The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-12-31
SHORT
SHORT
STORY

commonplace affair. She must COW
er the hopeless, longing despair
which was the undercurrent of the
simple words. Perhaps she would
drink it this time.
"No." The white lids lifted quick
ly, showing dark eyes that were
luminous in a milk white face, then
the lids dropped definitely and blank
ness reigned.
Mrs. Gordon sighed and looked at
the cup. She fought losing battle
every three hours.
"Time for the temperature, dear.
Slip this into your mouth" She
hated the bright thermometer. 1t
seemed to twinkle with fiendish de-
light as she held it up to the light
and read it's message in dreadful,
silent code-one hundred five-one
hundred three-one hundred six
one hundred four. 1t was the same,
over and over, day after day.
"She is no worse. We've got to
win." Every morning and evening
the doctor said it.
"Open your mouth and take a
weeny Bit" she begged again.
NO." said the little girl from
the depths of the big white bed.
"She must take it or she will not
live" The doctors warning toiled
again solemnly in the quiet room.
Pretty" A CLEAN of light passed
over the pearly face as the little
girl spoke.
Startled, the mother bent over
her.
Pretty" One hand came up
quickly and fluttered down as if a
white flower had fallen.
The hand had pointed straight at
the pendant swinging free from the
mothers neck as she lowered and
brooded over the child. The butter
fly pendant, blue wings edged with
gold.
Blue wings! That was what she
wanted for the little girl. Not
white wings, like the other baby an
gels playing in the meadows of
heaven. Blue of meadow flowers, of
summer sky, twinkling through
green-leaved branches, the blue of
the ocean against white sand, of
lake dropped into a green valley
among fragrant pines, like star
fallen in quiet beauty to its resting
place. Blue wings!
"Look at the blue WINGS" gently
called the mother.
The dark eyes opened and fas-
tened on the pendant.
'Blue flowers, like field of stars
for you to play WITH said Ruth's
mother. 'The blue of the ocean
where you and I will go bathing.
Blue butterflies that go whirling
and dancing in the sunlight. Watch
the blue wings, dear, and drink
this
Slowly the little mouth opened
while the dark eyes dreamed on the
blue wings.
Observation-Disclosures" The
voice died away, the tired lids
dropped, the lip petals folded away
from the cup. The mother stared
down at the cup in her hands-it
became sacred-it was empty.
The day and the night became one
year; the next year and the next
came formidably, stayed intermin-
ably and went with slow finality.
The thermometer glittered evilly.
Every three hours the pendant
swung over the little girl as the cup
her lips.
blue WINGS" whispered the little
girl. She tried to stay awake to
think about it, but she drifted away.
Had she started for those meadows
where the baby angels waved their
white wings?
you shall wear blue WINGS"
promised the mother one morning,
as the little girl held the thermom-
ster in her mouth. ''You shall
wear pendant just like mine, and
play in the meadow with blue flow
ers and splash in the blue water and
lie on the white sand and look up at
he blue sky"
She took the thermometer from
he tiny lips, and the lids f1uttered
ihut again as the pendant swung
lway. The door opened softly and
he doctor came in. The mother
cad the thermometer with tired,
,ainstaking care; she stared at it,
hen handed it silently to the doc
or.
Were going to win!" The moth
RS voice was hushed, yet vibrant.
She's coming back to health and
ongs and love and butterflies"
"I'm going - to - have - blue
Wings" piped wavery voice from
he middle of the big white bed.
The doctor stared; the small voice
rumpeted in the hush of the room.
was the first time the little girl
ad ever spoken to him.
blue wings-like mother" The
ark eyes flashed triumphant look
t the doctor. The mother turned,
milling, then stood carved in JOY
t a sound. A sound came from
he lips soft as the petals of a
over, a blessed, low. golden sound
nat rang good news as if all the |