Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-11

/ the small mouse. III raJtle0 iOOs'
~ boards and slammed the sheddooi
INEgYI with a harsh sound.
The two women in the room looked
quickly. One of them shivered and drew tiny
shawl that she wore closer about her shoulders
Her checks were flushed deep red, and her
eyes had a strange, shining look. She was lying
propped against some pillows on the bed.
The other woman glanced at her anxiously
"Codp' she asked.
The sick woman shook her head A spasm
crossed her face. She shut her lips firmly, fight.
ing back the cough; but it sprang out and
choked her.
When the attack was over she lay back ex.
hausted. Her eyes were dull and the color had
gone from her face. The other woman left the
room TO bring in more wood.
A child seated on the floor among blocks OF
wood and bits Of glass and mortar looked with
suspended breath at the face on the pillow Then
she scrambled to her feet and, running across
the room, kissed it softly.
The eyes opened and smiled feebly. They
closed again.
The woman returned with the wood, which
she put into the stove She approached the bed,
brushing bits of dust from her hands and apron.
run and play" she said to the child. She
spoke in a loud voice, but gently, and took the
child by the shoulders to turn it towards the
paythings the floor
With quick, bright smile, the child nodded
and ran back to its play.
The woman looked at the face on the pillow.
The color was coming back. The eyes opened
slowly.
"Better?" she asked.
YVES" The lips moved slowly. "There will
not be many more like that" The eyes regarded
her DULY.
The woman shook her head. "No, you won't
suffer much longer" The voice had warm,
comforting note in it.
The dull eyes wandered to the child on the
floor.
The sun had come out for moment and she
had caught it on bit of broken glass; She was
flashing it along the walls of the room and COO
ing softly to herself, strange, monotonous
sound, but sweet and low.
The sick woman's eyes filed with tears. She
brushed them mpatienty aside. 81 can't leave
her," she said.
The other woman looked at the child. Her
motberly eyes smiled down at it. "Your folks
will take good care of her." she said.
look of distrust crossed the sick face. "You
don't know" She spoke bitterly.
The woman adjusted pillow and smoothed
the roughened hair with soft, generous touch
"They can't help il" she said assuringy. "She'd
make anybody love her"
'They never forgave me-
Because you ran away"
Eyes"
'They won't lay that up against child-not
against a poor, afflicted child
Inc DlC OF SunilRnC ndSne0 ana Qdrte0 on the
WALL and the child cooed softly, with the strange
monotonous sound.
The mother shivered little. Sometimes
think it's a Judgment" she said to herself.
"a Judgment"
She nodded. Her breath came more slowly.
She was breathing easier. '"They haven't spoken
TO each other for ten years-father and mother. -
mot spoken"
"They blamed each other-for my running
away. One of the neighbors wrote me- And
they won't speak"
But they live together?'
Eyes, they live therein the old house, %
There was wistful note in the voice
They'll take her, then" The woman spoke
with confidence. can they'll take good care of
her. You'll see"
EDO you suppose shall see?" she asked, fix
ing her gaunt eyes on the big face.
It beamed on her reassuringly. IT shouldn't
mite wonder if you did Now drink this and 60
to sleep. The Lord can take of dead folks
as well as Twin Ones guess He isn't going to
let a little deaf-anddumb child like that suffer-
not any more'n it has to-
With a comforted look the face turned to the
pillow. The eyeds dropped softly and the wo-
man slept.
An old man stood in the snowy path one hand
holding big shawl about his sloping shoulders.
the other shading his eyes from the glare of light
as they peered into the cavernous depths of an
approaching stage.
"Got any livestock for me?" the high voice
piped shrily above the wind.
The stage-driver smiled. 1t was stiff smile
and very red. He leaned back into the recesses
of the stage and drew out a huge bundle of
shawls and wrappings.
"There We be-" He deposited it in the old
mans upstretched arms
They shook little as they received it,
Fright side up with care" said the driver
loosely.
The old man laughed TREMENDOUSLY. "Pay We
tomorrow" he said.