Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-07-23

a curtsey.
will you help a poor woman in
distress, kind gentlemen" she said
"Oh, come, my good woman" said
BERTHE, your memory is a short one.
| Why, you made enough yesterday to
keep the wolf from the door for some
days"
The woman looked at him keenly
but not angrily.
81 didn't ask for money for my
self" she said; tits my child-my lit
tie girl and she drew the shawl a
few inches from the child's face.
"Whats the matter with her?"
asked BERTHE, in quite a different
voice.
Faradeane leaned against the gate,
and looked on with an absent air of
preoccupation.
"She's ill, SIR replied the gypsy.
"She was took i'll yesterday. I don't
know what ails her. It's my only
one, kind gentlemen, and" She
She stopped and looked at Faradeane.
"Ah! it's hard to understand a
mothers feelings"
81 daresay," said BERTHE, gently
"But why do you keep her out in the
open aid? The day is chilly, and
you earned plenty of money yester
day to find shelter for her.
The gypsy shook her head slowly.
That's gone, sir" she said, with
that quiet resignation which women
acquire, Heaven help them!
81 see," said BERTHE. your husband
the man who was with YOU"
She nodded, and raised her hand TO
her lips with the action of drinking.
eyes, gentlemen, he's my husband,
| and the moneys gone where it al
ways goes. If he'd only left me
shawl for her; but"
She stopped and rocked the child,
grooming to il soothingly.
BERTHE put his hand in his pocket,
then uttered an exclamation of dis
appointment.
my other coat. Faradeane, lend me-"
Faradeane Strengthened himself and
came forward.
Let me look at the child" he said
in his low, musical voice.
The woman looked UP at him for an
instant with the mothers searching
glance; then, reading something in
his eyes that treasured her, threw the
shawl off the child's face and turned
it towards him.
1t was poor, thin little mite,
whose face should have been white,
but was flushed and burning.
Faradeane took it from her.
Don't be afraid" he said, gently,
as she chung to it a little.
Are you doctor, gentleman" she
asked, looking up at Faradeane,
eagerly.
mo, no." said BERTHE. But you
can rely on what he says. What is
il, Faradeane?" he asked in a lower
voice.
Faradeane looked at the child atten-
lively.
Fever" he said "The child has
been exposed to this charming Eng
fish spring Of ours. Poor mite!"
The woman's dark eyes grew moist,
and her hands clasped together with
a spasmodic action.
"Is-is it going to die, gentlemen 2"
she asked, huskly. 'It's-it's the
only one I've got left, and-and bein'
a girl I've got fond of it like" she
added, apologetically.
Il hope it won't die" he said, gen
tly, "but it is very bad. This Thin
shawl-wait a moment" and he hand
ed the child back to her.
She pressed it to her bosom with a.
choking sob, and bent over it speech
lessly.
Faradeane came out of the cottage
again presently with a travelling wrap
OF gray fox and sable; a rare and
costly fur even for man of wealth
a wrap which many lady would
have coveted with the iercesr long
ing.
AS he was wrapping this round the
child touching it as gently az he had
done poor Bessie, BERTHE laid his hand
upon his arm.
isn't that rather extravagant, old
fellow?' he said in voice too low for
the woman to hear. "a blanket
would have served the purpose; be-
sides, the father will requisition that
the moment he sees it,
Faradeane shrugged his shoulders.
1T will keep the little one warm
till it gets to the hospital. That's
where you're to send it." He took out
his pocketbook, and tearing out a
sheet, wrote few lines on it. "Take
the child on to the doctors at Vain
ford, and do as he tells you He
knows me; he is the doctor who is
attending Bessie Afford he looked
round 10 explain to BERTHE. Tell
him that l will pay what the hospital
people demand, and here is some