The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-07-04
TEAR AND TEAR.


women saw . tear in her eye before
they noticed anything else. Some had
called her hag, and spoken of hel
home - hovel. Some had heard
her curse and seen her reeling along
and they looked closer to see if it real
~ WAS tear. 1t was tear-a great
round tear, and it rested on hel
wrinkled cheek as If human hand had
placed 1t there.
Isn't 1t strange that she shed a tear
even in death = they whispered.
So it was, and yet it was not. When
death comes slowly the crust melts
from the wickedest heart, and human
nature comes back with all the love
and charity, and sorrow and pity
which heart ever had. Death came
slowly to her. As she sat in the chair
and watched the sun go down and the
shadows come, she knew that she
would not live to hear again the notes
of the morning birdie. Men and wo-
men passed her door, but she did not
cry ont. Over the heads of the glee-
full children playing at the curb-stone,
she saw . darker shadow than the rest.
It was the shadow of death. 1t float
ed oyer the heads of the children as
fogs drift along the rivers surface, and
a. it stopped before her open door, she
knew that its shadow was chilling her
sunshine Of life.
There was not living thing in or
around the house for her to love-fOr
her to part with. No birds built their
nests under the lonely eaves-no cat
or dog basked in the sunshine creep.
ing in through the dusty windows
even the rats and mice scented to
avoid the place. The husband had
been dead 90 long that she scarce ever
gave his memory thought. Her boy
All! that was it. As the shadow en-
tered the door and cast its chill over
her, she whispered:
John was wicked. He ran away
he stole from me, he beat meI'
He had gone to the war. She had
not heard from him even once. Yet,
when the hearts crust melted the love
of . mother crept in, and she whis-
pered:
Poverty vexed me. Despair made
me drink. Desperation made me curse
louder than my boy could. He was a
good boy once-rmade him bad. 1,
his own mother, droye him into the
streets-beat him-abused him, and
when / could haye won him back by
. kind, motherly word 1 would not
speak it! If he were here tonight 1
would sing those old child-songs to
him, would tell him those old stories
II would look upon him as my own
precious child! Here, in the shadow
Of death, 1 ask his forgiveness I ask
God to forgive me!'
Later, when the dusk was deeper,
and the black shadow had crept yet
nearer. boy searched about her door
for lost ball, and heard her murmur:
John, won't you forgive your
mother. am dying, John, but all the
old loye has come back to mel 1 am
your mother, 1 want to hold you in
my arms and kiss you as I used to.
want to hear your voice and know
that you forgive me!'
fingers felt the darkness, nothing
more.
Il want you to call me mother
againp she entreated. Il want to
smooth back your hair as 1 used to,
want to look into your eyes and see if
you still hate me!'
And those that found her knew not |
the feelings that had brought the tear,
nor that it was the last of many which |
bad burned her cheeks as the gloom |
grew deeper and the chilling breath of
the shadow made heart beat slower.
It had been fierce fight. Shoulder
10 shoulder the line swept out from the
:over Of the woods, dashed across the |
ong field, and. found death beyond it
death in such terrible forms that the
Inc fell back in wild disorder. Again
md again the pale-faced but courage
BUS men dashed at the position, al
most gained it, and melted away under
he fire of shot and shell and bullet.
By and by the slaughter ceased. The
living left the field in possession of
he dead and wounded, and the deaf
,ning roar of the battle drifted right
md left.
On that meadow there was no patch
If grass without it's stain of blood
lead men with eyes opened shared
he ground with those who shrieked
or water or screamed out with the
gony of their wounds. John was
here. A shot had mangIed arm and
and he knew that the blue
loud of powder smoke could not shut
i'm in from the shadow of death. He
lad been wicked. He had been loud
st in his curses, the first to sneer at
,ood, the last to speak of home. Com
sdes feared and hated him, and Off.
eYs wondered why he was there in
tead of in convicts cell. Yet, when
70 saw the shadow coming his face
Dst its bronze, his tongue forgot its
amiliar oaths, and he dragged him.
elf to the side Of . wounded comrade
nd said:
Have you got mother, comrade ?
'Yes,sGod bless her!' gasped the
ther.
$50 have l. said John. 81 was
of her for the first time ina
ear, just before was hit. She used
D beat me. Our home was a hovel,
nd knew the alleys better by night