The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-06-08

Aftef the claiidsen Ind gore 70 bed,
Eliena took me IN 70 the room she
md pfepafed for fefset and sherlc com
ing baby during the tfrst few nthsi
OF its life She IS not going to the
hospital and so she had this room
prepared and sssterilt lied with the same
.hygienic care that IS 8be BESTOWED on the
operating room OF "a clinic. &
Everything was white tile, white
paint and white furniture. "A white
hospital bed stood almost in the cen:
ter OF the room, and beside tia beau
tifnl white bassinet for the, baby.
..Baby's nurse can sleep in here, after
i am able is Il leave I'll, she said. =
hated toEgo to the hospital and leave
the boys and Harry, so he had this
fixed up for me under the supervision
of my doctor and nurses.
Eliene suddenly took my hand.
i.''Ndargie, are you afraid, she asked.
yes, Il am, dear. awfu.ly afraid"
II get Just all trembly chills." she
explained. "oh, Just wish it were
all over. Have you heard, Margte.
that there Is q man over In Germany
who. they. say, has found out how to
prevent pain at childbirth. They call
ii Twilight Sleep. Harry told me a
month ago that he would take mejover
there IL II wanted to go, but l was
afraid OF that also. You know Harry's
mother IS awfu1ly old:fashioned, and
when Ismentioned 1t to her that possi-
bly, might go! she said that she
,ttoughtii was sin for women to
try to get rid Of the pain Of childbirth.
That it was going against the teach
ings OF the Bible"
"The agony that comes fromla wom-
an when her child is born, is the pay:
ment she must make for the sin com:
mitted by the first woman in the Gar
den of Eden" she said.
isn't that terrible theory to
have, Margie;. that we must suffer pain
for the sin OF our Oldest ancestor.
Isn't it enough to, have to suffer for
our own sins? I}feel my courage ooz.
ing, and have come to the conclusion
that the real test Of bravery is in be-
ing able to wait, patiently. was not
half as heartbroken when that awful
episode of the twins was being enact.
ed before my eyes, because j too could
act, as was while'l was just waiting
for Harry to come back to me in the
long months after that girl died, and
| had adopted the children. think
/ shall be brave during the coming or.
deal, but Just now am terror-strick-
en-"
We looked at each other solemnly,
and then l, said, Here, this will
never do. You and ! are only going
to pass through an ordeal that our
mothers and their mothers before
them passed through. Surely, We can
be as courageous as they" and then
we Strengthened up and went into the
nursery where Bulge and. To-day were
sleeping.
: IL ever there were adorable chill
dren on this earth, they are Harry's'
boys which Eleiene adopted, and
when they are asleep, they are almost
too beautiful. AS weslooked at them;
Eliene came close to me and said,
t.Margie, I've thought a lot since X
have been expecting my child OF the
poor mother Of these dear boys. She
must have had the same physical fear
that have, and she could not have
had the same hope and spiritual up
lift to sustain her. What to me will
spell the physical aspect Of 3honor, to
her could only be proof Of Disgrace.
y .tshe must have lived in hell all
those long months until she died. Do
you know, as much as love Harry
and as much as i know that he SUI.
fered, sometimes when he comes in,
at night and takes me an his arms
and tells me how: happy he Is, be-
tween my lips and his kisses the.
ghost Of that poor girls paint visited
mouth fingers. When II feel the
warmth OF his living body, against
mine again 1 feel that GOODNESS that
.is not like. any other chill know
the chill that felt as 1 clasped. in her
stiffened hands across her breast a
tiny flower that had lain for a mo-.
ment on the seeking mouth of each
of her sons.