The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-08-24
Revelations
ora Vile
What Madge Deamed, Hoped and
Feared as She Held Lillian'S
Child In Her Arms.
@~de% C1rrIOork

Nh''N " nv 'Ho
M lSS SONNOTl Hurry
MI The low toned call lu rl"
A'A physicians voice came l'um ulI
Mrs. Morton's room. katherine va, OH.
her feet al the first word At the lal
she was AsuAt at the door. ihrdnus
a quick t6Nadiand over her shoulder
at me.
"Gcnd Lillian up. You'd better stay
with Marion"
| ran down the stairs noiscic,,ly and
across Iillian's wonderful scarlet AMI
white liying-room to the rose hung
boudoir where had lett the child
asleep in her mothers arms. As / en-
tered, on ti1tOc. Lillian stirred slightly
What IS IT, She whispered
! bent over her and explained klrlnr
ines message IN q low monotone which
/ am fortunate u being able to use !
have found II to be far less disturbing
to a sick person than . whisper. And
there is little or no danger of awaken
M a sleeping person with us use.
III nc get up" she whispered.
Marion was lying cuddled close t. her
mother in such fashion that there was
g cat danger Of awakening her # the
mothers arms were Withdrawn. But /
comprchcndcd Instantly what Lillian
wanted me to do. She wished me 10
substitute my arm, for hers, 10 Cuddlc
the tbild IN the same fashion. 81 tht
the little thing even IN sleep 81 uId not
mlsS her.
With infinite pains VIC made the sub
stitution, and before Lillian left SHE
looked down at Us with a gaze | shall
always remember. There was a great
love Tor her child in it, but there was
something else, comprehension, aye,
and compassion also for me
She did not kiss either OF us, for both
she and | feared a single awkward
movement might awaken the sleeping
child. But the long look she gave Us
wac a caress and a benediction.
In another moment even the frou irou
Of her skirts had grown indistinct, yet
another, and ! could hear no sound in
all the house save the Child'S soft, even
reSpirationS and my own rather hurried
breathing
And then the waters OF Marah closed
over me.
For Marion. still restless. even in her
sleep. threw one little bare arm around
my neck, cuddling her tiny hand into
my hair.
Mamma, mamma" she murmured
s%lecplly, aud then vas of into slumber-
land again.
And !, quiyering with the old, Fold
longing that never would be stilled. lay
staring out into the long years in front
Of me. years which might never be
blessed to me with the touch Of childish
fingers.
The Mother Accolade.
With my arms strained around the
soft, childish figure OF my friends little
daughter ! tried. foolishly enough, TO
lose myself in the illusion that it was
really my own child in my arms, that |
too, had been given that accolade OF a
woman's life-motherhood.
But TO no avail. Little Marion. dear
to me, beloved, was still my friends
child, not mine. And | found that it
was torture TO pretend.
Another thought, insidious. black,
crept into my mind. Even il Dicky, al
ways so prejudiCed against children,
should change his feeling upon the sub
jec,, would ! now want to bring into
the world the child OF a slacker2
1t was a bitter thought, an awful
thought, but as it orept unbidden into
my mind so it remained, even against
my protest. Because he was just old
enough TO escape CONSUMPTION, Dicky
had stood back and seen all his fellows
march away to the great war.
Is Madge Thankful
Alfred Durkee was but one OF
those who had gone. Even Frank
Lester, the man ! liked least, the mar
| had always characterized as a
"%bounder," wa in the aviation corps,
while his wife and child were with her
people, fortunately possessed OF enough
means for comfort while he was away.
Only Harry Underwood and Dicky