dirty coverlid.

"What ye want, maw?"

The woman hushed her moaning and turned her face, upon which the shadow
was already fallen, toward the boy. "I'm er goin'--mighty fast,--Dicky,"
she said, in a voice that was scarcely audible. "Whar's yer paw?"

Bending closer to the face upon the pillow, the lad pointed with
trembling finger toward the other end of the cabin and whispered, while
his eyes grew big with fear, "Sh--, he's full ergin. Bin down ter th'
stillhouse all evenin'--Don't stir him, maw, er we'll git licked some
more. Tell me what ye want."

But his only answer was that broken prayer as the sufferer turned to
the wail again. "O Lord, take ker o'--"

A stick of wood in the fire-place burned in two and fell with a soft
thud on the ashes; a lean hound crept stealthily to the boy's side and
thrust a cold muzzle against his ragged jacket; in the cupboard a mouse
rustled over the rude dishes and among the scanty handful of provisions.

Then, cursing foully in his sleep, the drunkard stirred uneasily and
the dog slunk beneath the bed, while the boy stood shaking with fear
until all was still again. Reaching out, he touched once more that
clammy hand upon the dirty coverlid. No movement answered to his touch.
Reaching farther, he cautiously laid his fingers upon the ashy-colored
temple, awkwardly brushing back a thin lock of the tangled hair. The
face, like the hand, was cold. With a look of awe and horror in his
eyes, the child caught his parent by the shoulder and shook the lifeless