Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-07-04
would never be finished. He looked up

AeS ~ lliC IlCil, ONOIpOW .
ering magic of the summers night
flooded through from the streets: a
golden atmosphere Of young girls
laughing. Of people talking, and,
d%renching all, some hurdy-gurdy sing
ing the loves of the people in a clash
ing wild music. All the city vas light
hearted and laughing after it's million
scattered supper; the children shouted
and played; the families took the cool
air on the stoops; the electric lit ave-
nues swung with tides of lovers. And
yet In this small room a tiny child was
torn way from h worlds joy and lay
tossing in pain.
The doctor rose.
He needs watching tonight. It's
early to tell what it is. If he gets
worse. call me-" He added a few direc-
tions and turned to go. Then suddenly
Agnes faced him.
What's the matter with him, doc-
tor?"
The doctor smiled softly.
II don't know. Mrs. Carr"
She spoke sharply:
Are o afraid to tell us 2"
why. no" he began: but she broke
down suddenly n cried out:
II know what it is-it's scarlet fe-
ver!"
But, Mrs. Carr" he said gently, at
may be only a rash. 1t must develop
further before 1 can tell. I'll come
again early in the morning. It's prob
ably only prickly heat and upset stom-
ach. Good night"
Good night" said Tom.
Agnes followed him to the door with
u speaking; her face was white. The
doctor gripped her hand.
You mustn't worry. Mrs. Cair. You
see it's your first child"
NJ only child!!" breathed Agnes.
The doctor leaned close and whis-
pered:
rs Mr.. Cair any better?"
That's just it," she said in a low
voice, i've got no one to rely on. To
nave 1T happen just now, when Tom
Tell him." the doctor spoke with
Now, remember"
She closed the door, leaned back
against it; and suddenly q fearful wave
of black swept from her feet to her
brain and seemed to expunge her self
control. She lurched, staggered into
the room. and flung herself on the bed,
heaving with sharp. strangling sobs.
He's going to die" she cried, hes
going to die. l know he's going to die"
Tom stood there looking at her. Her
helplessness, her mother passion, were
like a call to arms that smote some
thing deep within him; a sharp thrill
of strength went through him-the
courage of desperation; color came into
his cheeks; he leaned over her. and his
voice rang true:
"Oh. Tom" she sobbed, why must
he suffer? What did he ever do?'
"Agnes!" he cried again, we've got
to fight: get up" He was GREATNESS.
We've got to fight together. You go
to bed. Agnes. I'm going to stay up
with Billy"
She rose, staring at him through her
tears.
NO." she said softly. you go to bed.
Tom. You're half dead"
He seized her by the arms.
Billy will need you tomorrow. He'll
need you every minute tomorrow" His
voice deepened. "Now you go to bed,
Agnes. l must fight this out"
Go to bed with Billy sick?" she cried.
He spoke p~assionately:
Agnes, you've got to let me fight this
out"
She glanced at his face, and sudden
ly flung her arms ROUND his neck.
"Oh. thank God. I've got you, Tom.
Forgive me for being such a child"
They kissed, n even in their pain
a sense of ecstacy touched them. of the
romance of life reawakening. of great
issues to be faced. of a crisis that drew
out their hidden divine strength. Tom
flung off his coat, his collar, his shirt;
he put on soft slippers: he cried:
I'm ready. 10 10 DoQ, Agnes"
And then the fight was on.
The long summer night seemed UNI
ending. Agnes, utterly worn out, slept
like a child, her face turned from the
light. The white sheet sloped over her
huddled body and her golden braids lay
glimmering over her shoulder. To keep
awake Tom walked up and down.
at the silent stars or over the shadowy
yards, and then came bac and looked
down at his SON. The boy slept in
snatches and then began to toss and to
moan again. He resisted Toms efforts
frantically. n Agnes would sit up in
ing mother-voice-'Ah. darling. it's all
right now!"-and sink down, sleeping.
Tom felt numb at first. The thrill
of strength soon left him. and as the
noises of the night died down, family
after family withdrawing to their sleep
and even the lovers that fingered on
the steps saying thei last good nights
and shutting the doors, the room be-
came so still that the passing Of an
elevated train made q quo thunder that
seemed to shake the walls. Tom could
hear Agnes breathing, the moaning of
Billy, and the sound his feet made as
he stepped on a loose board in the
floor.
And then in the deep night silence,
gazing at the stars so far from earth
and then looking at his little boy. Tom
felt the mystery of pain. Why were
these human things, 81 capable of JOY
and laughter. love and sweetness.
doomed to suffer. to come crying out Of
the dark, to break their hearts. to go
back crying into the night? The
thought made him numb: the mystery
of his own existence; the mystery Of
that sleeping being whom he knew as
his wife: the wild n weird mystery of
this child which had emerged through
them n nov this night lay under the
pitiless stars. tossing and moaning.
Had it not been better II Billy had
never been born? Now he might be