The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-06-02

little twin sons had entered in haste
the great house of life only to meet
their mother stepping outward across
the threshold. One of them seemed
for a brief while as if he would have
turned to follow her. And now the
threshold was over passed and she
was setting hesitating sail from the
shore to which there is no return
From within the strangely silent room
that looked over to the grey cathedral
towers there came a sound that made
Betsy's flesh creep. 1t was the sound
of her mothers crying, sound she
had not heard since fathers funeral
the tribute of tears, which the poor
regard as the due of respect to- any
DEATH.
She sat on, not daring to move, till
after a long, long interval she heard
the Doctors step and his subdued
voice in the hall. Her mother was
creaking down the stairs with him.
The front door shut with a decorously
softened bang. Betsy sat on, and
trembled till the door opened in her
room again.
*'She's gone, poor dear!" The land
lady flung her apron over her face
and wept again. But the tears were
more perfunctory this time. She
lowered the apron again in a minute.
"A deaths CRUEL thing in apartments
she said; 1T do give them a bad
name!"
*Wheres Mrs. Dibble?" asked Bet
sy. "Ain't she coming to look after
these children? I'll have to be get
tin back to my place, mother: you
know that as we'll as l do. Missus
only let me have the two days, and
I'll be gettin' into trouble if I don't
get back"
"You just keep quiet" said her
mother, severely. 'You might have
little feeling at time like this! AS
If I wasn't upset enough, anyway.
Mrs. Dibble-she's busy enough, dom
what's got to be done-1'm goin' to
help her. I'll have to go out pres
emily and see the undertaken, and do
all that which the doctor left with me.
You can walk along with me, and I'll
take you back to your place and make
things right. It amt not to say near
dark yet-the days are at their long
est. I'll come and fetch you when
Pm ready for you. You just sit still
and mind them orphaned innercents
till you're let go
The summer day was drawing into
twilight gloom, when at last her moth
er came to set her free. There had
been movings to and fro in the other
room, low-toned voices and the muf-
fled tread of feet. Now Mrs. Dibble,
the nurse, came in with Betsy's
mother, looking hot and weary. She
sat down on the sofa beside the cradle
and famed herself with a paper she
picked up.
"You may think it's been a bad
time for me too, ma'am," she said.
Mrs. Dibble was of the Camp order
of that period, and sufficiently unlike
one of her trade nowadays. She called
the landlady 'tma'am," which ensured
favor from her. me, that's SO anx-
ious about my own poor dear sister
as l can't hardly breathe. BY rights
/
I was engaged here. Her baby come
two days ago, and the mercy above
knows no wshe is! I haven't even
had word since the first, and then She
was as bad as can be. I suppose you
couldn't manage if I was just to run
there now for minute? 'Tisn't but
a stones throw from here; you can
Almost see it from the back winder."
ut can't be DONE" said the landla-
dy, with decision. ''I'm sorry to dis
oblige, Mrs: Dibble, but you see how
I'm placed. I've got to go out to
Brooks and Jenner's, the undertakers,
by the doctors orders, and must
take my girl here back to her place.
I don't hold with CELLS running round
York streets after evening, as some
does. Maria wouldn't stay alone in
the house was it ever so, and she
amt no good with baby, no more
than one of themselves. Those pre-
cious angels hasn't been looked to,
hardly, as it is. I'll get home as fast
as can, and then you might just nip
round to your sister before you gets
to your bed. I'm sure it isn't that I
don't feel for her, if she's bad and all.
Is this her first?''
''Her first!" Mrs. Dibble's tone was
one of slightly resentful pride. '*Her
fifth, poor suffering angel! and every
one of 'em never drew more than a
single BREATH. The doctor told me
last time he wouldn't be held charge
able with what would happen if this
one didn't live. She took on so every
time they told her she'd lost it. He
said it might kill her if it happened
again."
:"You don't tell me?"
in the interest of the recital the
landlady too sank down upon seat.
II do hope, then, this isn't another
blow to her. Is the baby like to live?'
IA promising child, though weakly"
was Mrs. Dibble's response. 1T hasn't
been him that's frightened us, like
his %poor mother has. She's a deal
worse this time than ever, and only
NV other sister there IN n11ssi"