Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-03-11

There was nothing FOR the men now
but to go on anu face her as best they
could They had the impulse to turn
and run, which the bravest, they say,
will have in q moment of supreme dan.
ger.
"The Lord help us!" groaned Dough.
erty again, with piety that was rev
to him. "Sthahd stiddy, bhoysi Yell
not see poor human critters In much
wuss throuble. IN 30 the exphlainin'." :"
Connolly seized Dougherty by the arm
and jerked him backward. "Look
a-therel" he whispered, excitedly. "Do
Se mind that, nc@ See him!"
With the others Willet had paused ir.
rcsolutely, Then he DULY raised his
head and saw his wife, Aquck sob, and
he strobe forward, erect, both hands
outstretched. Klamath" he cried,
brokenly; "Hannah." It was the first
time he had spoken since the accident.
In a pltlful attempt not to understand
the woman glared wildly from one grief.
stricken face to another, all the youth
ad happy good bumor of her own looks
blot,ed out. Finally her glance met
her husbands and rested there. The
terror OF apprehension faded from her
face, giving way before a compassion
that was divine in its self-forgetfulDess,
that transformed her from the plain
wife Of common workingmah into the
very embodiment of tender, womanly
pity. To Wllet she seemed by super.
human intuition TO have understood
everything. The only words that could
warm through the numbness around his
heart she spoke. The one phrase that
was ticking clock-wise in his brain she
repeated aloud for him, and so took
away half of its torture. "You had to
see him die" was what she said. "Oh,
my poor mau! my poor man! Little Jim
was drownded, and you couldn't save
him,"
"Give him to me-" she commanded
Connolly, holding out her arms for her
child. "Let him lay here on my
breast, like he did whin a slip Of a
baby. It'll make his fathers heart
easier TO see him So"
She gathered the body to her bosom
and she folded Connolly's coat more
tightly around it and began softly to
rub the shock of damp hair on ;be cold
little head. Itshould be dry, dry entire.
ly, or it might do him hurt; his mother
wouldn't never let him stay cold like
that! No, sho wouldn't never. "Poor
Jim, poor Jim!" she went on, still keep.
ing up that instructive, motherly chat.
ing of the child in her arms. Poor
Jim! You had the hardest, jim!
couldn't ha' been there an not killed
myself, forgetful of you. 1t was you as
brought him home. You came all that
cruel way to bring him to me. Oh, Jim,
Jim darlin'!"
Her voice was less unnatural now; II
had dropped to note of human dis.
tress that was fast bringing her to full
realization Of her pain. Tears, which
Willet was as yet unable to shed, rained
down her cheeks; but she was not con.
scious that she wept. The men began
to shuttle awkwardly away, muttering
their clumsy words of consolation
They need not have taken the slightest
precaution in the manner of their go.
ing; neither Willet nor his wife re.
membered they had come, nor knew
when or how they left. Timidly jim
drewnear and laid reverent fingers upon
Hannah's sleeve. II was good to touch
her and feel that she was there. Under
her all-comprehending pity he was able
TO speak and think once more. She
humanized him into himself.
"Lay little Jim on his bed, Hannah
darlin'," he said, gently. "There
can't come no harm to him no more
The rest OF my days I'll have his call
a-ringin' in my ears. He was down by
the bridge, you know, where it's SC
shaller an safe, an he a-splashin' an
a-laughin'! Then he called; suddent
sharp. He drownded afore I got tc
him. Oh, my God! afore got tc
himl"
The woman shook herself free Of his
hand and stepped back.
"Afore you got to him?" she re-
peated, in voice that was hushed In
very wonder. "He drownded afore
you got TO him, an'-an' little Jim
calledLlittle Jim called" She paused
for breath, then went on with an effort
as if the breathing hurt her: 81 thought
first that you had to see him die while
you was tryin' to save him; but it wasn't
true. He was there in the water, an
he called, an you couldn't get TO him.
She dropped her face moment over
the dead child. When she raised it, il
was set, hard, pitiless. "a mothers
feet would ha' carried her" she whis-
pered only just above her breath; "an
he was mine the same as yours. You
let my boy die. / never gave you nc
right to let my boy die"
Slowly, deliberately, she turned and
entered the house. Willet stood where
she left him, motionless, staring straight
ahead From the bridge at the foot oi
the hill the men gazed upward, watch
ing. They saw Hannah move, and
Dougherty drew long breath of salts
faction. "It's we'll wild 'em now, poor
things" he announced, sagely. 'Thc
wust is over. They bore it bravely, an
they stood by each other Did ye sec
how Hannah took to comfortin' jim
from the first? You've got to leave
throubles to time, anyways; but praise
be TO all the saints an the angels OF
glory! the wust is over whin folks is
lovin' an sympathizin' enough to keep
each other up."-N. Y. Independent.
Like n Pun.
"No, sir" said the Kansas editor,
"your services are no longer required
"May | venture to ask why | am dis