Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-09-19

! uPOA:
"Have you a mother, little boy?'
she next asked in the sans low tone.
"No, a'am," I answered, and | fel
my throat filling up, anil I know
must swallow mighty fastfo keep from
sobbing.
"You have father, theE.. .suppose?'
she kept on.
"No ma'am, no fathel
"Brothers and sisters.
"Neither, ma'am."
''Then the little boy isall alone il
the world ?" d
Gail alone, ma am"
"How long has his .slother beer
dead?" and the dear woman looked a
way from my face, and waited till
could speak.
''Two years." I answered.
s'And 70 loved herr" same next.
dearly" was all l ceilld say.
''She was silent for a-&aoment, and
then tbsa9.s said i 50 sweetly-0h shall never
sAnd what do you thiAk your deal
mother would say-how 10 you think
she would feel-to know That her little
boy was guilty of such@ disgusting
habit as this?" pointing to my cheek
where the telltale cud had yainly tried
to stand it's ground.
'1 must leave now" sIe continued
"but here is my card, and if you come
to me most any evening, 1shall be glad
to see you, and perhaps iFe can be o1
service to each other"
She gave me her little gloved hand
and to my dying day | saall never for.
get the sensation Of thas moment. ]
could not bear to part W5th her; with.
out her [ felt that | could doinothine
with her I could grow to mans
estate-a man in the ,trnest sense. .oi
the word. From that moment tobac.
co never passed my lips,
AS soon as I could summon courage
[ called upon that lady. Well do ]
remember how my heartbeat as | wait
ed in the elegant parlor for her to come
down; and how awkward I felt as
followed my guide to Ear private sit
ting room. Here she gotat every poin1
of my life, and before I bade her gooG
byes itWas arranged thatIshould spend
two efenI4ss}aof each at her house
and study on these aons justwha
she thought best.
No lover ever loosf9 forward tt
meetings with the misasass of his hear
any more ardently thaiAkdid to thest
meetings with my fri 9 3
grew ealefd'fi= OF .f1 = ola 81, a 5t.st
ance-careful Of my conversation, anC
strove in every way to be worthy of this
noble friendship. Two years passed il
this delightful manner two years tina
made me. NV friend not only attend
ed to my studies, striving also all th'
while to SOW the right kind Of spirit
ual seed, but she procured me busi
ness situation with a particular frient
of hers, where [ remain to this day.
Nobody but God knows what [ ow'
this woman. During the last thre'
months Of those two years, | noticed
that she grew constantly pale and thin
she never was betrayed into speaking
Of herself. Sometimes when [ would
ask her if she felt worse than usual
she would reply.
ooh, no! I am only a little-that il
ALL"
One evening she kept me by her sof;
much longer than was her custom
while eshe arranged lessons, and laid ou
work enough it seemed to me fo1
months.
"Why so much to night?" I inquir
ed, conscious that my heart ached, an(
vaguely suspecting the cause.
"Because, dear" she answered, II d.
not want you to come for the next week
and I am anxious that you should have
sufficient work to anticipate, as well a.
to keep you busy. think | can trus
you to be good boy, John?"
ri think you can ma'ma," I answer
ed, almost sobbing.
eff I should see your mother, N,
dear boy, before long, what shall [ sa,
to her for you?"
"Then | knew all, and my grief knew
no bounds. 1t is no use to go Oh. Sh,
died two days after; and when l hea
folks saying, There's a woman at tn,
bottom of it, | feel like telling th
whole world what a woman did TO
me. ."-America31 Citizen.