The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1913-01-31
IN MEMORY OF A BABY
By CARL MhYER E.

soft with a scarcely perez ptible haze
which gives October that pensiveness ,
which is not sadness, and yet which .
tempers Joy.
Miriam sat on the porch grooming
lullaby to her baby "a she gently
rocked back and forth and contem-
plated the quietude of the country as
it hay before her in a glory of crimson
and gold.
A woman came slowly up the street
and paused as she caught sight OF
mother and babe. A woman, haggard'
faded, dust-stained, young in years.
but with youths bloom gone from the
pale cheeks and wretched eyesf Hash
ing suddenly with wild light as she
held out her arms in duplication.
Miriam shrank back in her chair
and held her baby closer, thinking
the woman insane; but seeing her
mistake, leaned forward bit, inquir-
ing if the woman was i'll or needed
help.
mo, madam, not Ill, but 1t has been
so long since I've seen baby! You
are good, you are so happy, you have
not seen sin; you don't know what
it is to have lost your baby and go
about the world with empty arms and
despairing heart. My baby is gone!
If you will only let me kiss your
baby, let me hold it just olce-l would
be more fit to die"
Intuitively, Miriam saw that this
woman had suffered much; wronged
her womanhood, perhaps; but suffer
ed. Pity flashed tears into her eyes
sin shocked her-but she could not
| send a fellow-creature away perhaps
to death, without giving what help she
could.
Hesitating but moment, she SAID:
Come. sit here beside me; BABY IS
almost asleep" and rising, she lalo
the little bundle of warmth and ira
GRANGE in the strangers arms.
With a stifed cry the woman sank
into a chair, while tears coursed down
her wan cheeks. She wept-wept with
grief unspeakable-with that agony OF
an overcharged spirit, until in the full
ness of compassion Miriam put her
arm around the shaking shoulders and
tried in her gentle may to sympa-
thize.
The baby slept.
Miriam brought light refreshment'
dainty sandwiches and cool, rlch milk
Refreshed, the woman, now calm, soft
" whispered: "If you knew what l
have been you would despise me. You
would not let me touch your pure
sweet baby. You have been so good
now let me 60" mo-,
But Miriam gently detained her. II
it will help you to tell me your
trouble, l may be able to aid you, she
said.
Then the woman wept again, but
tenderness prevailed, and bit by bl'
the story of a young girl, born and
, brought up on a farm far from the
citv's whirl, lured away from home OF
nromise of marriage, then deserted
came. How her baby had been borI
in a charity hospital; how she mac
, searched and searched for her faith
less lover only to find him emerging
from a great church with radlan
, bride on his arm; how she had WalKe'
! the streets night and day searching
: for work no one would give; how rea
e son had left her when her baby d1e'
r in her arms; how she was nurse'
I back to puny health by others Wh'
had suffered, who gave her hom'
e and certain rough but tender care
r how she was led on to life of sham
! because she could find no other mean
to earn bread, and how, sickened D.
+ the revolving life, she had cast asld
t her gaudy raiment and was on lie
q way to join her dead baby.
Miriam felt the truth Of her story
u felt that she could net turn away
= soul so sorely distressed.
y, 81 think you were more SHINE
against than SHINING, and God IA
brought you to me-. VIII you sta
with me and help me care for baDy
have great need Of some one Wh
will put love into this work, and pc
haps after q while, my baby WI
comfort you as your own.
you will take me; you will kee
\ me; YOU will let me tend your baby
" Oh. it is too much, tco much!'
o.. 81 will do more, by giving you Low
n and q great trust. You can help
~ harm me much; if you are loyal an
NJ faithful to baby end mo you VIII CIV
81 me a suror confidence in al humanlt
u but if you fail me, l shall never dal
VI TO listen to the voice Of my own so
81 again. 1t is 9 trial for Us both
AZ When the woman lifted her boW'
= head there was 2 now light IN n
eyes: a rested lCCE.
81 thought there vas nothing 1or 4
TO live for, no work fer ne to do' D
7 will live since you think me Wortl
! Of such o trust I will prove TO "
that there is something true III L
STILL I will be faithful.
The next spring in far away CT
over a. little mound in the churchya
4 white stone was placed when DO
the inscription: "In Memory Oh
Baby" and the tiny grave was u
with myrtle and violets.
The woman lived all her long yea
with Miriam and the baby. She cal
tn he like one of the family, respect'
trusted, loved, looked up to- .
tended them in sickness ana
health; rejoiced in their joys sorro
cd with their sorrows, and the ne