Middletown transcript., 1901-02-16

for / shouldn't loose my place and might
not get another, and knew that I must
keep in work, for Jim was not making
much, and it cost SO much to halfway
live here. So kept on and tried not to
think of my little one; but when I was
free to go, it seemed like just flew along
the street and could hardly stop to walk.
"About square from home, as was
hurryin' along, almost breathless, / spied
Mrs. 0Riley's little Mike runnin' to-
wards me. l called to him, but without
waitin' for any question from me, he
painted out that somethin' had happened
to little Rosy.I didn't stop to learn what,
but tore along the street like a mad
woman. Mrs. O'Riley met me at the
head of the stairs, cryin' and wringin'
her hands and blamin' herself. I rushed
past her into the room, and there,
on the bed, all white and still, without q
motion o. life"
The tear-laden voice, quivering and
low, became inarticulate, and taking her
hand in mine said, as we'll as I could,
''There, stop, it is torture to you to tell
me this" Looking quickly up she re-
piled, elrnestly:
''Oh, ma'am, it is pleasure and re-
lief to be able to talk to someone about
my troubles, especially one who seems to
feel SO kindly towards me ss you do. No,
ma am what I'm tellin' you amt doin'
me any harm; but l won't try to tell you
what I suffered, and how I blamed my
self for not goin' to my little child when
something told me to do SO.
''Mrs. O'Riley said she had been rest
less and fretful all day, and had tried
two or three times to get out into the cor
ridor; but as the..room opened out close
to the head of the stairs, and the child
could just toddle about, the door was
keep carefully shut till just few min
utes before it was time to get home, when
somebody passed through and left it
open. Mrs. O'Riley had her back to it
and was tellin' the baby that Nanny
was comm, Nanny would be here
presently, for she had cried and whimp-
cred for Nanny nearly all day, when
she heard little Mike say, Come back,
Rosy; and wl.irlin' round to see after
the child, she at once spied the open
door, and heard fall and scream. The
baby had fallen down stairs, and they
picked her up-dead.
"Poor Mrs. O'Riley! she blamed her
self till it seemed like she would go dis
tracted; but never blamed her for it. I
never knew kinder-hearted body. She
went to see the owners of the laundry
and told them my trouble, gettin' them
to keep my place for me till could get
back, which l did, after a while; but /
could put no heart in my work, and felt
like I was doin' it just like machinery
does, without any feelin' at all about it.
And there was no need for me ever to
hurry to get through now, for there was
no one at home waitin' for me. Jim
had taken to the drink regular since little
Rosy died, and had lost his place at the
stables, but twas only when he didn't
know what he was about that he was
ever unkind to me.
He was naturally kind-hearted, Jim
was, and if l just could "a got him to go
back to the country believe he would
a. been all right again; for twas comm
to the city that ruined him, and bein'
without any steady work for SO long.
And after the baby died it just seemed
like he couldn't stand the trouble; but
he wouldn't consent to leave, SO l just
had to do the best / could and try and
watch over him all the while, because
he's got quick temper when he's
drinkin', Jim has.
'I've worried good deal about him
since I've been here. I'm certain he
don't know where am, and I dreaded to
send message to him for fear he might
come in condition that it would hurt me
for anyone here to see him in, and then /
thought I'd be up and about in few
days and be able to go home; but some
how / don't seem to get strong, and
while the fever's not very high, still it
don't ever leave me.
Sometimes / think maybe l won't
ever get over it; so l got Miss B., the
nurse, to send message to Mrs. O'Riley
to-day, askin' her to tell Jim where am,
and maybe he'll come. | don't know"
She lay still, with closed eyes, the
flowers held caressingly near her face;
and as l sat and watched her, thinking |
of her patient young life so early wreck
ed l remembered that, in all her
story, not once had she blamed Jim. 1t /
was "comin' to the city," or "bein' ont
o work." or "the death O. the baby"
never once wa. it "Jim." Oh, true and
faithful wife! deserving of a diamond
crown, if there be such in Heaven.
Ipicked up palmetto fan lying on
he foot of the cot and began waving it
gently to and fro over the fever-fushed
ace, and pretty soon I discovered that
'he had dropped into doze. Quite a
comfortable nap she had taken, when
observed that someone had entered with
he nurse, and was coming towards us.
glanced up, and my eyes encountered a
trapping figure, tall and broad should
red, and face which knew had been
handsome, but, alas! was now besotted
nd bloated. The little wife on the cot
must have heard the step in her sleep,
hough he moved carefully and lightly;
or she opened wide, expectant, eager
yes, and as she caught my gaze said, un-
er her breath.
"Jim!
Yes, it was Jim, coming hurriedly for
7ard, and saw from his face that the
urse had told him the worst.
l rose from my chair as he approached
he cot, and stepping aside mentioned
,r him to occupy it; but noiselessly he
ushed it out of his way, and dropping
n one knee by the cot he claspod in his i