Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1879-08-21

Danu WudC Slle uaQ ooAe, ahIt Ao
laughed at her.
DO you think that your kindness
can help that ragged waif? p
Il do not think it will hurt him ST.
las
1t was not the first time that she had
delivered answers to the erudite doc
tor which most elfectually stopped
discussions.
After that Jim came often to the
wash house door. and was fed and
be became cleaner and more orderly
with each succeeding visit.
At length Mrs. Walsh was informed
that friend was going into the far
western country to take up land, and
make a frontier farm. The thought
occurred to her that this might be a
good opportunity for James Ammer-
ton. She saw ner friend and brought
Jim to his notice, and the result was
the boy went away with the emigrant
adventurer. And she heard from her
friend year later that he liked the
boy very much. Two veays later the
emigrant wrote that Jim was a treas
ure. And Mrs. Walsh showed the
letter to her husband ; and he smiled
and kissed bis little wife and said he
was killed.
And he had another source Of glad
ness. Upon her bosom his little wife
bore a robust, healthy boy-their own
son-who gave promise Of life and
happiness in time to come.
The years sped on and James Am
erton dropped out from the life that
Mary Walsh knew. The last she heard
was five wears after he went away from
Ernsworth, and jim had then started
out for the gold mountains on his own
account, to commence in earnest his
own life's battle.
But there was a Joy and a pride in
the little woman's life which held its
place and grew and strengthaned.-
Her boy, whom they called Phi liz
grew to be youth Of great promise
a bright, kind hearted, good boy
whom everybody loved ; and none
loved him more than did his parents
In fact, they worshped him; or, al
least his mother did. At the ace OF
seventeen Philip Walsh entered col
lege, and at the are Of twenty-one
| he graduated with honor but the
long and severe study had taxed his
system, and he entered upon the stage
Of manhood not quite so strong III
body as lie should have been. His
mother saw it, and was anxious. Ills
father saw it and decided that be
should havo recreation and recupera
ton before he entered into business
DR.. Walsh was not pecuniarily able tc
send his son off on an expensive travel
but he found opportunity for his en-
gagement upon the stafT Of an eXplor'
ing expedition, which would combine
healthfuI recreation with an equally
healthful occupation.
The expedition was bound for tie
Western wilderness, and we need not
tell Of the parting between the mother
and her son. She kissed him, and
blessed him and then hung upon his
neck with more kisses and then went
away to her chamber and cried.
Philip wrote home often while or
his way out and he wrote after he
had reached the wilderness. His ac,
counts were glowing, and his health
improving. Three months of forest
! life and forest labor, cf which Philip
wrote in a letter that he had to be
borne more than q hundred miles te
the nearest post and then came months
Of silence. Where was Philip, and
why did he not write?
One day DR.. Walsh came home palt
and faint, with newspaper crumrlec
and crushed in his hand. Not immo
diately, but by and by, he was forced
to let his wife real what he saw II
that paper She read and tainted like
one mortally stricken.
1t was paper from far Western
city, it told the sad fate of the explor
ing party under Col John Beaucham
how they had been attacked by al
ovelpoWering party Of Indians, anc
how those not massacred had beer
carried away captive.
And SO passed half year.
One day the postman left a lette