Page:Red Rugs of Tarsus.djvu/193

 THE RED RUGS OF TARSUS

cept in terms of himself and the present. Yes- terday is like to-morrow. It is a waste of time to worry over either. In crises Turkish philos- ophy is excellent. It helps a lot to create nerve and maintain fortitude if only you can keep saying to yourself with conviction: "This also shall pass!"

Scrappie is beside me as I write, in the reed basket we bought from the Fellahin. I am propped just high enough on the pillows to keep my eye on her. I watch her all the time to see if she is really breathing. I have heard of wives making husbands get up in the night to see if baby was breathing, and scoffed at the folly of it. But I 'm going to confess to you that I Ve had two panics. Each time I assured Herbert that this happens only with first babies, but that does n't seem to mollify him. There never was such a fellow for sleep- ing as Herbert. However, wouldn't it be awful if the baby's covers got up over her head? You understand how I feel, don't you? [173]

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