The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-10
A BLACK PERIL.

he looked almost gigantic. The eyes
cleaned like yellow lamps Coming |
slowly into the circle of light cast by |
my study lamp, he leaped upon my
lap with a soft "purr," and nestled
his head on my shoulder.
In the morning my wife laughingly
declared he must stay.
my class colors, Jack" resting
her golden head against his shining
iet-blacK fur.
He soon became her constant COM
panion by day; his sleek 1.-THE form
curled by night in the hollow Of her
arm.
To my remonstrances and quoted
authorities as to a cats unhealthful-
ness as a bedfellow, she returned a
wilfully petulant albeit laughing OBJ
stinacy. II would not do to irritate
her now.
Always delicate, she began to have
at night, spells that were alarming.
A gaspng sound that awoke me; to
find her struggling for breath, her
lips, livid and cold as death; and
leaving her for hours languid and
exhausted Then our little '"Blossom"
came.
Jet refused to acknowledge the
baby, or TO resume his old place. but
he was of minor Importance just then.
The roses came back to my wife's
face. the laughter to her lips; and
surely nothing could be brighter,
sweeter or healthier than the baby,
growing in beauty and strength every
day until
To go back a little--Jet had soon
recovered from his evident jealousy
and transferred his affections to
Blossom" curling himself into a
huge black ball at the foot of her
cradle when she slept.
Then, one night was gasplng cry;
the little hands were thrown ont, the
baby face grew livid it seemed an
| eternity before our efforts aroused
her. She recovered in marvelously
| short time, and for several days was
apparently as we'll as ever.
Then-one night there was the
same gasping cry
How can | write it? The little face
| grew deathlike, the sweet eyes glaZ-
ed, the baby lips unresponsive TO the
agonizing mother kisses-our little
Blossom was beyond all earthly love
or care.
The doctor was plainly puzzled;
there was apparently no slightest in
dcations pointing to the cause of her
death When jet. soon after, crept
up to his old place and the empty
mothers arms closed round him,
had not the heart to demonstrate.
Time brought its inevitable heal
ing; she grew stronger than foI
years before, and my heart beat with
! hope once more.
Suddenly, without warning, she be
gan to fade. The doctors could give
no name to the insidious malady
which slowly sapped her life-wt
could only stand helplessly by ant
see the sweet face grow pale, the
eyes dim, the hands nerveless.
AS her exhaustion was greater il
the morning, ! had moved a cot int
an adjoining room to not disturb
what rest she might take
: sat again by the fire; despair II
my heart, too hopeless to pray
glancing with unseeing eyes upon tn,
uncut, opened page.
Suddenly one paragraph stood on
= from the others in its blackness be
fore my Mortified eyes.
Good Cod! Had we all been blind
could there be a muTderous truth il
; IAN exploded superstition" l woul
soon know.
] crept nearer to her door an,
listened to her soft breathing; closer
; in death-lke silence, till | coul,
/, see as well as hear. My heart bea
, to suffocation, and my body tremble
, with the fury of its imagination. A
> watched, 1.-the, black form slowl
stretched itself along the pillow til
It's head touched the yellow curls
:. Closer still, with a sibilant breath
/. till the brute face was over the 9th
y er--the ears laid close against II
!. shining ebon head the eyes narrowe
y in ecstasy as 1t drew the breath fror
t her slightly parted lips.
g | watched till | was sure-till | sa'
r the sweet face grow pale and III
l. lrail hands twitch in the struggle fo
breath.
g was only conscious that l wishe
n the creature had a hundred lives
o be crushed beneath my vengeful fiji
II gers, and then | knew no more fo
o hours.
e My darling never knew her per
e till months went by and health an
e strength came fully back. | shut
4 der when a black cat crosses m
), path; and even yet. shadow apo
the pillow brings back the nauseat
', ing horror of that night.-Frances {
= Ingersoll,
: Ancient Mascots.
'. Mascots have had their place in tn