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Star (Christchurch), Issue 8678, 19 July 1906, Page 4

California Syrup of Figs cleanses the system thoroughly without disturbing it in the way purgatives do. A true laxative. 22

were satisfyingly chronic and debilitating. All day long ho slept or 6moked or sat by the fire, and his only function not . imp-ired was appetite; Tho town! physicians had long given him up. Dr j Bailey scoffingly prescribed a club and old Dr Penrose suggested Paris green. The children told their teachers that papa was too sick to work, and Betsy informed her washing clientele that Mr Sparrow was "dreadful poorly." She believed it. too, poor self-sacrificing soul, and scrubbed and delved from morning till night to'lceep things going. Mrs Sparrow' read the long letter through, stopping occasionally to cornmeat. " Jest listen to this," she cried exultihgly. "'I guess my coanin' home will make things easier for you, ma. We'll have you playin' lady in the rockin' chair yit.' Ain't that jest like Idella? She allers used to say that. She don't fergit her poor old mother." " Huh!" grunted Mr Sparrow, with sarcasm; "how 'bout her poor ola father? Ain't no bouquets for him, i_ there? No, I'll bet there hain't." . ' "Oh, she ain't forgot you nuther, "Washy. Here's what she says : 'Tell pa that my livin.' in a doctor' 6 family has iearned me a lob aWai diseases. I b'lieve I can cure him.' " ,\ " Yes, she'll euro me a whole lot. No, sir! I've got my neyer-git-over and I know it (cough)." Well, the sooner the quicker. I'll be at rest pretty soon and everybody.'!! be glad. Don't rag out in no mournin' forme. Dcm't put no hothouse wreaths on my grave. I know how you all feel and all I ask is to git through. I'm resigned. Git off my feet, you everlastin' .young ones ! Think I'm a sofy?" The attack of nerves developed. Mr Sparrow felt that he and his troubles were in danger of being overshadowed by the news of his daughter's marriage, and that it was time to come to the front. He stormed and stamped and coughed and groaned and whimpered. Th© children fled, the younger ones to bed and the ethers to prepare, them for it/ . After a while the invalid fell 7 asleep on the lounge. Mrs Sparrow sat by the table mending and darning. She took up the letter and read it through again. Idella was coming back. Perhaps there was balm in Gilead after all. And two days later Idella came. The depot waggon reeled and bumped through the sandy ruts and up to the little one-hinged front gate. It was a Saturday, and the children were all at home. Tho allowance of washing for. that day being "taken in," Mrs Sparrow was at home also. They were all at the door to welcome the arrival, all but the afflicted Washington. t He stayed by the cepk-stoyem solitary dignity. Idella jumped from the wheel and ran in at the gate. "My sakes, ma," she cried, grabbing Mrs Sparrow about the neck and kissing her, " if it doesn't seem good to see you. And Lycurgus j (smack), and Editha (smack), and Ed : and 'Lys and Nap and Margie (a smack for each), and there's the baby ! My ! how you have grown !" The children blushed and grinned, and stared admiringly at Idella's jacket. A real store-coat, and, new, not cut down and turned and made over a half-do_en times. And the gay hat with the red ribbons was new likewise. "If it ain't fine to see you all again," cried Idella. "Seems if the cars -never would get- here. Oh, and Bill must see. you too! Bill, , come j here, will you?" ' J Mr Burke was big and square-shoul-dered and sturdy. He came obediently at his wife's first: call. It was easy to see who was " boss" in that family. Mrs Sparrow wondered and envied. They went into the house, Bill bearing the tr;.ink as 'if it was ho heavier than a carpet-bag. Mr Sparrow, by the stove, did not deign to turn. "And there's pa!" exclaimed Idella, running over and embracing him. ' " Why, pa ! how well you look !" "Well!" repeated the invalid indigna'ntlv, "' maybe I look well, but I tell y<m — -" . •. . ■ "This is my husband," interrupted Idella briskly. "Bill, shake hands with pa." Mr Burke extended a hand of proportionate size to the rest of him, and mashed his father-in-law's flabby fingers within it. He growled that he was pleased to be " acquaintanced " to Mr Sparrow. ' "How's the cough, pa?" asked Idel-

Her father game a tombstone sample of the cough before replying- Ihon he observed resignedly that it wasn't- no better, and he cal-lated it never would 6 " Oh, yes it will," -affirmed his daughter "Dr Saunders has learned .me a whole lot of things. You'll see. Bill, " open that trunk, will you, please; 1 want tho folks to have the presents we brought 'em." • The word "presents caused even the invalid to brace up and take an interest in life. There was something for everyone ; nothing expensive, of course, but all wonderful in that family.. " And now, ma," said Idella, " jest let me change my duds and I'll pitch in and help git dinner. I hope we're goin' to have herrin's. I ain't had a herrin sense I left Wellmouth". That was the beginning. Before the next week had passed it was evident that there was a new manager in the S_*arrow household, and the name of that manager was Idella. She took charge of affairs at once, and began to make improvements. Tlie children all went to school regularly, the eldest included. On Tuesday Mr Burke began hi 6 labours at the new hotel, leaving early in the morning and returning at six o'clock. . In a fortnight Idella announced that her mother was to go out washing no more. She might "take in" the laundry work if she j wished, but then it would be done at home and she, herself, could help. Mrs Sparrow protested, but Idella calmly went ahead, saw all the regular ' customers and arranged with them. In a month Betsy actually realised that she had time, daylight time, to "set in the roc-kin '-chair" and do the mending. Idella cooked and scrubbed and dressed the children. She and her hueband paid board, so there was more money on hand than ever before. It was wonderful, but it was true. At first the invalid viewed all these changes with suspicion, but when he found that the food was better, that ho wasn't asked to do anything and that, more important than all, his ailments were appreciated and understood, he became reconciled and told his wife that he could 'pans off in peace now because he knew that she and the ; children would be provided for. | But one evening, early In November, hie dreams were shattered. They were seated in the kitchen, Mr and Mrs Sparrow, Bill and Idella. Lycurgns and Editha were doing sums in the front room. The [rest of' the children were in bed. "Pa,"" said Idella. suddenly, "I don't s'poso you feel well enough to go; to work?" Her father, seated with his feet on the hearth of the cook stove, took his pipe from his mouth and turned an agitated face toward his daughter. He started to speak and then, recollecting, coughed long and with dreadful hollowness. "I asked," continued Idella, '"cause Bill says they need more hands to cut down trees and lug lumber over to the hotel; and he could git a job for you any time you wanted it." " Cut down trees !" shouted the sufferer. "And lug lumber! What you talkin' 'bout? How long do you capiat c I'd last doin' that? I'm slippm' into the. grave- fast enough as 'tis, jest set-tin'- here hacki'i' and all tore to pieces with dyspepsy. Do you want to kill me all to once?" His spasm of coughing this time was heartrending to witness. "No," said Idella, "I told Bill you wan t fit to work. But, pa, I think somethin' ought to be done to cure you and so I'm goin' to try." "Cure! Humph! I'm past curin'. darter. Don't you worry 'bout me. Doctors give .me up long spell ago. No. all's left tor me is to linger around and die (.low. I'll be glad when it's over and so'H everybody else." " Doctors gave jjp-u up ! What doctors? These one-hoes ones down here? I've been livin' for a year with a reel doctor and he didn't give folks up jest 'cause they had consumption. No, sir!he cured ?em, _<nd I've got his r<y ceipt." 5 "It ain't' no use — " began Washy, buj,. Idella went calmly on. "Your case is kind of mixed up, pa, Ii n v free to say," she continued, "'count of your consumption bein' complicated with nervous dyspepsy. The cures for the two is 60 different. But I've made up ray mind to start in on your lungs and kind of work 'round to your stomach, as you might say. Bill, where's the receipt for consumption?" ' . . Mr Burke, a grim smile hovering about his lips, took a folded paper from liis pocket and handed it to his wife. "Consumption," said Idella, looking at the paper, "ain't'cured by medicine no more. Not by the real doctors it ain't. Fresh air night and day is what's. necessary and you don't git it, hereby the stove. You ought to live outdoor. Yes, and sleep there, too.'' " Sleep outdoor? What kind of talk is that? Be you crazy or " Idella held up a hand. "Don't screech so, pa," she said. "You'll wake the children. Bill, where's that magazine?" \ Her husband produced a dog's-eared copy of a popular periodical, and Jdv.-lia turned its pages. "Here," _sho said. " Here's a piece about curin' the White Plague ; that means consumption. Let me read you a little of it." Mr Sparrow declared that he didn't j want to hear no such foolishness, but his daughter lalioriously spelt out e_j tracts from the article, which specified the dangers of dark rooms and confined atmospheres, and described Adirondack sanatoriums- and open air sleeping rooms. " See, pa," she said, holding the ma-