Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-04-30
! Sunny Bank Farm
FLOYD LIVINGSTON


my sue, lecllnB my pulSe uHu Buying,
What ails you, Rosa?' There was
nothing allied me-" / said but in the
morning when ! awokc, the pain was
still there, though / would not acknowl-
edge it, for scarcely anything could tempt
me to stay away from school; so at the
usual hour ! started, but the rOad was
long and wcarisome, and twice | sat down
to rest. Arrived at school, everything
seemed strange and when Maria, the
girl who shared my desk. produced IA love
letter from Tom jenkins, which she had
found on my side of the desk, and in
which he made formal offer Of himself,
frcckles and all, ! did not even smile.
Taking my book, | attempted to study,
but the words ran together, the objects
in the room chased each other in circles,
the teaChcd seemed to be n great way off,
while between her and me was gather
ing darkness which soon shut out every
object from my view.
! For few moments all was confusion,
and when Mt last my faculties returned
was lying on the recitation bench my
head resting in the teachers lap, while
my hair and dress were so wet that |
fancied I'd been ont in drenching
shower Everybody> was so kind and
spoke 30 softly TO me that, with a vague
impression that something had happen
ed, began to cry. Just then father, who
had been sent for appeared, and taking
me in his arms, started for home, while
Lizzie followed. At the door father
asked of mother, who met us, where
shall put herT' but ere she could reply,
said, "On grandmother's bed"
And there, among the soft pillows and
snowy linen, on which | had often look
ed with almost envious eyes, and which
now seemed so much to rest me, was
laid. OF the weary weeks which follow
ed, | have only n confused recollection.
| know that the room was darkened as
far as possible, and that before the win
dow at the foot of the bed, grandmas
black shawl was hung, one corner being
occasionally pinned back when more light
was needed. They sent to Spencer for
DR. Lamb, who, together with DIR. Crit
fin, held council over me, and said
that | must die. saw mother when they
told her. She turned pale MS death, and
with a cry of anguish pressed her hand
upon her side; but she did not weep.
wondered at it then. and thought she
cared less than Lizzie, who sat at the
foot of the bed, sobbing so loudly that
the fever burned more fercely in my
veins and the physician said it must not
be; she must leave the room, or keep
quiet
1t was Monday, and a few hours af-
terward, as Sally was passing the door
grandma handed her my dirty, crumpled
sun bonnet, bidding her wash it and put
1t away. Sally's voice trembled rs she
replied, mo, no; leave it MS it is; for
when she's gone, nothing win look 30
much like her NJ that jammed bonnet
with Its chewed-up strings"
A gush OF tears was grandma's only
answer; and after | got well, / found
the bonnet carefully rolled up in sheet
Oh clean white paper and laid away in
Sally's drawer. There were days and
| nights of entire unconsciousness, and
/ then with the vague feeling of one awak-
ohing from long, disturbed sleep,
awoke again to life and reason. The
windows OF my room were closed: but
{ Without | heard the pattcr of the Sep.
te'nher rain, and the sound of the au-
, lumnal wind as 1t swept past the house
Gathered at my side were my father,
mother, brothers, sisters, grandmother;
ana all, as my eyes rested upon their
faces, thought, were paler and more
careworn than when | last looked upon
| them. Something, too, in their dress dis
turbed me; but, before | could speak,
voice which | knew to be DIR. Grtiin's,
said, "She is better: she will live"
| The fourth day after the crisis | was
alone with Lizzie, whom, for a long time,
| importuned to give me q mirror that
| could see myself once more Yielding
at length to my entreaties, she handed
me small looking glass--a wedding Gift
to my northumberland with the con-
soling remark that II wouldn't ALWAYS
look so, awaited the result. | am older
than | was then, hut even now | cannot
repress smile as bring before my mind
the shorn head. the wasted face with
high cheek bones, and the big blue eyes,
in which there was look of crazy
| Sal" which met my view. With the nm
cry exclamation, They'll hate me worse
than ever, I'm so ugly" | dashed the
mirror upon the floor, breaking il in n
thousand pieces. Lizzie knew what I
meant, and twining her arms about my
neck, she said, Don't talk so, ROSA: we
love you dearly, and it almost killed us
when we thought YOU couldn't live. You
know big men never cry, and pa the least
of all. Why, lie didn't shed tear
when lit"
Here she stopped suddenly, os if ON a
forbidden subject; but soon resuming the
conversation, she continued: But the
day DIR. Lamb was here and told MS YOU
would die, he was out under the cherry
tree by our play house, and when Carrie
asked him if you'd never play there any
more, he didn't answer, but turned his
face toward the barn and cried so Mrd
and so loud that grandma came out and
, pitied him, smoothing his hair just like
he was little boy. Brother Charlie. too,
, lay right down on the grass, and said he'd
, give everything he'd got if he'd never
called you bung-eyed,' nor made fun of
you, for he loved you best of all. Then
there was poor jamie kept calling for
; Yosa'"
Here Lizzie broke down entirely. say
ing, Il can't tell you any more; don't
4 ask me-"
Suddenly it occurred To me that | had
$ neither seen nor heard little Jamie. the
> youngest of us ALL the pet and darling of
our household, Rapidly my thoughts
\ trayerSed the mast "Jomio ,,os l,,1 p