Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-08-20

aud as those who attended him knew
nothing Of Mrs. Lansing's being at The
j Pines, IL was not until the second day
after the appearance Of the cholera that
she learned the fate Of her servant. In
state bordering almost upon distra action,
she waited for her brother, shuddsring
with fear whenever a new case was re-
ported to her, and refusing to visit the
sufferers, although among them we're
some who had played with her in child
hood; and one, an old gray-haired man,
who had saved her from a watery grave
when on the Savannah river she had
fallen overheard. But there was no
place for gratitude in her selfish heart,
and the miserable creatures were left
to die alone, uncheered by the presence
OF pale face, save little Jessie, who won
her mothers reluctant consent to be with
them, and who, all the day long, went
from cabin to cabin, soothing the sick
and dying by her presence and embold-
ening others by her own intrepidity.
Toward sunset, Mrs. Lansing herself
was seized with the malady, and with n
wild shrek she called on Ada to help
her; but that young lady was herself too
much intimidated to heed the call, and in
an adjoining room she sat with camphor
at her nose and brandy Mt her side until
a fierce, darting pain warned her that
she, too, was victim. No longer afraid
of Mrs Lansing, she made no resistance
when borne to the same apartment,
where for hours they lay, bemoaning the
fate which had brought them there, and
trembling MS they thought Of the proba-
Die result.
,r'o I'D thn.
heavy load, and once, when the cold
perspiration stood thickly upon her face,
she ordered Jessie and Dinah from the
room. while she confessed to Ada the sin
of which she had been guilty in deceiving
both her brother and Rosa.
at was wicked falsehood," said she,
and If you survive me, you must tell
them so-will you"
Ada nodded in token that she would /;
and then, thinking how her own con-
science might be made easier by a SINH
lar confession, she told how she had
thought to injure Rosa In Mr.. Delaticld's
estimation. This done, the two ladies'
felt greatly relieved; and as the cholera
i'll their case had been induced mostly by
fear, it began ere long to yield to the
efficient treatment of Dinah, who to her
housekeeping qualities added that of be-
: ing a skillful nurse. Toward morning
they were pronounced decidedly better,
and as Jessie was asleep and Dinah nod
ding in her chair, Mrs. Lansing lifted
her head from her pillow, saying to Ada,
IF you please, you needn't tell what l
told you last night, when l thought l
, was going to die!'
Ada promised to be silent, and after
winning similar promise from Mrs.
: Lansing, they both fell asleep, nor woke
again until the sun was high up in the
heavens. SO much for a sick-bed repent
t ance! 1't tH ~
That day was hotter and more sultry
: than any which had preceded it; and
J about the middle Of the afternoon little
, Jessie came to Dinah's side, and laying
her head upon her lap, complained of
being both cold and tired. Blankets
were wrapped round her, but they
: brought her no warmth for her, blood
was chilled by approaching death, and
when at dusk the negroes asked why she
came not among them, they We're told
that she was dying! With streaming eyes
: they fell upon their knees, and from
, those humble cabins there went up many
! a feryent prayer for God to spare the
: child. But it could not be- she vas
wanted in heaven; and when old Uncle
Abel who had also been i'll, crept on his
, hands and knees to her bedside, calling
. upon her name, she did not know him
: for Inconsistencies was upon her, end
; in infinite mercy she was spared the pain
usually attendant upon the disease.
) Almost bereft of reason and powerless
to act, Mrs. Lansing sat by her child
r whose life was fast ebbing away. In a
= short time all the negroes, who were
able, had come to the house, their dark
faces stained with tears and expressive
2 of the utmost concern, as they looked
) upon the little girl who lay so white
+, and still, with her fair hair floating over
e the pillow and her waxen hands folded
!, upon her bosom.
Sing TO me, Uncle Dick" she said, nj
last, Sing of the happy land not far
e away" but Uncle Dick was not there
t and they who watched her were too much
G overcome with grief to heed her request
, Slowly the hours wore on, and the
1 spirit was almost home, when again she
e murmured: Sing of the happy land
a and ms if in answer to her prayer. the
, breeze, which all the day long had beer
Il hushed and still, now sighed mournfull,
j through the trees while n hooking birt
n in the distance struck up his evening lay
x and amid the gushing melody of tina
$ wondrous bird of song and the sof
i breathing notes of the whispering pines
t little Jessie passed to the "happy land
which to those who watched the goin,
It out of her short life seemed indeed mo
), far away" With bitter cry the be
o reaved mother fell upon her face on,
II wept aloud, saying, in her heart, "Wh,
n have l thus been dealt with?"
le In the distance was heard the sount
1t of horses feet, and ere long her brothe
rs was with her, weeping as only strnn
IS men weep over the lifeless form whicl
returned him no answering caress. Sh
s. had been his idol.
err Jessie is gone, Rosa is going, and
ID shall be left Alone" he thought. "Wha
10 have ! done to deserve a chastisemen
d. like this?"
lie Soon, however, he grew calmer, an
re saying, 1T is WELL" he tenderly kisse
rs the lips and brow of the beautiful chill,
IN who seemed TO smile on him even
s. death; then going out among his people
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