Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-05-21
BY MHRY J. HOLMES

| ailment he hurried away toward Mrs.
Howard's. The sun was just rising.
Within the cottage there was no sound or
token Of life, and, thinking its inmates
were asleep, Billy paused several min
utes upon the threshold, fearing that he
should disturb their slumbers. At last,
with vague presentiment that all was
not right, he raised the latch and enter
ed, but instantly started back in aston
ishment at the scene before him. On the
thundle bed lay Frank, cold and dead,
and near him, in the same long, dream
less sleep, was his mother, while between
them, with one arm thrown lovingly
across her brothers neck, and her cheek
pressed against his, lay Mary-her eye
lids moist with tears which, though sleep
ing, she still shed. On the other side OF
Frank, and nestled SO closely to him that
her warm breath lifted the brown curls
from his brow, was Ella. But there were
no tear stains on her face, for she did not
yet know how bereaved she was.
For moment Billy stood irresolute,
and then, as Mary moved uneasily in her
slumbers, he advanced step or two to-
ward her. The noise aroused her, and
instantly remembering and comprehend
ing the whole, she threw herself with a
bitter cry into Billy's extended arms, as
if he alone were all the protector she now
had in the wide, wide world. Ere long
Ella, too, awoke, and the noisy outburst
which followed the knowledge of her loss
made Mary still the agony of her own
heart in order to soothe the more violent
grief Of her excitable sister. Billy's
tears were flowing, too, but at length
rising up, he said to Mary, "Something
must be done. The villagers must know
Of 1t, and shall have to leave you alone
while tell them"
In half an hour from that time the
cottage was nearly filed with people,
some of whom came out of idle curiosity.
But there were others who went there
for the sake Of comforting the orphans
and attending to the dead, and by noon
the bodies were decently arranged for
burial.
There will be no trouble" said one, 'in
finding a place.f for Ella, she is so bright
and handsome; but as for Mary, am
afraid she'll have to go to the poorhouse" T"
Were in a condition to take either"
replied Mrs. johnson, 81 should prefer
Mary, for in my estimation she Is much
the best girl but there. is the baby. who
must go wherever Mary does, unless she
can be persuaded to leave her.
Before anyone could reply to this re-
mark Mary, who had overheard every
word, came forward, and, laying her
face on Mrs. Johnson's lap, sobbed out,
''Let me go with Alice; told mother l
would"
Billy Bender, who all this while had
been standing by the door, started for
home, never once thinking, until he
reached it, that his mother more than
six hours before, had sent him In great
haste for the physician On entering the
house he found her, as he expected, rolled
up in bed, apparently in the last stage of
scarlet fever; but before she could re-
proach him he said, Mother, have you
heard the news?"
Mrs. Bender had a particular love for
news, and now forgetting ''how near to
deaths door" she had been, she eagerly
demanded, What news? What has hap
pened?'
When Billy told her of the sudden
deaths Of Mrs. Howard and Frank, an
expression Of What? That all?" passed
over her face, and she said, Dear me,
my snuff, Billy. Both died last night, did
they? Hain't you nothin' else to tell?"
"Yes, Mary Judson and Ella Campbell,
too, are dead"
Mrs. Bender, who, like many others,
courted the favor of the wealthy and
tried to fancy herself on intimate terms
with them, no sooner heard of Mrs.
Campbells affiiction than her own dan
gerous symptoms were forgotten, and,
springing up, she exclaimed, ELLA Camp
bell dead! What'll her mother do? 1
must go to her right away. Hand me nv
double gown there in the closet, and give
me my lace cap in the loYer drawer, and
mind you have the teakettle billed agin 1
get back"
Before you go anywhere, suppose you
stop at Mrs. Howard's and comfort Door
Mary, who cries all the time because she
and Alice have got to go to the poor
house."
"Of course they'll go there, and they
ort to be thankful they've got SO good a
place."
II want to ask you," said Billy, "can't
we-couldn't you take them for few
days, and perhaps something may turn
upT
William Bender" said the highly as
tonished lady, what can you mean? A
poor, sick woman like me, with one foot
in the grave, take the charge of three
pauper children! l sha'n't do it, and you
needn't think of it."
But, mother" persisted Billy, who
could generally coax her to do as he liked,
its only for few days, and they'll not
be much trouble or expense, for I'll work
enough harder to make it up''
Il have said no once, William Bender,
and when l say no, mean no." was the
answer.
Billy knew she would be less decided
the next time the subject was broached,
so for the present he dropped it, and tax
ing his cap he returned to Mrs. How
ards, while his mother started for Mrs.
CampbelPs.
Next morning between the hours of 9
and 10 the tolling bell sent forth its sad
summons, and ere long a few of the vii
layers were moving toward the brown
cottage, where in the same plain coffin
slept the mother and her only boy. Near
them sat Ella, occasionally looking with
childish curiosity at the strangers around
her, or leaning forward to peep at the
tips of the new morocco shoes which Mrs.
johnson had kindly given her; then, when
her eyes fell upon the coffin, she would
burst into such an agony of weeping that
many Of the villagers also wept in SYM
pathy, and as they stroked her soft hair,
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