Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-09-18
The Last Leap.

uiSdnluS bAt ulu ultatns NulCu udNt
cheered her through her ten years of
widOwhood-bright but never impOssi-
BILE dreams of the future of her only son
and she is glancing backward, too,
over her own life, wondering a little,
just little, if many women of her age
have seen no more of the world than she,
who has not spent one night of all her
life-nor ever wished to do so-beyond |
this village where her husband has been
a schoolmaster. Is it to be always so
A steadfast light comes into her eyes,
and her quiet lips break into a smile,
made beautiful by proud and loving
trust-"That shall be left to Davy," she
says, uttering softly the one name which
now means all the world to her. His
choice will be my choice"
She does not know how intently she
Is listening for his fOOtstep upon the
gravel, nor how her face brightens when
he comes in at last.
Mother 7"
''Oh, Davy, Davy y"
The greeting bursts from the hearts
of both, in that first moment then the
boys lips are clinging to his mothers,
and her arms hold him in that entire
love which a widowed mother so often
lavishes upon an only son. He is home
to spend his vacation whole month
from school.
The first vacation of David's passed
like dream to his mother, and now
that the last day has arrived, she feels
as if only week had sped, though she
has so regretfully and hungrily counted
each morning and each night both the
days that have been spent and those that
are to come.
Another long absence follows anoth-
er bright home coming On the frosty
Christmas darkness now another ab-
sence and so on, and on, and on, until
David comes home from school for the
last time of all
He meets his mother just within the
porch, where the flowers bloom that
summer as they have bloomed through
every summer of his life, and he has no
cloud upon his face. But. later on. his
mothers anxious question is answered a
Reel snIly
"Yes, mother; l heard from the law
yer yesterday. Grandfather's will does
not mention either of us. He has given
me all the help he meant to give. Well,
he has been very good, and now | am
ready to make my own start IN the
world. But must 90 at once. One de
licious day with you here. then for Lon
don ! Don't look so sad. my mother
this shall not be long separation not
even so long as the old school terms, fol
| will soon come back to fetch you
So after this one day he goes. laugh
ing over his scanty purse, because hi
hands are strong, he says, and his for
tune, hope and courage. But when h
looks back, it is only through mist o
:, tears that he can see the little cottag
where he leaves his mother in her lone
illness.
After David's departure the days pas
for Mrs. Sullivan just as the old schOC
days have done, except that now she ha
of daily excitement in his letters. Neve
u can she settle to anything until the post
=. man has come up the garden path. an
- given into her trembling hand the lettt
David never fails to send the lett
yu which does his mothers heart such goo'
m At last one letter comes in which
e. tells her he has found employment IN a
i'd accountants Office employment whiC
ye is very easy to him. and which ne like
ne though the salary he is to receive
much smaller than he had anticipate
," when he so hopefully began his search
ay "But will work so well, he write
..that the firm will raise my salary SOC
is and then / will come for you. All, mot
ap- er. | can indeed work hard and long al
- =, steadily for that good end.
So, in the cottage, Mary works bar
nm too. confident in the realization of
the plan, and living with him, through b
the long day dreams. in a London which
ust lists in her imagination Only-a VIE
calm city where all the young men ha
~ Dayid's face and David's nature, a
peb guide skillfulIy the machinery Of
ger world
'nt But the time goes on. and David u
earns what he earned at first "And $
Sud U be writes. little sadly now. ''the no
he with YOU is still out of my reach.
.du- poverty here. mother. would be to 20
sub hundred times worse than poverty
c home"
4. When he has been absent for y
her he comes home to spend his births
,psy with his mother summer day wh
must they have spent together for all the el
men teen wears of David's life. Then be
" back to his work, still hopeful Of
-. rise which his earnest and untiring
ave vitude is to win
pose Six months pass, and then. one
ly- day night. David walks unexPect'
you ,,s .,,,,os kitchen. where his
imid in'O '"e r.lu -,