Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-01-03
boat and walked With lssEard step the

To their surprise, the cabin was light
ed, and the household astir. AS their
steps sounded On the gravel path, Amer
lea came to the door, her bony fig
uTe framed against the candle-lit wall.
"Fo' Gawd's sake! Whar y'all been?
Come quick, yo' ma"
Lavender rushed past the trembling
servant into the room.
On his knees by the bed wherein her
mother lay in a stupor, knelt her father,
and all the rebellion of this young, un-
tanned soul rose in revolt against his
prayer. She heard the words:
Strength to bear it," Thy rod and
Thy staff, they comfort me-" and an
guish commended with a fierce, unreason-
ing anger.
Father, father" she cried. 90 some
thing! Don't pray for comfort, It she
dies! She shall not die!"
Turning to Gerald, who stood by In
mute distress, she sent him for the doc
tor. ''The one on the st. Louis road
he who was once a preacher. Quick!"
She rubbed the limp, cold hands with
all the vigor of her passionate youth.
She tried 10 rouse the sinking woman
with a tempest of words; words of en-
dearment, of pleading, of fond Gliding.
America, tears furrowing the brow of
her drawn face, whispered: "She's been
out n her head all night, honey, and now
it pears like she don know nothin'.
Yer pa an me, we done all we could,
but 'peared like 1t warn't no uset."
THAT is where you are wrong, Amer
lea; it Is always use to have hope; it
is wrong to give up and pray, instead
of fight" Then, as she saw the old
woman's look of shocked reproach, she
added, more softly: "Or if you pray,
pray for help, not comfort"
She stroked her fathers head, tender
ly. Forgive me, Dad, l don't know
what I'm saying. My mind is a whirl,
and only n thought stands out in
the maze. Mother must not-must not
leave us. We couldn't bear that, could
we, Dad?' For a moment her spirit
gave way, and she cried miserably on
her fathers shoulder.
Then, rallying quickly: go to bed,
now, and trust to America and me. The
doctor and Gerald will come soon"
Crushed and worn with the night of
watching, Mr.. Creighton staggered out
of doors to the stairway that led above.
But first he stopped over the bed to
kiss the unresponsive lips. A faint
sigh was his reward.
See, Lavender, a good sign. Perhaps
you have brought her out of the valley
my brave child"
The sun was high when Gerald re-
turned with the doctor.
When Lavender went to greet them,
the light dazzled her, and she stag
gered as she led the way to the sick
roon.
When, later, she followed the doctor
out to where the pony waited, and
asked his opinion timidly, he said:
The case is a grave enc, but there is
no sense in giving I'D. The fever is
what the people here call the season
ing and is apt to fellow the change
to this climate. Your mother was in
the swanp-lands, toD, 1 understand,
near the Mississippi, and that was
bad for her. Her ease is unusually
severe, but with care she may recover
at least, enough to bear the journey
home"
Lavender started at the unexpected
turn of the sentence. 1.-THE journey
homer" she echoed, in amazement.
Eyes, back east, back to her old
hoIhe. I am sure this climate will
never agree with her. She may re-
cover temporarily from this attack,
sufficiently to bear the trip home.
That, in my judgment, is the best you
can expect"
Then he took his leave, saying he
would call again, "and often until we
pull her through" he said, encour-
agingly.
Returning, Lavender found America
at the DeISlde.
"You lay down, and git some res,
honey, I'll watch yer ma"
But 1t was long before the teeming
brain could find relief in sleep. The
narrowing hours of the past night
were a torture to be lived over again
with each closing Of the burning eye
lids. She saw again the litter borne
in the alley Of smoking brands, she
heard the sick mans means, saw his
face, deathly white, on the blood
stained pillow. And then the scene
would change, and the white, drawn
face, deathly white, on the blood
her mothers. And accompanying all
was the refrain of the doctors words:
Home, you must take her home"
Homer" How? The question
sounded a hopeless echo in her ears,
as she sank to sleep.