Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-23
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UNNELCOME
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CHAPTER Ii
, Struggla Goes On
~ HAIL DEyt2 1ATCHEZ0S-
L2oL % zluaLhe Rnern

The Struggle Goes On
~ HARLOTTE was conscious of
4 the jangling Of the telephone
bell as she and the nurse
bent over Juniors crib. Ell
len had telephoned for the doctor,
but he had not arrived as yet, and
Charlotte wondered vaguely who was
telephoning.
The room was thick with steam.
Over the bed the nurse had arranged
a sheet under which a tea kettle
was Steaming over a little electric
grill. Charlotte wondered how the
baby could breath at all in the heavy
atmosphere, but when she said so to
the nurse, the woman replied that it
was the only thing to do in a case Of
Group.
Ellen appeared in the doorway and
spoke to Charlotte.
1.-THE doctor is here, ma'am, and
Mrs. Hartman wants to speak to you
on the Telephone
Instantly Charlotte was conscious
of a sense of hot anger. Tony'S
mother was on the wire and wanted
to speak to her. Junior might die,
but the conventions must go on for
Mrs. Hartman.
Tell her I can't come to the tele-
phone now, Ellen" she said sharply,
and turned with a little sob to the
doctor.
He was a middle-aged, kindly look
ing man, who spoke in low tones
and approved of everything the
nurse had done. He bent over the
as he touched the little body. When
he raised his head his face was
grave. He took medicine from hts
case and measured it out in a spoon.
He called for a glass, which Char
lote held out to him with trembling
f1Forr 1,
held Junior, he managed to insert
spoonful of the medicine into the
strangling, gasping little creature
that was Charlotte's baby.
Junior choked, and some Of the
medicine trickled out of the side OF
The doctor waited a few moments
and repeated the dose. Charlotte
fancled that the struggle for breath
was not so desperate, but she was
not sure.
Then she was suddenly conscious
or sound In the doorway, and look
ing up, saw Mrs. Hartman standing
there. Instantly fury leaped up in
Charlotte's heart, fury and resent
ment that this woman should enter
the holy of holes; should have the
right to be there. She left her place
by the bed and hurried forward.
why did you come here?" she
said passionately. why, why?" AL
though she spoke in a tense whisper,
her own voice sounded loud and
harsh in her ears; she was hardly
conscious of what she said, so angry
was she, so resentful of the interrupt
tion.
She raised hot youn geyes to Mrs.
Harrlman'S smooth, usually imper-
turbable countenance and what she
saw amazed her, Gained the fury in
her heart, quieted the angry words
that trembled on her lips. There
was an agony in Evelyn Harriman's
eyes, her face was white to the lips.
Charlotte saw what she could not
doubt. the love that this woman bore
for her grandchild
Without a word, Charlotte stepped
back and in her street things, Mrs
Hartman went over to the bed.
Charlotte stood by her, not conscious
that she was there. Once more she
bent over the baby's crib and listen
ed to the terrible sound of a human
being fighting for breath.
Once Junior flung his little hands
up and his impotent baby fists beat
the air, his eyes rolled back and
Charlotte bit her lip with the effort
not to scream, then he caught his
breath again and the labored breath
ing went on, the room was filled with
1T, the world seemed full of it. Char
lotte felt that it must stop or she
would die, she could not possibly
stand it any longer. And then, sud-
denly, startlingly, she wanted Tony!