The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-06-14
CHAPTER VII.

C6IeOs
CHAPTER VII.
A brazen August sun was heating to
. glow the almost deserted streets Of
New Orleans. The atmosphere seemed
reeking with the pestilence that threaten
ed to depopulate the city. Dwellings,, and
business houseo were closed. Grass grew
in the streets. A solemn hush broken
only by the mournful rumble Of hearse
wheels, added to the desolation.
Those who know anything Of tho yell
low fever epidemic, need no description
of its horrors. Those who do not, no
pen picture could make understand.
When the hum Of happy voices v as heard
no more. When. day after day, dawned
and faded again into darkness, the still.
ness broken by no familiar sound Of
milkman 3 bell, nor fruit vender 9 mo.
notonous harangue. No enterprising
newsboy 8 cry of Daily Picayure !"
No childish voices rang out on the
fetid air. The greensward, WHICH little
feet had ever kept well pressed was left
to grow in rank luxuriance. Those same
little feet, many of them, were still, and
cold, victims of the terrible scourge.
On low couch, near an open window,
lay little Blossom. Her yellow hair
streamed over the pillow. Her hot
breath came slower, and fainter, across
the baby lips. By the couch, the moth
er kneeled. Her bloodless features in
strange contrast to the flushed face Of
her child.
"Father, if it be Thy will, let this
cup pass from M"
Not the first time this cry has been
wrung from suffering lips. Not the first
time that He, who doeth all things well,
had thought best to deny. The mother .
voice seemed to have power to stop the
fleeing baby soul. The blue eyes open
ed for one brief second. A faint sound,
it might have been mother, = stirred the
baby lips, the little breast rose and fell,
then was still. Baby Blossom was dead.
cit is not to be Mrs. Sanders. God
has claimed his own, loaned you for :
little while. =
The physician who had been standing
by the bed awaiting the inevitable, laid
his hand alphabetically on the moth.
Is bowed head. At sound Of his voice
she raised her head but no word passed
her lips She rose slowly, and in a
strained tone said, "I would not be per-
mitted to take her away for burialf''
Not now. Later you can do SO.
advise you to leave the city at once. I
am truly sorry you did not have warn
ing in time to save your child. I will
attend to her grave and see that it is
marked beyond possibility Of mistake.
What name, pleased"
She looked at him vacantly for q Sec
ond, then said slowly, "Elba Carlyle
Sanders So, Baby Blossom e name went
down on the long death list.
In his far away Northern
home, Brcnt Lawrence read it,
and with bowed head rolled
the stone above the grave of his dead
hopes, and realized bitterly that the
one sweet dream of his life was ended.
He took one last long look at the pictured
face he loved so well, turned it to the
| ,~.M - l.~c,~ = xo,v,
Despite the urging Of the physician
and her friends, Elba did not leave the
city. Instead she offered her services at
the hospital, counting death on every oc.
casion.
~ did not get away in time to save
my baby" she said pitifully, will
not 60 now. I've nothing to live for
now. If / can do any thing for the suf-
ferers, will gladly give my life But,
"Death comes not to those who mourn. >,
The desolate woman was saved for
some purpose.
AS soon as possible, Elba removed the
little body to the family burying ground,
beside her parents and sister. A lovely
white stone bore the inscription, s.Baby
Blossom"
Very different from the old place, was
the elegant country home. Money and
taste, combined with great labor, had
restored it to more than ito pristine
beauty and grandeur.
The house had been renovated, and
remodeled. The once neglected yard, had
changed to miniature fairy land, where
flowers bloomed, and fountains played
To travellers on the river the place was
pointed out by the river men, as the
handsomest outside of New Orleans.
Here, in solemn state, with Aunt Deb
by, and Uncle Simon, and a retinue OF
servants, Mrs. Sanders made her home
when not travelling The unhappy wo
man made no friends. She cared fol
none The country people, mostly new
| Corners, called, and offered the hospital
| ty of their homes. She neither accepted