Family Pride; Or, Purified by SufferingHolmes, Mary Jane
General
Family Pride; Or, Purified by Suffering
Holmes, Mary Jane
American fiction; Dime novels
Softly the baptismal waters fell upon the pale forehead, and at their
touch the little Genevra's eyes unclosed, the waxen fingers withdrew
themselves from Marian's grasp, and again sought the mother's cheek,
resting there for an instant; while a smile broke around the baby lips,
which tried to say "Mam-ma." Then the hand fell back, down upon
Marian's, the soft eyes closed, the limbs grew rigid, the shadow of
death grew deeper, and while the prayer was said, and Marian's tears
fell with Katy's upon the brow where the baptismal waters were not
dried, the angel came, and when the prayer was ended, Morris, who knew
what the rest did not, took the lifeless form from Katy's lap, and
whispered to her gently: "Katy, your baby is dead!"
An hour later, and the sweet little creature, which had been a sunbeam
in that house for a few happy days, lay upon the bed where Katy said it
must be laid; its form shrouded in the christening robe which Grandma
Cameron had bought, flowers upon its pillow, flowers upon its bosom,
flowers in its hands, which Marian had put there; for Marian's was the
mind which thought of everything concerning the dead child; and Helen,
as she watched her, wondered at the mighty love which showed itself in
every lineament of her face, the blue veins swelling in her forehead,
her eyes bloodshot, and her lips shut firmly together, as if it were by
mere strength of will that she kept back the scalding tears as she
dressed the little Genevra. They spoke of that name in the kitchen when
the first great shock was over, and Helen explained why it had been
Katy's choice. Poor stricken Katy, it was Morris' task to comfort
her--Morris, who sat by her holding the hot, feverish hand she had
placed in his, and telling her of the blessed Savior who loved the
little children while here on earth, and to whom her darling had surely
gone.
"Safe in His arms it would not come back if it could," he said, "and
neither would you have it."
But Katy was the mother, and human love could not so soon submit, but
went out after the lost one with a piteous agonizing wail, which hurt
Morris cruelly.
"Oh, I want my baby back. I know she is safe, but I want her back. She
was my life--all I had to love," Katy moaned, rocking to and fro in this
first hour of her bereavement.
"You forget your husband," Morris said. "You have him left, and
husbands, I supposed, were dearer than one's children."
"Yes," Katy answered, "I have Wilford, and am glad of that; but he will
blame me so much for bringing baby here to die. He will say it was my
fault; and that I can't bear. I know it was, know I killed my baby; but
I did not mean to. I would give my life for hers, if like her I was
ready," and into Katy's face there came a look of fear which Morris
failed to understand, not knowing Wilford as well as Katy knew him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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