Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-01-20

said Mrs. Johnson. picking up dilap-
dated horse from the debris of toys
on the floor.
Mama" disscnted the child. waving
Il aside.
"Look at the pretty tail wagging."
But no. the horse was but wooden,
1t could not glitter like a little disk OF
sunshine.
The bucolic- looking doll. the tin en-
CINE, even the railway truck-more
dearly loved for its lack of wheels
could not compensate for the vanished
half-penny. They were but the com
panions of earth, the well-known
common joys Of every day; the half
penny was vision. miracle, no earth
ly thing.
I'm afraid he's not very well" said
Mrs. Jameson, anXiously; II don't like
him TO look SO heavy about the eyes"
Eyes, and don't you remember he
looked like that just before he had the
measles?" added Caroline.
Hes been so quiet all the morn
ing" said the maid. tits not like him."
"Gi-gi!" cried the child.
At this point Mr.. jameson entered,
and attention was diverted toward
dinner This was of the usual wash
day order-a discomfortable spread of
remnants, eaten ha phazard TO a scent
of soap suds. The hungry man glanced
impatiently around, q 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 can
not these things he altered somehow"
he thought. "Never mind; one Of these
days."
again. He bent atfectionately and
kissed his wife.
Sister Caroline, poor, ugly, helpful
old sister, looked on and sighed quiet
ly. She, too, had had her dream.
After dinner the busy wash still con-
tinued, but by now its back was well
broken, and signs of its eventual sub
sdence 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
distressful after-dribble of wash days
tide-were well On to compilations; 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 q
wee brown cake all to himself"
crooned Mrs. Jameson, imparting TO
baby's dumpy body an affecuonate
wriggle only known of mothers!
"Gi-gi!" The clustering eyes still
held the dazzle of that sometime glory
they had caught.
I'm sure ne 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 10 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 CONAN incar-
nate thing OF desire, giving point and
form to his distress; and now, amid the
feverish restlessness that was growing
upon him, IL still shone out In
determinately upon his imagina-
ton 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.
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 III indeed, and
the doctor had been sent for. It was
not very serious ailment, only one
OF the timer tragedies OF babyhood,
which pean a few days hectic cheeks,
! a cough, a tired mothers sleepless
nights-little things, yet these little
things press sorely upon the heart.
"Gi-gi!" Still the pIaintive cry.
! II was 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 childs desire. In the
lamplight il 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 slow, large eye
upon the brightness; lifting up his