Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-02-23
The Widows Son.

In little brown, one-story wooden house,
nestled among the trees at the foot OF hill
lived the Widow Wood.
She lived all alone, save ter little boy, her
only child, Johnny. Her husband was poor,
hard.woIking man, and had contrived to pay
for their little home, having one COW, and Kept
his garden in good order, when lie was sud-
denly removed by death. Johnny was too
young to remember his father, and the neigh
bors lived at q great distance, and so he and bis
widowed mother were in all to each other
The school house was far off, too, but as soon
as his little legs got long enough, Johnny was
found at school
Early in the morning washed and combed,
he would kiss his mother for long day, with
his little dinner basket hung On his arm, while
she charged him to be "a good boy" would
turn back to her lovely home, 10 spin or to
weave, or to do something by which TO earn o
pittance toward their support. Sometimes she
would go out to meet him toward night, when
she thought it near time for him
come home, and then, hand in hand, little
Johnny would tell his Joys and sorrows, how
the boys called him baby and 'milksop,' be-
cause he stoutly defended his mother aud then
how Miss Pierson praised him for getting bis
lessons so well, and called him her "model lit
tie boy"
81 don't think they ought to l4ush at us If
we are poor, do you, mother?"
"Why, no, not If we do as well as we CAM
"And MS no disgrace to eat rye pies, is it
moiheli"
"Certainly not, if We cannot afford to have
wheat"
"Ihey throw and pull me around. tbev do
because l am little and feeble. can't febt
!hsni aHa i h9s 5s tel .e you what mothsr Ia sJoy
lawyer, and then we will live in a biz house,
aud you shall dress like q lady, and III have
good clothes, and we'll eat wheat bread, and
see Il they'll laugh any more"
"Nell, Johnny, you be good boy, ana learn
to love your books; and | will do all [ can for
you"
The widow wiped tear silently from her
face, and felt that this little, coniidiny boy
was deaier 10 her than all the wealth in the
world
SO she silently toiled and denied herself ey-
erything possible, and kept her child at school
When he learned everything they could teach
Inn III the little red school house, she sent him
to An academy.
He was the poorest boy in the school, the
poorest dressed and led.
People wondered why Widow w ood shoul Id
kill herself with work, Just to keep that great
BOY at school," They said 'he had better be
earning something for bis mother But the
mother kept silent and toiled on.
AT length the time came when Johuny was
ready 10 go 10 college. Could she ever meet
the expenseP she had earned and savei some
thing every year by her loom in view OF this
possibility.
After he had entered college, she milked and
drove her own COWS to pasture, cut her own
wood all winter, and one day in the week,
sometimes Two, went out washing. Soon IL be.
gan TO be whispered round that .,tbe widow &
son was doing we'll" and then 'he was fine
scholar and the day he graduated, the frs,
scholar III his class, the poor mother took his
arm after the exercises Of the school we're over
aud with tears and smiles walked with him
through the streets Of the city. the happiest
mother in all that city.
A few years after she saw him take a com
manding position in his profession one OF the
most honored and distinguished men In ou
country
| She did see him in his elegant house, sur
| rounded by great library, and a most gifted
family of children, and she did live with hin
and lean upon him as upon strong staff, bu
| am not sure that she was really happier thai
when chopping at her Wood pile, ,tba, she nigh
save little TO help her boy through college,
| They are both dead now; but knew them we
and his Invaluable writings are now on my ia
| Bile before me.
such Is the simple hit true store Of 9Th
Widows Son."