Something he never was Before, _ 2i

“Yes—gently—quite gently.”

He kissed her, half afraid, he did not know at
what. Her cheek was softer and smoother than
anything he had ever touched before. He sped
back to his mother, too full of delight to speak.
But she was not yet well enough to talk to him,
and his father coming in, led him down-stairs again,
where he began once more to watch the snow,
wondering nowif it had anything to do with baby’s
arrival.

In the afternoon, it was found that the lock of
his mother’s room not only would not catch easily,
but made a noise that disturbed her. So his
father got a screwdriver and removed it, making
as little noise as he could. Next he contrived a
way, with a piece of string, for keeping the door
shut, and as that would not hold it close enough
hung a shawl over it to keep the draught out—all
which proceeding Willie watched. As soon as he
had finished, and the nurse had closed the door
behind them, Mr Macmichael set out to take the
lock to the smithy, and allowed Willie to go with
him. By the time they reached it, the snow was
an inch deep on their shoulders, on Willie’s cap;
and on his father’s hat. How red the glow of the
smith’s fire looked! It was a great black cavern
with a red heart to it in the midst of whiteness.

The smith was a great powerful man, with bare
arms, and blackened face, When they entered, he