Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-07-18

menting over what seemed to be a
half dead infant l asked what allied
It, and the woman said it had been Ill
OF fever. fever of bad sort" she
added, and she was tramping to Ord
ley to see if she could get relief there.
You should not have let my sis
ter touch the child" / said, hastily;
the fever may be infectious"
1T will not hurt her." replied the
woman, sullenly.
/ gave the woman money enough to
last her for week or two, and then
hastily drew my darling into the
house. | made her change her dress;
and she did SO, laughing heartily at
my precautions. A cold presentinlent
of coming sorrow seized me. was
careful that she should not see nv
fears, but could hardly endure her
out of my sight for one moment.
Three more days passed, and there
was still no word from Walter; my
sisters face began to look grave and
anxious. | debated long whether I
had better interfere, but my reason
told me no.
The summer was most beautiful
one; there was perfect profusion of
flowers and fruits. The only draw
back was the excessive warmth. One
evening | sent Maggie out into the
orchard to see if any of my favorite
"Magnum bonum' plums had fallen
from the trees. She brought back a
few, and as she gave them to me l
saw her SILVER violently as though
seized with deadly cold.
Are you cold this warm evening,
Maggie?" | asked, my heart sinking
with dread.
Yes, rather she replied; my
head aches, and there seems to be
red cloud before my eyes. 1t serves
me right. Deena; I sat up reading
last night for hours after l ought to
have been asleep"
| felt relieved; it might be that,
after all. I sent her ia rest early. and
went to visit her. She was sleeping
soundly when entered the room, but
some dream had taken great hold of
her.
Il will not give in" she mutteled
Il will see how long he can bear It,
/ shaded the night light and left
her, hoping the morning would find
her well again.
! do not know how long had slept,
or what had awakened me, but the
first faint gray dawn of morning was
shining when l opened my eyes, with
sudden start. heard a sweet RIGA
voice, singing an old familiar song.
THAT is Maggie" thought. What
on earth is the child doing at this hour
of the morning?" | looked at my
watch 1t was not yet four. "She
cannot Sleep" l said to myself "and
is amusing herself with singing.
What queer idea!' Yet the voice
sounded strangely; there was some
thing wild and weird about 1t. 1
could hear every note, for my room
was next to hers. ] rose. and went In
to see what she was doing | think
that until the hour OF my death, 1
shall never quite forget the shock and
fright that seized me then. Maggie
was standing by the window. her
hair flowing down her neck and
shoulders, lurid light burning in her
eyes, a crimson flush on her wild
face.
Maggie, my darling, what are you
doing there" cried, Fastening to her.
But she did not know me when I
threw my arms around her. She
laughed wild. dreadful laugh. that
froze my blood. l saw then that the
cruel fever had seized her with deadly
violence. l called two of the maid
servants to assist me, and we tried
between us to keep her in the pretty
white bed where had seen her lying
SO still few hours ago. sent the
old gardener for the doctor, and told
him to hurry, for it was case of
life or death.
All. do not like to remember that
time, even though it is so long since.
could not recognize my sweet, bright |
Maggie, in the raving maddened girl. |
whom all our efforts could barely re-
strain. Delirium, with all its dark
horrors. had taken firm hold of her.
Oh, the unnatural sound of that dear
voice as she sang snatches of old
melodies' can hear it now.
The doctor was not long in coming.
and he confirmed my apprehens.ons.
II was typhus fever, he said. of the
worst kind: and l read in his face that
he had but little hope. l told him
about the sick child my darling had
taken into her arms. and he only won
dered that these symptoms had not
shown themselves before.
All that science could do for her
was done: but the cruel fire raged still
IN that delicate frame and began to
lear that Maggie's eyes would never
zee me more. II was strange that in
Ill her delirium she never named
Walter or me. She talked for hours
ogether of her books and her music.
md of all her friaDdu. h,,t ,,,, x.x.,oe !