The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-04-01

and-there's nothin' after lha':
The doctor started TO speak. ~
wait" pleaded Tom. Let me 81
Won something. I've been praying al
night, I've seen God face 10 ia'e. az
can't die. He told me So
He paused and his grip on the doctor :
RIM relaxed as though he were about 10
faint. but he rallied. -.
The kindly old doctor said gently "'
He tried TO lead Tom away from the
he'd hut he held on like Il bull dog.
The child breathed heavily and moan
ed -,
Toms face frightened. shes N
to doctor.-thank God"
The doctor paid no more attention .
him and went on with his work as pest
he could.
Tom laid his tear-stained face close
n hers and murmure soothingly TO her
as he used 10 when she was a wee Daps
in his arms. ;,
There there. honey, it will be all
right now, The Doctors here. ana ne II
do all he can, And what he can't 40
God will. The doctor'll save you. COD
will save YOU, He loves you. He loves
me. l prayed all night. He heard me.
| saw the shinin' glory Of His face. He's
! Only 1rE1n MS IOOi ~ oti AM
The broken artery was found and tied
ana the bleeding stopped. When the
wound in her head was dressed the doc
tor turned TO Tom,
..Tha wound is bad, but not necessari-
ly fatal"
"Praise God!'
keep the house quiet and don't let
her see a strange face when she regains
consciousness" was his parting %injunc-
ton.
The next morning her breathing was
regular, and pulse stronger, but feverish;
and about seven O'Clock she came out OF
her comatose state and regained con-
seriousness. She spoke but once, and APP
parently at the sound of her own voice
Immediately went into a CONFUSION,
clinching her little fists screaming and
calling to her father for help!
When Tom first heard that awful cry
and saw her terrified eyes and drawn
face he tried to cover his own eyes and
stop his ears. Then he gathered the lit
tie convulsed body into his arms and
crooned into her ears,
"There, Pappy's baby, don't cry.
Pappy's got you now. Nothin' can hurt
you. There, there, nothin' shall come
nigh YOU"
IL ONCit htI Idt1 "ihh tCoi N'
kisses while he whispered and soothed
her to sleep. When the noon train came
up from Independence, General Wortl
arrived. Tom had asked CASTOR to tele-
graph for him in his name.
Tom eagerly grasped his hand. "Gen-
eral, l moved you'd come-you're a mar
to tie to. l never knowed you to fai
me in your life. You're one Of the
smartest men in the world, too. You
never got us boys in a hole so deep yol
didn't pull US out
"What can l do for your" interrupted
the General.
"Ah, now's the worst of all, General
I'm in water too deep for me. My baby
the last one left on earth. the apple 0
my eye, all that holds my old achin
body to this world-she's-about-to-
die! | can't let her. General. you mus
save her for me! I want more doctors
They say there's a great doctor at In
dependence. l want 'em all. Tell 'en
! it's a poor old one-legged soldier who
shot all to pieces and lost his wife an,
all his children-aH but this one baby
] And l can't lose her. They'll come i
you ask EN- His voice broke.
I'll do it. Tom. I'll have them her
on a special in three hours Or mayb
: sooner" returned the General, pressin;
e his hand and hurrying to the TELEGRAPH
o office.
The doctors arrived at three o'cloc1
and held a consultation with Docto
Graham. They decided that the loss o
blood had been so great that the onl
chance to save her was in the transfu
sion of Hood.
The General and CASTOR both wer
there trying to comfort Tom.
e I'll give her the blood, Tom" sal
h CASTOR, qietly removing his coat ar
d barring his arm.
y The old soldier looked up tfro&g
grateful tears.
Next to the General, you're the bes
friend God ever give me, boy!"
S The General turned his face away an
n looked out Of the window. The docto or
p Immediately performed the operation
v transfusing blood from CASTOR into til
p child. The results did not seem t
promise what they had hoped. Her feve
rose steadily. She became consciou:
again and Immediately went INTO tn
" most fearful commissions, breaking tn
torn artery a second time.
Just as the sun sank behind the blu
mountain peaks in the west, her near
e huttered and she was dead.
Tom sat by the bed for two hours. look
ing, boxing, looking with wide stariE
eyes at her white dead face. There wa
e not the trace of a tear. His mouth wa
r set in a hard cold way and he neye
moved or spoke.
The Preacher tried to comfort Ton
h who stared at him as though he did nc
q recognise him at first, and then SLOW,
began.
e away, Preacher, I don't want t
see Or talk to Won now Tie q II a 49,
a and a lie. There is no Cod"
rom, Toni groaned the Preacher.
i tell you | mean it," Tom continue,
h | don't want any more of God or h
heaven. l don't want to see God. Wher
t was his almighty power when nv DOC
little baby was screamin' for helm Will
that black beast was tearin' her t
Dieces,"
Ihen he sprang up, his face livj
ID ana CONFUSED with volcanic passion
that half strangled him while he shriel