88 MARK TWAIN'S SKETCHES. 



returned, bag and baggage, to our own bed-room once more, and felt a great 

 gladness, like storm-buffeted birds that have found their nest again. 



Mrs. McWilliams sped to the nursery to see how things were going on there-. 

 She was back in a moment with a new dread. She said: 



"What can make Baby sleep so.'" 



I said : 



"Why, my darling. Baby always sleeps like a graven irtiage." 



"I know. I know; but there's something peculiar about his sleep, now. He 

 seems to — to — he seems to breathe so regularly. O, this is dreadful." 



"But my dear he always breathes regularly." 



" Oh, I know it, but there's something frightful about it now. His nurse is too 

 young and inexperienced. Maria shall stay there with her, and be on hand if 

 anything happens.'; 



" That is a good idea, but who will help _>»« .' " 



"You can help me all I want. I wouldn't allow anybody to do anything but 

 myself, any how, at such a time as this." 



I said I would feel mean to lie abed and sleep, and leave her to watch and toil 

 over our little patient all the weary night. — But she reconciled me to it. So old 

 Maria departed and took up her ancient quarters in the nursery. 



Penelope coughed twice in her sleep. 



"Oh, why don't that doctor come! Mortimer, this room is too warm. This 

 room is certainly too warm. Turn off the register — quick! " 



I shut it off, glancing at the thermometer at the same time, and wondering to 

 myself if 70 was too warm for a sick child. 



The coachman arrived from down town, now, with the news that our physician 

 was ill and confined to his bed. — Mrs. McWilliams turned a dead eye upon me, 

 and said in a dead voice : * 



" There is a Providence in it. It is foreordained. He never was sick before. — 

 Never. We have not been living as we ought to live, Mortimer. Time and time 

 again I have told you so. Now you see the result. Our child will never get well. 

 Be thankful if you can forgive yourself; I never can forgive my%t\i." 



I said, without intent to hurt, but with heedless choice of words, that I could not 

 see that we had been living such an abandoned life. 



