Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-11-28

Yes" said the little fellow, de.
: cidedly, ''Of course it is. NV OWL
: pretty mamma, come from heaven"
She reeled back at the innocent words
: and would have fallen had not caugh,
her and put her once more i'm the arm
K chair.
> Come from heaven" she repeated,
with ashy lips and gasping breath.
, They told me he was dead, my boy,
, my Ereddie-that he was run over and
killed. The nurse saw him fall under
the horses feet"
But, you see, he was not killed,
, mother" said gentle tone, "but is
well and strong again.
And then, motioning me to keep
; silent, mother told the widow of the
child's injuries and recovery, of his
winning ways and our love for him.
"And you kept him and nursed him -
she said. kissing mothers hands. 'sOh,
what can l do for you to prove my
gratitude? Freddie. my boy, how you
must love the kind lady,
Yes" assented Freddie, chats
grandma and this is uncle john" and
| was dragged forward
81 cannot understand it at all" the
mother said. "Did no one know he
was here-my mOther-in-lawp Will
you let me tell yOu," she added. look
ing at mother and myself, show my
boy was lost -
'If yOu will drink this first | said
giving her quieting beverage.
She obeyed at once, and. taking of
Freddie's cap, lifted him to her lap
while she told her story. When we
saw the two fair faces so close together.
any lingering doubt we might have had
of the strangers claim vanished AT
once. Even in parent and child the
resemblance between the woman and
her boy was wonderful. The same
brown hair and eyes, the same delicate
features and complexion, the same
ehildlike expression, marked both coun-
tenances. Even to the pallid, wasted
look of recent suffering the resemblance
was perfect.
81 must tell you first who am our
visitor said. 81 am the widow of Col |
Onel West, who died of cholera i'm Liver
pool only two weeks ago. He was /
taken i'll in July, and was telegraphed |
to come to him. We had parted" she |
added, turning to mother, "because his
business had called him to Liverpool,
and he was afraid to have Freddie and
me go there on account of the cholera.
But when heard he was ill | went to
him at once, leaving my boy with my
husbands mother and sister. | knew
they were not very fond of him, but |
had no choice. | dare not take him to
Liverpool with the cholera raging
there, and had nowhere else to leave
him. | found my husband very ill, but
he was recovering, when he had a re-
lapse. He rallied from that and took
cold, think, or over-fatigued himself,
bringing on second relapse that proved
fatal. During all his illness / heard
only twice of Freddie-once that he
was well, once that he had been killed
in the street.. / came home only two
days ago, and they would tell me moth
ing of where he was buried-nothing
but the bare fact of his death. IL
oh. do not blame me Il was on my way
to the river to end it all when / met
Freddie
Mother looked at me and whispered,
10. LA hna 90
has driven her mad. Let her stay with !
me while you try to find out something
about her."
''But l have no right to force myself
into her private affairs" | said.
''She is Freddie's mother. That gives
you right"
1t would be tedious to tell i'm detail :
all the long conversation that followed;
but, authorized by Mrs. West, l called a
upon her husbands lawyer, and there
heard her story.
81 think" the lawyer said, confiden-
tally, THAT the Vests are the proudest
people l ever knew-proud of their a
family, their money and their beauty.
Carroll West was the only son, Lucy q
he only daughter, when the old man n
lied. He left a considerable fortune, a
lut Carroll has increased his share of IL
t to immense wealth. His mother was u
7ery desirous of having him make 6
,reat match, and propOrtionately furi- "
,us when he married little dark-eyed y
of no family in particular, "
md working for living"
thought of the exquisite face, the
ow. tender voice of Freddie's mamma,
applauded Carroll'schoice. u
Carroll" continued the lawyer, 8
lad sufficient good sense to keep his "
'wn establishment until he went into a - =,
Ieavy cotton SPECULATION that called u
lin to Liverpool at the height of the
holera. Then he left his wife and !"
hild under his mothers care, and be- y
ore he went made his will. Now, =
octor, said the lawyer, speaking very =
lowly and with marked emphasis. ="
that will leave half his fortune to his ~
rife. half to his child, but, in case of 81
h.. d..,b os rho child the half that is Ire
ne utdlu vi Tic tit nan th"e /
is goes to Mrs. West and her daugh- ~
er Lucy. If the mother dies, all goes III
D the child, to revert again TO lhe '"
Vests, if he dies without heirs. Do
ou see:'' -.
did see. / saw again the hard, de- =. =.
,rmined face leaning over the sleep u
lg child, denying him, the weaker n'
-oman sancti" ming the deceit, but fall y
lg senseless in the room. L under -
ood now the disappointment that had "
reeted the tidings that the child was W.
either dead nor dying, but recovering. 20
was all clear to me now, but shud- oe
cred as recalled the mothers face e
hen she had contemplated suicide "
,ther than bear her widowed, child III
ss lot. -
W. oo,,ld navar toll whether the un- to'