Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-08-06

.
almost made his eyes overflow. and his
Thank Iou ~ hi father was very
quietly spoken.
\ Vacation had arrived and to tile "sor-
row that grows" was added the de
preston Of having nothing iii particular
( to do. John Went 10 bed ON the night
that his dream came Is him tccli q
more than ever alone and full OF bitter
ness because an ill.hrcd, braiulc>S Girl,
Al 4 gathering Of Young people i'll y
iucighhor'S house. had in attempting to
be Witty. said something about HIM hav-
ing no mother To look after his personal
\ appearance. With all his >cnSatiyvue>>
and >hvnc>s John had plenty ofgrit and
temper M boy would have dared to
say such words 10 him Int Is girls have
! the privilege of saying insulting things
'-whenevcrthcN are mean enough to
>ay thcm--he could only answer the
speech with silence while he felt hot
blush rise To hi> face Not long after
ward he said good night To- his young
host and went home
4 A. hr entered the hall IL saw his
father beyond the open ,iuing-room
door busy writing He did not look NJ
10 ask why his boy had returned so
early. hui merely called ont, Home
again Join9' in i tone as ii mo- reply
was expected or wanted. and John went
OH upstairs,
The pale melancholy moonlight
pouring through his bedroom window
and some one playing ard singing III
! the distance Il sony his mother used to
sing, added the one drop of sadness 70
| the full heart that was needed for an
overflow. lie had not known the hit
I tcrCst of the sOrroW-it was only begin
ing The achein his heart MAS too hig To
express itself i'll tears. Quietly lac UNI
dressed and laid long time awake IN
his bed, watching the moonlight on the
wall and listening "a the titlul lar away
music. Then with a long sigh OF oh,
mamma. how can I'VE without you2'
he turned his face away from the moon
! light and tried tu sleep. And what Il
bitter thing il is whcri the Young must
Try 10 ,lccp.
He wakcned suddenly toward that
time Of the night, when sleepy birds
drowsy little ehirpS from thcir percheS
in the trees and the early summerdaWn
seem To- b. moving and signing i'll their
sleep lie heard the hail clock strike
three He wondered WHY the moon
seemed to he still shining in the same
! place All nj once Ne saw that it was
not the moon that SO softly lighted the
room, but Silvery, wayering garments
and his mothers face was smiling upon
! him.
Sic laid her two soft hand, on either
side of his face, Just as She had always
done when She had something special
To say to him. and like clear, soft,
distant music came these words:
Do You remember, dear boy, the
Christmas time when YOU were six
years Old and we had Just moved into
our new house and everything was
rather confused ana comfortlcSs. and
YOU had To stay III the kitchen with
nurse while | WAS busy making the
parlor cosy and bright and putting the
| things ON the Christmas tree that YOU
wnrc not ~ know about until il was
time To light the lamps? Do You re-
member how nice and patient YOU
We're when led YOU in. and what Il
happy evening Wc had Dear. dear
Jack Don't feclthat YOU are living
without mo am not very far away
Wait paticntly-not sadly. Busy your
self with good and happy things. BE
Il helper TO papa-he helper To the
world Sometime the doors will be
opened and shall have my own dear
hoy back again :" Then there came II
quick light kiss upon his forehead, one
of the old encouraging pats upon his
check: and John, holding his breath,
heard nothing hut the soft rustic Of the
Gins outside lis window and Straining
hi. eyes, saw nothing but the familiar
| furniture of his room family outlined III
the duskv light
But OH, what comfort there WAS in
hi, heart He could hardly have de-
scribed the feeling. but comfort seem
"a 10 lie the best word fort HI could
still feel the touch Of those dear hands
On his faec-stll hear the echoes Of
those bright loving word, II he had
been younger lie would have ran 70 his
| fathers room, Walcmad him aud eager
| IL told him all about this blessed
dream, or vision. or whatever it was.
But his years. ala. had made him shy
and roticent about opening Iii, heart 10
his father Or was il because of the
fact that most fathers are too busy to
keep the frank and friendly confidence
Of their Young boys? At any rate John
only turned Y bis pillow with two great
happy tears dropping from his eyes,
and fclt 80 comfurtcd 50 not-alone-any.
more that sweet sleep EMBODIED him.
| from which lie did not wakcn until the
bright sun shone full in his face, and
the robins iii tile trees had finished
their.matincc and settled down T. break
| fast
And still the dream remained with
him. Whether hi, father noticed the
new look in Johns oyc- or whether
John for the first time read the deep
subdued grief in his fathers fteo per.
| haps il was both that made them draw
nearer to each other,-that led John "a
| lay his head on the arm of his fathers
chair whcnthey werc alone on tic even
ing following, and commence 70 tell
his dream. by SAYING want To tell
You something about mamma
Before he had half finishcd-and his
| Ir1lap Iatsisb sIa1l4apn. u.aa far I,a.