HER SACRED CHARGE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11818, 16 November 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

HER SACRED CHARGE.

(By A.J.W.) 1 I Sitting by the window she gazed with eyes dimmed by the care of years, into the silent moonlit street. The short summer night was already on the. wane; ,and the room had grown cold with the grey chill of early morning. .Her head rested on one hand, and the long streamers of her widow's cap Dore a pathetic significance. x - So she T.-aited, watching, listening for the footfall so long in coming, and while .waiting, her life like a moving ' panorama began to pass before her. iSie hati been a beauty, was scarcely l^ss beautiful now", when the mellowed mantle of middle age had fallen. And 'yet, a faint smile- played round the saddened lips as she saw herself adored, flattered; sought after. It seemed so Jo.ng, since— rshe had only laughed, had played with - human hearts," had entrenched herself behind the fortress of fancied experience, till one day wfceri' •th^lfoytifications gave way to resolute _ siege,, and a new world was born. Such a bright new> world, with-present .of infinite joy, a future of, boundless possibilities." But, all -that belonged >to the dear, dead past, and the brave heart that beat as one with hers, slept its long sleep, shared onljr by the baby .girl who .had followed in its wake. , But he had left her a charge — given in the last few whispered words — " Take care of the boy." This had been her. sacred charge, so ifar as was possible, nobly fulfilled. The air grew colder. She drew a light shawl round her shoulders, and fell asleep. When she awok« it was with a subtle sense of something ' wrong. The dawn .was just breaking ; a pale radiance, the glow of a coming strength, knit earth and sky, while fleecy rose-tinged clouds floated in the ,air. - , - „} - ■ She rose shivering, arid' passing out of the r«oomV went to that of* her son. fis' order; was undisturbed:; the bed was tenantless. With a heavy heart she returned to ( the window, gazing mechanically at the crimspn glory of the sunrise ; and so the long hour 6 dragged wearily by,- and still he did' ,not come. At last there" : was a ring at the bell, and springing up she heard a fresh,. young voice, sharpenedby she ,Lnew not what, asking for her. She sat down with trembling^kpees, and in a dazed troubled way 'looked at the girl who came hastily in. " Oh, my poor dear ! my pool 1 dear P' : cried the latter, holding.out both her hands^ "I came to^-tell you." "What? He is dead." ; - * " No, not dead," with a •visible shudder, "but very ill, badly instqj*ed." "Where is he?" . ■ . - ."•'* "At the hospital. There was a card party, they were playing for money, and someone cheated. Archie had lost heavily and was angry. 'He accused one of the men of using-marked cards, 1 and they came to blows ." The girl broke off, suddenly .and sobbed. ." ' " Tell me the truth-; . you are only preparing the way.. , He, -is- gone, and "you are\ afraid to say so.'^i .. j,., " iso ; but he may live only a? few hours, and he is asking-f or you dear." ■ " And for you, too, Alice. Poor "child-! poor- child!" - . , There, was some slight movement at the door of the accident'' ward, and for a moment one of the nurses seemed, to bar ib,e?way. , Alice's facse whitened/ iand her eyes vfilledkwit&^an intense-, pathos, but it was the mother who put the question — "How is he?" ''Taken a turn for the better^ I think now he may pull through," responded the doctor, cheerfully. Her sacred charge is still incomplete, but under new conditions, and with an ardent helpmate the task is | lightened, the future almost assured.

Several* pigeons, from various conntries, recently raced frpm Burgos, Spain, to Brussels, and the contest was won , hy a Belgian bird, which covered the ; 700 miles in fourteen hours. This ia at the rate of fifty miles an hoar. Children in Japanese cities have cards fastened in their clothing bearing the addresses of their parents. When j a child 13 lust, the Under examines the card and sends tbe little wanderer home. '