Mildred Keith

by Martha Finley

  Chapter Twenty-Third.

  "The sad vicissitudes of things." --STERNE.

  "MY poor, dear friend, would that I could comfort you!" Mrs. Keith saidin tones of deep heartfelt sympathy, folding her arms about Mrs.Chetwood and weeping with her; "but only Jesus can do that in suchsorrow as yours."

  "And He does, else I should die; for oh my arms are so empty, my heartand home so desolate!" sobbed the bereaved mother.

  "I know it, I know it by sad experience; for I too, have wept over thegrave of a darling little one."

  "You?" Mrs. Chetwood said with a look of surprise; "you have so many."

  "Yes; but then I had not all I have now. Eva was between Rupert andZillah and would be thirteen now. She was five when God took her tohimself."

  "Ah, you do know how to feel for me!"

  "Yes; and let me tell you how I was comforted. I fear I was not quitesubmissive at first; but a dear old mother in Israel, who had severaltimes passed through the same deep waters, came to me and said 'My dear,the Lord gave you quite a little flock and when He comes and asks you toreturn him one, and you know He will keep it so safely in his kind armsand on his tender bosom, will you refuse? can you not spare Him one?'

  "Then my heart was almost broken to think I had been so churlish towardmy beloved Master and I resigned her cheerfully into His care, and byand by grew happy in thinking of her, so safe from all sin and sorrowand pain, so full of joy, at His right hand; and of the time when mywork shall be done and I shall go to her."

  Mrs. Chetwood thought for a moment, then turning to her friend with eyesbrimful of tears, "Thank you," she said, "your words have done me good.Surely I too, can spare Him one. Had He taken all, what right could Ihave to complain? and oh, how sweet is the thought that He is caring sotenderly for my precious lambkin!"

  The mothers mingled their tears again for a little, tears of blendedgrief and joy; then Mrs. Chetwood said "What else dear friend? I seemto read in your eyes that you have something more to say to me."

  "Only this, suggested to me by the same old Christian soldier andconfirmed by my own experience; that efforts to comfort others reactupon ourselves, so proving the best panacea for our own sorrow."

  "I believe it, am conscience-smitten that I have been so selfishlywrapped up in my own grief, and shall set about the work at once. Willyou do me the favor to suggest where I shall begin?"

  Mrs. Keith spoke of Gotobed and the sort of comfort and assistance ofwhich he stood in need.

  Mrs. Chetwood shuddered. "Poor, poor fellow!" she said; "my heart achesfor him. I feel sick at the very thought of seeing any one in thatmutilated condition, but I will go to him and do what I can for hiscomfort and relief."

  "Thank you," returned Mrs. Keith heartily "And speak comfortingly to thepoor mother. She is grieving very much for him, and does not look well.One of the little girls, too, is quite ill with intermittent fever."

  It was well that Mrs. Keith had engaged her friend to take up the laborof love, for it was long before she herself could resume it. Onreaching home she found Mildred sitting with Annis in her arms, thelittle creature moaning with pain and in a high fever.

  "Mother, she is very sick," whispered Mildred tremulously, her eyes fullof tears; for she was thinking of how suddenly Mary Chetwood had beensnatched away by the grim destroyer Death.

  "I fear she is, poor darling! poor little pet!" the mother said, bendingover her and softly pressing her lips to the burning cheek.

  "O mother, mother, if we should lose her!"

  "We will do all we can to make her well, asking God's blessing on ourefforts," Mrs. Keith answered with determined cheerfulness, though asharp pang shot through her heart at the bare suggestion.

  Dr. Grange was sent for at once. He pronounced the child very ill, butby no means hopelessly so.

  "The sickly season," he remarked, "is setting in unusually early andwith uncommon severity, both in town and country; people are taken downwith the fever every day. But it is what I have been expecting as theresult of the long heavy rains we had all through the spring, succeededby this intensely hot, dry weather. Why we haven't had a drop of rainnow, scarcely a cloud, for three weeks; the heavens above us are asbrass, and the marshes and pools of stagnant water on every side areteeming with miasma.

  "Keep the children and yourselves out of the sun during the heat of theday, and do not on any account allow them to be exposed to the night airand dew."

  "Thank you for your suggestions," said Mr. Keith, "we will do our bestto follow them."

  He had just come home from his office; for it was near tea-time. Thechildren too had come in from their work or play, and the whole familywere gathered in the sitting-room, where the baby girl lay in hercradle, mother and sister hanging over her in tender solicitude.

  Fan had climbed her father's knee and was lying very quiet in his armswith her head on his shoulder.

  The doctor taking his hat to go, paused as his eye fell on her, andstepping quickly to her side, took her hand in his.

  "This child is sick too," he said, and went on to question and prescribefor her, directing that she should be put to bed at once.

  "Oh," sighed Mildred, "if we only had Aunt Wealthy here!"

  "I wish you had," the doctor said; "but the neighbors here are alwaysvery kind in times of sickness."

  "Yes; we have had experience of that in the past," replied Mrs. Keith.

  The doctor called on Mrs. Chetwood and Mrs. Prior on his homeward way,and within an hour both were at Mr. Keith's offering their services innursing or any thing else that was needed.

  "You are very kind," Mrs. Keith said, "but I think we can manage for awhile, and that you should save your strength for those who need itmore."

  The little ones objected to being waited upon by strangers, and CelestiaAnn insisted that she wanted no help with her housework or cooking; sothe ladies departed after exacting a promise that they should be sentfor if needed.

  That time came soon; before the crisis was passed with Annis and Fan,three more of the children, Zillah, Cyril, and Don, were taken down;then the father; and oh, what a weary burden of care, anxiety, toil andgrief fell upon the mother and sister! They had sore need now of all thefaith, patience and hope they had garnered up in happier days; of allthe great and precious promises they had learned to lean upon.

  Rupert was slowly dressing himself one August morning, feeling weak andill, when his mother's pale, sorrowful face looked in at his door.

  He tried to brighten up and seem strong and well as he turned to meether, asking, "How are you, mother dear? and the sick ones? I hope youall slept."

  "Not much," she said, vainly striving after the accustomed cheery tone."Annis and Fan did pretty well (oh, I am thankful that the doctorconsiders them out of danger now, if we can only give them the goodnursing they need,) but poor Cyril is quite delirious, very, very sick,I fear, and Zillah not much better. Besides--" but here her voice broke,and for a moment she was unable to go on.

  "O mother, not another one down?" he cried, "You and Mildred will bekilled with so much nursing."

  "Rupert, it is your father now," she sobbed. "He tries to makes usbelieve it is not much; that he'll sleep it off in an hour or so, butoh, I can see that he's very sick."

  "My father very sick," he echoed, aghast; "poor father! and you mustlose his help with the others, and have him to nurse, too!"

  "That is not the worst of it. He is suffering and perhaps in danger.Celestia Ann has breakfast nearly ready. I want you to eat at once thengo for the doctor (he did not come last night) and call and tell Mrs.Chetwood and Mrs. Prior what a sick household we are and that now ifthey can give me help in nursing, I shall be very glad and thankful."

  Mrs. Keith passed on into the kitchen.

  "Breakfast's on table," said Celestia Ann. "You just sit down and eat,Mis' Keith; fur you look ready to drop. I'll pour you out a cup o'coffee, and then run in and look after the sick till you're done."

  "Thank yo
u," Mrs. Keith said, "though I have no desire for food, I willaccept your offer, for I do feel faint and empty. Tell Mildred to cometoo, as soon as she can be spared."

  Rupert and Ada came in together at that moment and took their places atthe table.

  "Only three of us this morning, 'stead of ten," Ada remarked sadly.

  "Well, we'll hope the others will all be back soon;" said Rupert,longing to comfort and cheer his mother.

  His head ached and chills were creeping down his back, but he saidnothing about it, drank his coffee, forced himself to eat a little, andpresently declaring himself done, put on his hat and hurried away on hiserrand.

  It was now a fortnight since Annis had been taken ill and not a drop ofrain had fallen yet. The nights and mornings were chilly and damp, thenthe sun rose and shone all day with a fierce, burning heat that scorchedeverything it touched; and day by day the fever had found new victimstill every physician's hands were full to overflowing.

  "How chilly it is!" thought Rupert, as he hastened down the path to thegate, "but it'll be hot enough presently," he added, looking up at thesky; "not a cloud to be seen, and the sun will be glaring down on us asfiercely as ever. I think if there isn't some change soon we'll allsicken and die."

  He walked on up the street. Doors and windows were closed; scarcely anyone seemed astir.

  "They're sleeping late," he thought "Well who can blame them? they'reeither sick themselves or worn out taking care of the sick."

  He came first to the hotel. Mrs. Prior was very busy getting breakfast,but stepped to the door to hear his message.

  "I'm dreadful sorry;" she said, "and I'll call round, tell your mother,just as soon as I can; but I've half a dozen boarders down with thefever, and only one girl; the rest's all gone off to 'tend to their ownfolks; for the fever's bad all round in the country; and between themand the town folks the doctors is goin' night and day."

  "I don't see how you can come at all then, Mrs. Prior," Rupert said, "Ishould think your hands must be more than full here at home."

  "I'll come if I can, you may depend," she answered, "for I think a sightof your mother."

  The boy sighed heavily as he turned and went on his way. How much of thebrightness seemed to have gone out of life just then.

  Dr. Grange's house was a few steps further on. An old lady, the doctor'smother, answered his knock.

  "The doctor is in bed and asleep just now," she said. "He has had verylittle rest for the last three weeks, was up all night out in thecountry, and came home with a heavy chill. And the rest of the familyare all down with the fever except myself and little five year oldEllen."

  "What are we coming to!" exclaimed the lad.

  "I don't know," she answered: "but God is our refuge and strength; avery present help in trouble!'"

  "I do not know what to do," said Rupert, looking sadly perplexed andanxious; "mother says my father and Cyril are both very ill."

  "I will tell the doctor when he wakes, and perhaps he will be able to godown. It would hardly be worth while to send you for another, forthey're all equally busy."

  "Thank you," he said, "we would not like to have to try another," andbidding her good morning, he went on his way to the Squire's.

  Mrs. Chetwood put on her bonnet at once and went with him.

  "Claudina would come too," she said, "but two of the boys are sick, andI'm afraid she is taking the fever herself."

  "It seems as if everybody is taking it," said Rupert. "Mrs. Chetwood, isit often so sickly here?"

  "Never was known to be quite so bad before," she answered; "they say theoldest inhabitant doesn't remember such a time. Do you notice how quietand empty the streets are?"

  "Yes, ma'am; people seem to be very late in getting up. The stores areall shut up still."

  "There's no business doing at all," she returned, "and people are notup because they're ill; too ill, most of them, to leave their beds.

  "There are not many houses in town where more than one or two are ableto crawl about to help themselves or wait on the sick.

  "And Dr. Grange tells me it is just as bad in the country. The harvestis uncommonly fine, but there's nobody to gather it in; there are loadsof wild berries ripe on the bushes, but nobody able to pick them.

  "Emmaretta Lightcap died yesterday; I was there last night and helped tolay her out. All the rest of the family are in bed with the fever,except poor Gotobed and his mother.

  "Oh, it's a sorrowful time! Effie and one or two of the little ones aresick at Mr. Prescott's, and in the next house not one of the family isable to be out of bed."

  Mr. Keith was quite as ill as his wife feared.

  She devoted herself principally to him, while Mrs. Chetwood and Mildredtogether nursed the others.

  Rupert had had a chill and fever followed in due season; but he managedto keep up and to conceal his illness from all but Celestia Ann, who didthe best she could for him.

  Mrs. Prior came in for an hour in the after noon, and taking Mildred'splace enabled her to lie down for a little greatly needed rest andsleep.

  Mrs. Chetwood spent the day and night with them, but then went home toreturn no more, her own family being no longer able to dispense with hercare and nursing.

  Zillah was slightly better that morning, but Mr. Keith, Cyril and Donwere all delirious and so evidently in danger that the hearts of motherand sister were very heavy.

  Mrs. Keith scarcely left her husband's bed side except occasionally topass into the next room and bend for a moment over her little boys, totake Annis or Fan in her arms to caress, and reluctantly put them downagain, and to whisper a word of hope and encouragement to Mildred, theother little girls and Rupert.

  Celestia Ann had full sway in the kitchen, and with genuine kindness ofheart took charge of the rest of the house, so far as she could, andprepared delicacies for the sick.

  She was a great help in looking after the convalescing, had always acheery word ready for the weary, anxious nurses, and in short provedherself invaluable in this great emergency.

  What then was their distress and despair when they found they must loseher.

  Glancing from the window on the morning of the second day after thatwhich Mrs. Chetwood had spent with them, Mildred saw a countrymanpassing round toward the kitchen, and in a moment after his voice andCelestia Ann's could be heard in earnest colloquy, the latterinterrupted by heavy sobs.

  Then she appeared at the door of the nursery with her apron to her eyesand silently beckoned to Mildred.

  "What is it?" the latter asked going to her.

  "Why my brother's come to fetch me home, and I'll have to go, bad as Ihate to leave you; for if I do say it that shouldn't, I don't see howyou're agoin' to git along without me."

  "Nor I," said Mildred, aghast. "O, Celestia Ann, must you go?"

  "Yes; can't help it; for they're all down with the fever, 'cept mother(and she's poorly) and this brother that's come after me; and he's got achill on him now. So I'll have to pick up my duds and be off rightaway."

  "Yes, of course you must go to your own when they need you," saidMildred; "unless they could get some one else. O, Celestia Ann, don'tyou think it possible they could?"

  "No; I know they can't, Miss Mildred; there's no help to be got thesedays for love or money; and the Lord only knows what's to become of usall!

  "Sam says there's several died in our neighborhood a'ready, just forwant o' good nussin and proper victuals; so the doctor says."

  "And just so it will be with us," sobbed Mildred sinking into a chairand covering her face with her hands. "I cannot nurse them all properly,and cook what they need to eat; and oh, it is so terrible to think theymust die for want of it."

  "It's awful, and I'm dreadful sorry for you and everybody," sighedCelestia Ann, wiping away the tears that were streaming over her cheeks."Maybe you might git Mis' Rood to come in for a few days. I'll git Samto go and see while I'm a pickin' up my things.

  "She ain't much for cookin' I don't suppose, but she could clean up a
nddo that big washin', and help a liftin' the sick ones. That is if she'llcome; but I dunno but she may be down sick herself."

  Sam kindly undertook the errand, but alas, Mrs. Rood was "down sickherself," and no help could be had from that quarter, nor apparently,from any other; and with many tears Celestia Ann took her departure,saying, "I'll come back as soon as I kin, if I keep well, and my folksgits able to do without me."