Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-04-11
BY mary j. HOLMES

Within the cottage there was no sound or
token Of life, and, thinking it's inmates
were asleep, Billy paused several min
utes upon the threshold, fearing that he
should disturb their sumbers. At last,
with a 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 bereayed she was.
For moment Billy stood irresolute,
and then, as Mary moved uneasily in her
slumbers, he advanced a step or two to-
ward her. The noise aroused her, and
instantly remembering and comprehend
| ing the whole, she threw herself with
bitter cry into Billy's extended arms, as
|
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
| Tho 10 nj
while I tell them"
In half an hour from that time the
cottage was nearly filled 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, Gin
finding a place for Ella she is so bright
and handsome; but as for Mary, | am
afraid she'll have to go to the poorhouse.
"Were I in 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 particular love for
news, and now forgetting show near to
| deaths door" she had been, she eagerly
demanded, "What news? What has hap
penedT
When Billy told her of the sudden
deaths of Mrs. Howard and Frank, an
expression of what? That ala" passed
over her face, and she said Dear me,
my snuff, Billy. Both died last night, did
they? Haint you nothin' else to tell?''
Eyes, 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.
Campbell's affection than her own dan
gerous symptoms were forgotten, and,
springing up, she exclaimed, ELLA Camp
bell dead! Whatll her mother do? 1
must go to her right away. Hand me my
double gown there in the closet, and give
me my lace cap in the lower drawer, and
mind you have the teakettle billed agin
get back
Before you go anywhere, suppose you
stop at Mrs. Towards and comfort poor
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"
Il want to ask you,'' said Billy, "ean't
we-couldn't you take them for a few
| days, and perhaps something may turn
up?''
civilian 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'nt 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
| I have said no once, William Bender,
and when / say no, mean no., was the
answer.
| Billy knew she would be less decided
| the next time the subject was preached,
so for the present he dropped it. and tax
| ing his cap he returned to Mrs. How
ards, while his mother started for Mrs.
| Campbelfs.
Next morning between the hours of 8
and 10 the tolling bell sent forth its sad
summons, and ere long 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