sketches new and old-第18章

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wondering　to　myself　if　70　was　too　warm　for　a　sick　child。

The　coachman　arrived　from　down…town　now　with　the　news　that　our　physician
was　ill　and　confined　to　his　bed。　　Mrs。　McWilliams　turned　a　dead　eye　upon
me；　and　said　in　a　dead　voice：

〃There　is　a　Providence　in　it。　　It　is　foreordained。　　He　never　was　sick
before。　　Never。　　We　have　not　been　living　as　we　ought　to　live；　Mortimer。
Time　and　time　again　I　have　told　you　so。　　Now　you　see　the　result。　　Our
child　will　never　get　well。　　Be　thankful　if　you　can　forgive　yourself；　I
never　can　forgive　myself。〃

I　said；　without　intent　to　hurt；　but　with　heedless　choice　of　words；　that　I
could　not　see　that　we　had　been　living　such　an　abandoned　life。

〃Mortimer！　　Do　you　want　to　bring　the　judgment　upon　Baby；　too！〃

Then　she　began　to　cry；　but　suddenly　exclaimed：

〃The　doctor　must　have　sent　medicines！〃

I　said：

〃Certainly。　　They　are　here。　　I　was　only　waiting　for　you　to　give　me　a
chance。〃

〃Well　do　give　them　to　me！　　Don't　you　know　that　every　moment　is　precious
now？　　But　what　was　the　use　in　sending　medicines；　when　he　knows　that　the
disease　is　incurable？〃

I　said　that　while　there　was　life　there　was　hope。

〃Hope！　　Mortimer；　you　know　no　more　what　you　are　talking　about　than　the
child　unborn。　　If　you　would　　As　I　live；　the　directions　say　give　one
teaspoonful　once　an　hour！　　Once　an　hour！as　if　we　had　a　whole　year
before　us　to　save　the　child　in！　　Mortimer；　please　hurry。　　Give　the　poor
perishing　thing　a　tablespoonful；　and　try　to　be　quick！〃

〃Why；　my　dear；　a　tablespoonful　might〃

〃Don't　drive　me　frantic！　　。　　。　　。　　There；　there；　there；　my　precious；　my
own；　it's　nasty　bitter　stuff；　but　it's　good　for　Nellygood　for　mother's
precious　darling；　and　it　will　make　her　well。　　There；　there；　there；　put
the　little　head　on　mamma's　breast　and　go　to　sleep；　and　pretty　soonoh；
I　know　she　can't　live　till　morning！　　Mortimer；　a　tablespoonful　every
half…hour　willOh；　the　child　needs　belladonna；　too；　I　know　she　doesand
aconite。　　Get　them；　Mortimer。　　Now　do　let　me　have　my　way。　　You　know
nothing　about　these　things。〃

We　now　went　to　bed；　placing　the　crib　close　to　my　wife's　pillow。　　All　this
turmoil　had　worn　upon　me；　and　within　two　minutes　I　was　something　more
than　half　asleep。　　Mrs。　McWilliams　roused　me：

〃Darling；　is　that　register　turned　on？〃

〃No。〃

〃I　thought　as　much。　　Please　turn　it　on　at　once。　　This　room　is　cold。〃

I　turned　it　on；　and　presently　fell　asleep　again。　　I　was　aroused　once
more：

〃Dearie；　would　you　mind　moving　the　crib　to　your　side　of　the　bed？　　It　is
nearer　the　register。〃

I　moved　it；　but　had　a　collision　with　the　rug　and　woke　up　the　child。　　I
dozed　off　once　more；　while　my　wife　quieted　the　sufferer。　　But　in　a　little
while　these　words　came　murmuring　remotely　through　the　fog　of　my
drowsiness：

〃Mortimer；　if　we　only　had　some　goose　greasewill　you　ring？〃

I　climbed　dreamily　out；　and　stepped　on　a　cat；　which　responded　with　a
protest　and　would　have　got　a　convincing　kick　for　it　if　a　chair　had　not
got　it　instead。

〃Now；　Mortimer；　why　do　you　want　to　turn　up　the　gas　and　wake　up　the　child
again？〃

〃Because　I　want　to　see　how　much　I　am　hurt；　Caroline。〃

〃Well；　look　at　the　chair；　tooI　have　no　doubt　it　is　ruined。　　Poor　cat；
suppose　you　had〃

〃Now　I　am　not　going　to　suppose　anything　about　the　cat。　　It　never　would
have　occurred　if　Maria　had　been　allowed　to　remain　here　and　attend　to
these　duties；　which　are　in　her　line　and　are　not　in　mine。〃

〃Now；　Mortimer；　I　should　think　you　would　be　ashamed　to　make　a　remark　like
that。　　It　is　a　pity　if　you　cannot　do　the　few　little　things　I　ask　of　you
at　such　an　awful　time　as　this　when　our　child〃

〃There；　there；　I　will　do　anything　you　want。　　But　I　can't　raise　anybody
with　this　bell。　　They're　all　gone　to　bed。　　Where　is　the　goose　grease？〃

〃On　the　mantelpiece　in　the　nursery。　　If　you'll　step　there　and　speak　to
Maria〃

I　fetched　the　goose　grease　and　went　to　sleep　again。　　Once　more　I　was
called：

〃Mortimer；　I　so　hate　to　disturb　you；　but　the　room　is　still　too　cold　for
me　to　try　to　apply　this　stuff。　　Would　you　mind　lighting　the　fire？　　It　is
all　ready　to　touch　a　match　to。〃

I　dragged　myself　out　and　lit　the　fire；　and　then　sat　down　disconsolate。

〃Mortimer；　don't　sit　there　and　catch　your　death　of　cold。　　Come　to　bed。〃

As　I　was　stepping　in　she　said：

〃But　wait　a　moment。　　Please　give　the　child　some　more　of　the　medicine。〃

Which　I　did。　　It　was　a　medicine　which　made　a　child　more　or　less　lively；
so　my　wife　made　use　of　its　waking　interval　to　strip　it　and　grease　it　all
over　with　the　goose　oil。　　I　was　soon　asleep　once　more；　but　once　more　I
had　to　get　up。

〃Mortimer；　I　feel　a　draft。　　I　feel　it　distinctly。　　There　is　nothing　so
bad　for　this　disease　as　a　draft。　　Please　move　the　crib　in　front　of　the
fire。〃

I　did　it；　and　collided　with　the　rug　again；　which　I　threw　in　the　fire。
Mrs。　McWilliams　sprang　out　of　bed　and　rescued　it　and　we　had　some　words。
I　had　another　trifling　interval　of　sleep；　and　then　got　up；　by　request；
and　constructed　a　flax…seed　poultice。　　This　was　placed　upon　the　child's
breast　and　left　there　to　do　its　healing　work。

A　wood…fire　is　not　a　permanent　thing。　　I　got　up　every　twenty　minutes　and
renewed　ours；　and　this　gave　Mrs。　McWilliams　the　opportunity　to　shorten
the　times　of　giving　the　medicines　by　ten　minutes；　which　was　a　great
satisfaction　to　her。　　Now　and　then；　between　times；　I　reorganized　the
flax…seed　poultices；　and　applied　sinapisms　and　other　sorts　of　blisters
where　unoccupied　places　could　be　found　upon　the　child。　　Well；　toward
morning　the　wood　gave　out　and　my　wife　wanted　me　to　go　down　cellar　and　get
some　more。　　I　said：

〃My　dear；　it　is　a　laborious　job；　and　the　child　must　be　nearly　warm
enough；　with　her　extra　clothing。　　Now　mightn't　we　put　on　another　layer　of
poultices　and〃

I　did　not　finish；　because　I　was　interrupted。　　I　lugged　wood　up　from　below
for　some　little　time；　and　then　turned　in　and　fell　to　snoring　as　only　a
man　can　whose　strength　is　all　gone　and　whose　soul　is　worn　out。　　Just　at
broad　daylight　I　felt　a　grip　on　my　shoulder　that　brought　me　to　my　senses
suddenly。　　My　wife　was　glaring　down　upon　me　and　gasping。　　As　soon　as　she
could　command　her　tongue　she　said：

〃It　is　all　over！　　All　over！　　The　child's　perspiring！　　What　shall　we　do？〃

〃Mercy；　how　you　terrify　me！　　I　don't　know　what　we　ought　to　do。　　Maybe　if
we　scraped　her　and　put　her　in　the　draft　again〃

〃Oh；　idiot！　　There　is　not　a　moment　to　lose！　　Go　for　the　doctor。
Go　yourself。　　Tell　him　he　must　come；　dead　or　alive。〃

I　dragged　that　poor　sick　man　from　his　bed　and　brought　him。　　He　looked　at
the　child　and　said　she　was　not　dying。　　This　was　joy　unspeakable　to　me；
but　it　made　my　wife　as　mad　as　if　he　had　offered　her　a　personal　affront。
Then　he　said　the　child's　cough　was　only　caused　by　some　trifling
irritation　or　other　in　the　throat。　　At　this　I　thought　my　wife　had　a　mind
to　show　him　the　door。　　Now　the　doctor　said　he　would　make　the　child　cough
harder　and　dislodge　the　trouble。　　So　he　gave　her　something　that　sent　her
into　a　spasm　of　coughing；　and　presently　up　came　a　little　wood　splinter　or
so。

〃This　child　has　no　membranous　croup；〃　said　he。　　〃She　has　been　chewing　a
bit　of　pine　shingle　or　something　of　the　kind；　and　got　some　little　slivers
in　her　throat。　　They　won't　do　her　any　hurt。〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃I　can　well　believe　that。　　Indeed；　the　turpentine　that　is
in　them　is　very　good　for　certain　sorts　of　diseases　that　are　peculiar　to
children。　　My　wife　will　tell　you　so。〃

But　she　did　not。　　She　turned　away　in　disdain　and　left　the　room；　and　since
that　time　there　is　one　episode　in　our　life　which　we　never　refer　to。
Hence　the　tide　of　our　days　flows　by　in　deep　and　untroubled　serenity。

＇Very　few　married　men　have　such　an　experience　as　McWilliams's；　and　so　the
author　of　this　book　thought　that　maybe　the　novelty　of　it　would　give　it　a
passing　interest　to　the　reader。＇






MY　FIRST　LITERARY　VENTURE

I　was　a　very　smart　child　at　the　age　of　thirteenan　unusually　smart
child；　I　thought　at　the　time。　　It　was　then　that　I　did　my　first　newspaper
scribbling；　and　most　unexpectedly　to　me　it　stirred　up　a　fine　sensation　in
the　community。　　It　did；　indeed；　and　I　was　very　proud　of　it；　too。　　I　was　a
printer's　〃devil；〃　and　a　progressive　an