and the
household had sunk to rest, but
through tue long hush of night an anx-
ious mother sat watching over a rest
less child. The freight flicker halt
illumined the room, showing around
the cot wherein toSSed tho +ipv emf
ferer, a few scattered toys and pic
ture books, whilst in their midst, I'M
touched, un,alued, no longer desired
lay a pathetic little coin.-London
4 Weekly Sun.