The Yale expositor., 1898-08-19

Mrs. jameson anXiously; i don't ike
him TO look so heavy about the eyss."
Eyes, and don't you remember he
looked like that just before he had the
measles?" added Caroline.
Hes been so quiet all the morning"
said the maid, cts not like him."
"Gi-gi!" cried the child.
At this point Mr.. jameson entered,
and attention was diverted toward din
ner. This was OF the usual wash-day
order-a discomfortable spread OF
remnants, eaten haphazard to a scent
OF soap suds. The hungry man glanced
impatiently around, a slight shade OF
annoyance passing across his features.
The male mind cannot readily grasp
the inwardness of wash-day, and Mr..
jameson was no exception. why
cannot these things be altered some
how" he thought. Never mind; one
of these days!"
The dream frightened his face once
again. He bent affectionately and kiss
ed his wife.
Sister Caroline, poor, ugly, helpful
old sister, looked on and sighed quietly.
She, too, had had her dream.
After dinner the busy wash stu
continued, but by now its back was
we'll broken, and signs of its event
ual subsistence were in the air. The
white 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
days tide-were we'll on to compile
ton; the tradesmen were less frequent,
and, surest sign of all, 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, imparting to
baby's dumpy body an affectionate
wriggle-secret only known of moth
ers!
"Gi-gi!" The glistening eyes still
held the dazzle OF that sometime glory
they had caught.
I'm sure he is sickening for some
thing" said Mrs. Jameson; II don't
like this flush on his poor little
cheeks"
The child moved restlessly. His head
ached and there was a hot sense of
discomfort about his eyes. All day he
had felt i'll, but not being able to cor
rectly sort out his little sensations he
had relapsed into that pathetic al
straction which seems to be the refuge
Of babyhood under such circumstances.
Then had come the glittering CONAN
incarnate thing of desire, giving point
and form to his distress; and now,
amid the feverish restlessness that was
growing upon him, 1t still shone out
unfortunately upon his imagination
as the thing hoped for, the dream goal,
the resolution of his suffering. Child
epitome of grown mankind, he little
guessed his 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 to lose; nay, he did not know
that at the portals of his tiny heart
were beating the strong wings of the
Son OF God Himself.
IICStnlly the MOtlul WASH buDSluGh
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
the doctor had been sent for. 1t was
not a very serious ailment, only one
Of the timer tragedies of babyhood,
which mean few days hectic cheeks,
a cough, 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
halfpenny of the child's desire. In the
lamplight 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
cleaning treasure, see, pretty half-
penny"
The child turned a slow, large eye
upon the brightness; lifting up his
hand he took it feebly; for moment
he seemed TO waver between desire and
WEAKNESS, then, with a petulant ges-
ture, 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 the long hush of night an anx-
ious mother sat watching over a rest
less child. The freight flicker half
illumined the room, showing around
the cot wherein tossed the tiny suf-
ferer, few scattered toys and picture
books, whilst in their midst, untouch-
ed. unvalued. no longer desired, lay a
pathetic little coin.-C. Handsomely