The Tupelo journal., 1916-06-09
ps it was the dead mother.

inS. TeTHdpS IL was the dead mother.
She pitied her devoutly. Then, being
a practical woman, Nurse Winifred at
once set about preparing for the
child's life in the flat.
You'll have to have a crib" she
said.
The man pulled out a roll of bills
and handed he. fifty dollars. Order
what you want" he said CURLY.
That was the beginning of the
strange experience. The mans work
room was at the end of the fiat, a
large room filled with glass Of all
shapes and sizes. Angels heads start
ed out from between strips of lead.
The floor was splashed with coloring.
When the nurse came Clauson shut
himself up and refused to see her.
Weeks passed. They hardly ever
met. Clauson had given her a key and
knew her hours. She would hear him
at work in his room as she tended
Muriel. Gradually she began to see
that a certain affection had sprung
up between the child and the father.
She began to pity the lonely man.
Once, when they met, she showed this
sympathy, and she fancied that the
look in his eyes was like that of a
dog, starving for affection. But then
the mask fell again, and he was gruf-
fer than ever when they next met.
One day, as she was leaving. he
came in and stood beside her.
Well, how long is this going on?"
he asked.
las long as / am needed" she an
swered with spirit.
The man seemed suddenly to
change. "Sit down a minute" he said.
Il want to tell you that-that [ am
not u~ngrateful for what you have
done. You are fond of the child. But
you don't know what she means to me.
Il want to explain my rudeness."
1T will take a lot of explaining"
thought Nurse Winifred; but she only
waited for what he vas going to say.
Il want to tell you" he continued,
that the child's mother is still alive"
Then why don't you bring herr"
demanded Nurse Winifred, starting up
in CONSERVATION.
Because she wouldn't come" he
answered. She never wanted the
child. She hated the idea of giving
life to her. She only cared for-soci.
ETY., and such things"
oh" murmured the nurse, begin.
ming to sense something of the trag.
edy.
Il wrote to her after she had left
me. She ran away-she left a note
for me saying that she couldn't live
in poverty. l was not successful then.
1t was hard work to live. But she
eve cared for the child. l wrote to
her, begging her to come back for her
sake. But she refused. She secured
a divorce from me in the West and
married a rich man The child meant
nothing to her and does not remember
her.
After that experience | hated all
women. l vowed that no should
ever enter my home again. l resolved
to bring up the child alone, to try to
make her better than her mother was,
But she had to go to the hospital, and
and"
Il understand" answered Nurse
Winifred gently.
Then, when you came here l de
ternined never to see you. But you
showed me that there were some
women who were different. And l am
sorry. l know how you have given ali
your spare time in spite of the work in
the hospital. So want to make you
a suggestion. l am not fit to care fol
the child. Take her away and bring
her up as yours. l will pay you.
am doing we'll, and | can sign an agree
ment-"
Nonsense, Mr.. Clauson," answered
the nurse promptly. II am willing tC
continue coming here. Muriel likes
me, and-it is my greatest happiness
Her eyes filled with tears. He made
no answer, but went out of the room
quickly.
But after that she had, more and
more frequently, glimpses of the real
man beneath the mask of indifference
and selfshness. 1t was a slow process,
1t began when they put their heads
together to plan for the girls welfare.
But it might have been infinitely slow
had not Nurse Winifred suddenly
failed to appear one afternoon.
The next day Clauson was at the
hospital. They told him that she had
been struck down with pneumonia
from overwork; that there was nc
hope for her.
Nurse Winifred, lying in a coma,
was wholly ignorant of the man who
sat beside the bed. He had been there
from morn till night for seven days.
There is one chance in a hundred .
the doctor said. 1T is the critical
period. If she awakens but
1 is not likely to awaken
AS the angels of death and life