Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-06-06

say decidedly what his disease was.
IL began with a severe cold which
turned to low fever. Proper medicine
was prescribed for that, yet the fever
grew no less. and the boys strength
failed him day after day, until those
who nursed him and cared for him
most feared the hour would come when
there would be no more strength, and
the wasting fever would have its own
way.
Lord Selwyn had sent to London for
professional nurse; Mrs. Rivers
was with him night and day: Lady
Beatrice was untiring in her attend
ance: every servant in the house con-
sidered il a privilege to wait upon the
young heir. Everything that human
skill could suggest was done; neither
trouble nor expense was spared, yet
the boy grew no better. The wander
ings became more frequent, the sane
intervals more rare The worst
feature of the case was his sleepless-
ness. The doctors agreed that some
hours of sound sleep might in all prob
ability restore him TO health; but that
slumber never fell upon him. DR..
Danvers prepared nightly an opiate
that was as strong as he dared to
make IT, He gave Ftrict or
I ders that the nurse or Mrs. Rivers
should administer It when the whole
household had retired, and there was
nothing to mar its effect-nO chance of
any noise to arouse him.
Night after night the opiate was adj
ministered-always with the same ef-
feet. until Il seemed that there was lit
tie hope left for the heir of Selwyn
Lord Selwyn was constant in his
visits 10 the sick-room. II was pitiful
10 see the strcng, handsome man bend
ing over the fragile boy. with such sor-
row in his eyes and unspoken prayers
on his lips: how he spoke TO him with
tender words-how he besought him
10 taste the dainty food and wine from
which the poor child recoiled in shud-
dering dread-how. when the boy slept,
he knelt by his side, praying, with
weeping eyes that this one great treas
ure. Violaate's son, might be spared
to him. He seemed to forget the pres
ence of nurses. of servants. all and
everything except the boy whose life
was so slowly ebbing away.
The day came at last when Lord
Selwyn looked into the doctors face
with despairing eyes, and asked:
Can nothing more be done for him?"
for him?" and the doctor. with grave
words, answered that unless the boy
could sleep, he must die. Sleep! The
white-faced woman in the widows
cap. who never left him. wearied
Heaven with her prayers for sleep.
She knelt for long hours together,
begging for sleep. The kind, de-
voted father. who would have given his
life for this boy, prayed as men sell
dom pray, for sleep. Yet the burning
eyelids never drooped, the tired eyes
never closed in peaceful slumber.
So the shadow deepened, and Lord
Se.wyn wandered despairfully round
his magnificent home. His whole
heart was centered On Rupert, and the
great love was because he was Vio-
lante's son. He had lost the mother,
now the shadow of death lay upon her
child. He could not rest; he went
several times during the night to see
how the boy Jared. He would have
sat up with him, night after night,
only that gentle Mrs. Rivers said his
presence would be more likely 10 dis
turb the sufferer than to conduce to
sleep.
He could not sleep. In vain Lady
Beatrice implored and pressed him.
His heart was sick and sore within
him. his conscience net quite at rest
It seemed to him that his sons illness
was in punishment % his wife's unhap-
piness-that as he had not taken suf-
.fcient care of the mother, he was not
allowed 10 retain the child . He veXed
himself with these thoughts as the
danger Of his son increased; his mel
anchcly. and even despair. deepened.
There were many who believed the
same sword which smote the fair
young son would destroy the father.
Little Lance mourned for his play
fellow. and Lady Beatrice-well, no one
knew what my lady thought. Out
wardly she observed every decorum;
she was kind 70 the child. gentle and
sympathizing TO Lord Selwyn. mildly
plaintive 10 all strangers; but her true
thoughts no one knew, and il was as
well they should net.
The boy who lay there, gasping for
breath. murmuring sentences that had
no connection and no sense. was the
only barrier between her beautiful
boy and the splendid inheritance.
When Lady Beatrice sat alone. there
was little sorrow in her face-nothing
but a CLEAN of triumph in her dark
eyes. and a great guilty JOY throb5ing
at her heart.