St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-12-31
BLACK ROCK.
; ontinued from Dec. "a. ]


grief.
"Ah. madame" she sobbed to Mrs
Mayor, my heart is broke for him.
He's beet noting for tree days but jis
dreenk. drcenk, dreenk."
The next day a man came for NE in
haste The baby was dying, and the
doctor was drunk. l found the little
one in Il convalsion lying across Mrs.
| MAYORS knees. the mother kneeling be
side it, wringing her hands in dumb
agony, and Slavin standing near, silent
and suffering. | glanced at the bottle
of medicine upon the table and asked
| Mrs. Mavor the dose and found the
baby had been poisoned. My look Of
horror told Savin something was
wrong. and, striding to me, he caught
my arm and asked:
"What is it? Is the medicine
krong"
tried to put him off, but his grip
frightened till his fingers seemed to
reach the bone.
THE dose is certainly too large. But
let me go. l must do something"
He let me go at once, saying in
voice that made my heart sore for him,
"He has killed my baby; he has killed
my baby" And then he cursed the
doctor with awful curses and with
look of such murderous fury on his
face that | was glad the doctor was too
drunk to appear.
His wife, hearing his curses and I'M
Outstanding the cause, broke out into
wailing hard to bear.
"Ah, mon petit ange! It is dat whees-
ky OATS keel mon baby. All, mon
cheri, mon amour! All, mon Dieu! All,
Michael! How often l say that whees-
ky he's not good ting"
1t was more than Slavin could bear.
and with awful curses he passed out.
Mrs. Mavor laid the baby in its crib,
for the convulsion had passed away,
and, putting her arms about the vail
ing little FrenchWoman, comforted and
soOthed her as a mother might her
child.
"And you must help your husband"
I heard her say. Gle will need you
more than ever Think of him."
"Ah, oui, l weel," was the quick re-
ply, and from that moment there was
no more wailing
1t seemed no more than a minute till
Slavin came in again, sober, quiet and
steady. The passion was all gone from
his face, and only the grief remained.
AS we stood leaning over the sleeping
child the little thing opened its eyes,
saw its father and smiled. 1t was too
much for him. The big man dropped
on his knees with dry sob.
us there no chance at all, at all?" he
whispered, but | could give him no
hope, He Immediately rose and, pull
ing himself together, stood perfectly
quiet.
A new terror seized upon the mother
"My baby is not-what you call it"
going through the form of baptism.
can he will not come to la sainte
Verge" she said, crossing herself
'Do not fear for your little one" said
Mrs MavoE still with her arms about
her. 'The good Saviour will take your
darling into his own arms"
But the mother would not be comfort
ed by this, and Slavin, too, was uneasy.
where is Father Goulet" he asked.
"Ah, you were not good to the holy
pere de las tam, Michael" she replied
sadly "The saints are not please for
you"
"Where is the priest?" he demanded.
II know not for sure. At de Landin',
OATS lax"
"Ill go for him." he said.
But his wife chung to him, beseeching
him not to leave her, and indeed he was
loath to leave his little one
found Craig and told him the diff
Guilty. With his usual promptness he
was ready with a solution.
"Nixon has a team. He will CO."
Then he added: 81 wonder if they
would not like me to baptize their little
one. Father Goulet and l have ex-
changed offices before now. l remem-
Der how he came to one of my people
in my absence, when she was dying,
read with her, prayed with her, COM
forted her and helped her across the
river. He is good soul and has no
nonsense about him. Send for me if
you think there is need. 1t will make
no difference to the baby, but it will
| comfort the mother"
Nixon was willing enough to go, but
when he came to the door Mrs. Mayor
saw the hard look in his face. He had
not forgotten his wrong, for day by
day he was still fighting the devil with
in that Slavin had called to life. But
Mrs. Mavor, under cover of getting him
instructions, drew him into the room.
While listening to her his eyes wan.
dered from one to the other of the
group till they rested upon the little
white face in the crib She noticed the
change in his face.
They fear the little one will never
see the Saviour if it is not baptized"
she said in a low tone.
He was eager to go.
"I'll do my best to get The priest" he
said and was gone on his sixty mile
race with death.
The long afternoon wore on, but be-
fore it was half gone | saw Nixon
could not win and that the priest would
be too lat% so | sent for Mr.. Craig.
From the moment he entered the room