Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-08-19
BILLY'S FRIENDS.

le'erlsn, uOctor says, IL 5 TO Do hepb Oh al
the time"
Mr.. Stallion, the fishmonger, looked
grave.
Il haven't a bit of ice on the premises.
It's ordered, but it won't be here till to.
morrow. Deari Dear! And to think as
the little gentleman's so bad!"
Mr.. Stallion was a stout, seafaring look
ing man, with a short brown beard. He
shook his head and looked really sorry.
whatever shall we dor" cried the par
lor maid. whatever shall we dof"
dol" echoed Mr.. Stallion. "Do! Why,
get some, to be sure. Ill go to Fareham
for it myself. Tell your lady she shall
have it in an hour"
Mr.. Stallion was one of Billy's friends.
The earl was another. The earl is young,
fresh colored and chubby, and somewhat
lacking in dignity, He is an NJ. F. H.
for all that, and Billy was wont to go with
him to the kennels, and knew all the old
hounds by name.
The earl and Billy held long converse
tions on the subject of poachers. Billy's
sympathies were apt to go with the poach-
ers, but that was the fault of the radical
curate.
AS for the curate, he and Billy were
dear friends. He would spend long sunny
afternoons bowling slows and twisters
and oyerhands to Billy, and he could sing
such charming songs!
One of Billy's peculiarities was that he
exacted songs from all his friends Then
he learned them himself and sang them in
his turn. The curate's f~avorito song was
"For It's My Delight on a Shiny Night"
1t was this song that caused Billy's predi-
lection for poachers.
The earl could sing too. OF his roper
tory the ~favorite was
She went and got married, that ard 'earted
girl,
And it was not to a wicount, and it was not
to a hearl.
Here Billy always interrupted, exclaim-
ing delightedly, "That's you, You know!'
and demanded the verse again.
There was one friend from whom Billy
exacted no songs. This was old Williams,
the gardener. He was a very good garden
or, but deaf. Billy vas tho only person
whom he could hear well. He really had
10 notion of singing, that gardener. So
he told Billy tales in broad Gloucester
shire instead, and Billy trotted after him,
assisting in all his horticultural opera
tions, and they loved zach other.
But the fever had got a hold upon Billy,
it was such a hot July.
At last a Sunday came when those who
loved him best feared that he could not
last through the day. At morning service
the ourate gave 1t out that "the prayers of
the congregation are desired for William
Wilmington Ingram" Then he paused
and with a ring of supplioation in his
voice which startled the listening people
said, "Little Billy Ingram, whom we love
who lies gr~ievously sick"
civilian Wilmington Ingram" had
fallen on inattentive ears, but the familiar
name struck home, and the congregation
prayed.
In the pause which followed the words
especially those for whom our prayers
are desired" the deaf gardeners voice
was heard to say, "Amen." But no one
smiled at him that Sunday.
The earl had no surplioe to take off, so
he reached Billy's house first. But the
curate caught him at the drive gate, for
the curate ran.
There was no sound in the house but
the voice of Billy's mother singing to HIM
over and over again the same old nursery
rhyme. His father came down to the earl
and the curate, and silently they followed
him up into the darkened nursery. Billy
smiled when he saw them. He could not
speak, he was SO tired. His mother knelt
at the head of the bed, singing tirelessly.
His father knelt down at the other side,
%devouring the thin, flushed little face with
loving, sorrowful eyes. The curate knelt
down at the foot of the bed, and the earl,
who made no attempt to wipe the tears
from off his ruddy cheeks, knelt by Il
chair. By the darkened window sat the
pretty hospital nurse in her white cap and
apron.
"Oh, do not come to Billy's housed" the
mothers voice went on. Then she sang
more softly, and suddenly there was 81
lence.
Billy had gone to sleep.
The drive gate clicked and a quick step
sounded on the gravel outside. 1t was the
doctor. He came hastily into the room
and, stepping softly over to Billy's moth
or, lifted her up and set her in u chair. He
took her place, laying hand on the child's
pulse and on his forehead. Then he said
in a whisper: Hell do. He's gone to
sleep"
The three men rose from their knees as
Billy's mother fell ON hers, with the first
tears she had shed in all that weary week.
They followed the doctor out Of the room
and crept down stairs into the hall. The
doctor pushed Billy's father into the din
ing room, saying: "You must give me
some luncheon. l want to see the little
chap again in go minutes or SO. What the
deuce was the matter with you all? Did
you think he was dead?"
II did" said the earl in an awestruck
whisper.
go away!" said the doctor testify. go
away, you long faced lunatios, and leave
us in peace!'
The two young men turned and went
into the drive, where they found Williams
waiting for news. The earl went up to
the old man and put his mouth to his ear,
saying loudly and with pauses between
words, "He-is better-he's asleep--the
doctor-says-he'Il do"
Williams blew his nose noisily in a large
red handkerchief. Then he said huskily:
"The Lard be praised, your lordship! The
Lard be praisedH'
Then the earl and Williams shook hands,
and the curate and Williams shook hands.
The two young men shut the gate softly
and went down the road.
Tho curate went to luncheon with the
earl. They had champagne, and the earl
grew frivolous, as his manner il. He has
not much dignity, and he and the curate
are old friends, for they were at Elton apd
"the house. together.
~ say, old chap said the earl conf
dentially, "you were jolly careful that the
Almighty should make no mistake this
morning"
The ourate leaned back In his chair and
with more than a "Reminiscences Of their
college tutor In his anne remarked, SIN
matters of Importance 1t is well to be
strictly accurate. London Outlook.
Deceptive.
Jaspey-A woman is no older than she