HIS SINGLE THOUGHT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 27, 22 April 1892, Page 23

HIS SINGLE THOUGHT.

" Speakiwg of the ruling passion, strong in death," said one of New York's swell ph>s'cianti yesterday, "I encountered an odd example of it a short time ago. In a family wherein 1 have a couple of regular patients, there is a small boy who has lived four brief but exciting years. I have no hesitation in saying that he is absolutely tha worst child that I havu ever met. His ingenuity in all sorts of infantile misbehaviour is marvellous, and, left to himself, he can devise an endless number of unique ways fer getting into hot water. About two months ago he be-jan an open warfare oa the grand piano which stands in his parents' parlour. He filled tha legs of this unfortunate instrument full of deuts, and then began to rip tho ivory covering from its keys whenever occasion offered, llis delight in thia was deep-rooted and all-absorbing.

" A sudden change io the weather, however, laid this incorrigible infant low with a first-class attack of pneumonia, and the piano was given a rest and a chance to recuperate. One evening I came to the conclusion that there was no hope of the child's life, and as tenderly as possible conveyed the f .ct to his paren's, who for five days had never left his beiside. Iv a spasm of grief the mother lifted the boy from the bedside and bysrerictlly clasped him to her bosom. That action saved his life. The shock set the blood, whi?h clogged his lungs, in circulation ag.in, and another possibility of saving him materialised. As I was has i'y giving my orders fur some medicines that would be ntedeJ at once, the boy a eyes opened lauguidly and he looked around tba room with an expression of unutterable weariness. " Give him anything," I cned, " anything that he wants 1" A gleam of interest shot into those tired eyes, and the weakest of voices piped : " Pleaße, mamma, can 1 keep on bustin' the piano ?"— American paper.