1898.]
"0, mama, mama, wake up ! 0, you goodest, dearest mama;
justopen your eyes and look at us again. Mama, 0 mama, dear,
lovely mama, don't be dead !"
With trembling hands Stoger pushed the children away. "You
must keep quiet if mama is to awake," and at his command
little Johnnie took the other children to a corner of the room,
where, closely huddled together, they cried softly.
Stoger bent over the lifeless figure in order to raise her, but he
trembled so violently that he had to give up. He knelt, and sup
porting her head with both hands looked at the pale, delicate face
before him. It was framed in a mass of raven hair. The black
eyebrows contrasted sharply with the high, white forehead. The
eyes spoke of impending trouble and of a long and arduous
struggle. With uncertain hand he stroked the hair back from
the forehead. What was it that suddenly griped at his heart till
it quivered? Was it the expression of pain in the face before
him which affected him so greatly and which disturbed his soul
that had so long lain in sleep ? Or was it the pictures of the past
which passed through his mind and which seemed to envelop in a
mist the face before him ? Anxiously and questioningly he looked
into it.
The door was thrown open and Rosa entered. ' " Does she live,
does she live ?" she cried, throwing herself beside her and cover
ing both hands with kisses. Then as suddenly she sprang up
again to make way for the doctor and for the landlady who had
hastened to the scene.
" She must be undressed and put to bed," ordered the doctor.
" She must have absolute quiet when she recovers," he added, as
he noticed the children.
" The children; oh, what shall we do with the children !" asked
" If they could stay alone they might go to my room," sug
gested the housewife.
" The least disturbance may result fatally," said the doctor,
imperiously.
" The children," began Stiiger, somewhat hesitatingly, " may
use my room."
At this suggestion the children clung fearfully to Rosa, who
was somewhat astonished, but she did not hesitate a moment and
the children were soon ensconced in Stiiger's apartments.
Christmastide