Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-26

most frightened and half expected the buoyant youth
fu face and the dear eyes that wont to look down
upon Cedric and me And the dear eyes smiled for
they have never changed
lay very still listening to that quiet breathing to
the little rustic and turning which Is tender language
OF It's own When one Is seventy, and closes ones eyes,
it is wonderful how the whole world grows youthful.
And when had almost dozed that little tender rustlng
brought me back happily that ! could hardly tell
which was memory of that other little head upon my
ARM and which was now. Midnight was the important
moment when the babvs food must be warmed and it
was who did this for Peleas' old familiar heplessness
in this little presence delighted me beyond
And when she grew inpatient and cried little Peleas
vaanty lighted matches before her and she fell silent
and smiled and slept again. At five o'clock this
had to be repeated and ] record it as matter of
history that in the meantime / had not slept for a
moment. For there had come thronging back such
company of memories such very flight OF the angels
Of the old delight of our wonderful year when there
was Cedric that the world had no room for sleep at ALL
Sleep! l do not suppose that anyone would chide me
for being wakefu at a bal2 And nothing in the world
could have been delightful to those hours
when that little head lay upon my arm
Sometime after daylight she awoke. Cedric had been
wont to lie quietly as long as ever would but Mill
pretending i-awoke and played with her fists. Then a
fancy that had lowered over me all the night took shape,
and told it to Peleas.
Dsara IS said .y9a know the things in the bottom
Yes" said Peleas at once, 81 have been thinking
about them"
some Of them the baby
" | have been thinking the same thing said Peeas
II was QelClOuSly COWlOrtdDlc III the rOOnl-Nc naQ
kept the hearth alive all night. When warmly
wrapped and had drawn chairs before the fire, Peleas
brought from the bottom drawer the box filled with the
tender yellow musns and the socks that Cedric had
worn such little while. | chose the lace gown that l
had made myself, every stitch; and over her little night
gown we put it Milcente's baby. She very
good and laughed and nestled; and found the
long white cloak that / had embroidered and bonnet
that | had made And Millicentes baby's doubled
TIP in ball when | tried to put IN the sleeve-and
suppose that there babys that did not
do this under similar circumstances but have known
only one little arm. And when the pink hand came
peeping through the cuff Peeas caught it and kissed
it-oh, had not thought for years how he had been
used to do that
"Now!" l said "Peeas-look nowl"
Milcente's baby sat my knee with her back to us
both The little bent back in that white coat, the soft
collar crumping up about the neck in spite of me- the
same little bonnet with the flower in the back and
the lace all aronud-
Peeas laid his check against mine, and we cried to-
gether. | not ashamed-for | did not cryi.with
grief; only with longing that like the hope of
heaven.
We did not hear Nicloa coming with coffee. So
she opened the door and the box the floor and
the things scattered all about She knew what they
were She was with US when little Cedric was here and
she had not forgotten She stood still for a moment,
and then set the tray down on the table