Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-08-29

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3. And then he would unload his pockets
of all the shells and rocks and stick
and strings that the little one hat
gathered in the waking part of be-
, walk, and put them away for her care
fully. One day the usual load had {
marked variation in the shape of largs
watermelon and three kittens, IN man
aging all of which the little lady was
assisting by bringing one kitten tail
foremost under each arm. Much time
was spent by the little tyrant in di
rectipg the Major as to where each ar
ticle of that remarkable load was to
go. If she had become the Major e
property, / think | may say that the
Major had also become her property.
| think that on rainy days from hisEest
to his heels. the Majors clothing was
marked with little muddy foot prints
| that his hat was used as carry all for
all manner of toys and sweetmeats;
that his watch was demanded at all
hours Of the day to see If it was 'bekfus
time" yet, and that his cane served as
an Arab steed for races around the
porch without limit. The 'Mady" and
all he had were the undisturbed posses
sion of the little one.
1t was towards the close of the sum
mer, that one morning the little one did
not appear. She was sick of fever,
they said. At breakfast, the Ma.
jor looked disturbed. But in hotel
we are not apt to think seriously
of the troubles of our neighbors,
even If they are next door to US, and
few OF us thought to ask about the
baby. One night coming in late from
the theatre, / saw large rocking chair
at the end of the floor on which the
baby slept, and l was astonished on
looking closer to see the Major in it.
His gentle face had worn and weary
look On it, and the waiter told me next
morning that the Major had walked
the hall pretty much all night for sew
eral nights, and that he had carried
the chair there for him to rest in. The
baby, the waiter said. was not likely
to live. AS l went up after breakfast
| stopped to inquire, and the little
ones mother, whose eyes were red
with weeping, said l could come in,
adding, ut will hardly make any diff
erence now" There sat the Major by
the bed, with all manner of toys and
dolls spread out on the coverlet, before
the sick child's eyes. Like a mans
idea of doing something he had bought
them. Poor fellow it was all be could
think of to do. The little blue eyes
were changed and the thin little hands
were restless. They would pick up a
toy and lay it aside, and then the dear
old Major would arrange them all
freshly, so as to attract her attention.
l think she was delirious, for she asked |
that her ''tose" be given her that she |
might walk with the ''Mady.' And |
then the poor fellow would look up |
timidly to the mother and say: 81
think she can tomorrow, madam; l |
think she can tomorrow, don't you ~
l think he hardly knew what he said |
it for, except with the vague idea of |
giving somebody hope. Anyhow, his
voice seemed to arouse the little one
and she drew her little thin hand over |
his face. and said in an inquiring tone,
s. Mady % / think the world was float
ing out of sight and she wasn't GER
tain. The Major turned. with look
of alarm. to the mother at the window,
and said, 'Oh. do you think" But
whatever he was going to ask was an.
er leaned her head against the window
pane and sobbed. He looked around
the room quickly, as one who should
look for help from somewhere, he
knew not where, and then slipping out
of his chair to bis knees by the bedside,
took the child g hand and laid his head
on the coverlet. 1t seemed to stop
the fast going spirit for moment, and
the other little thin hand wandered to
the gray head and nestled there, and
once more the weak voice said 'Mady."
AS l softly closed the door, l could
hear the poor old Major, between his
sobs, repeating over and over, "Oh,
my little one my little onel"
The next night several of us went to
the Ladies' Parlor to sit up with baby.
At the head Of the little coffin sat the
Major. He was in full evening dress
none of us had even seen him in even
ing dress beforehand in bis lapel was
a boQuet of white flowers, evidently
arranged by himself. He looked years
older, ind eed about all there was left
of his old look was the patient gentle
ness that had won US all. In the
coffin, in the little hand, was another
bouquet OF white flowers as awkward
ly arranged as the one the Major wore.
We did not need to be told where 1t
came from. Always shy, be was even
more so that night from the unaccus
toned duty he seemed struggling to
perform. AS the boarders dropped in,
to look at the child, he seemed glad of
the opportunity to go up again and
look into the coffin, but he never went
by himself. He had nothing to say
but if spoken to replied with his
never falling sweetness of manner.
Often during that night he went out
for water. but those of us who saw his
wet lashes knew what took him out.
Towards morning lady watcher found
lying on the center table broken doll
which had belonged to the little one
- nd u,Liob ul,n had pamad after the