River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-02-26
you must cat aud 60 to bed, you need a

you must cat aud go to bed, you need a
res"
/ But long after he had hidden her
good night he sat and thought.
His mother had come to make her
home with him. This was clear. II he
told her he willed it otherwise, she
would obey him.
For time he planned il outflow he
you'd tell her that city lie was not
adapted to her needs; and then Violet
need never know of the plain, humble
/ little woman, who had 10, shamed to
| toll with her own hands that his might
| be the hands OF gentleman.
Oh, shame on him! Could he ever
wash them clean, even of the thought
/ No, Violet should row know the truth!
/ lie could bear the scorn now in her eyes
and in her voice, as she would question
him how dared he look up to her, but
! his mother should share his home and
/ heart to the end.
/ II was too late now to visit Violet, to-
night, but he went up stairs, and softly
/ turning the knob ofthe door of the room
where his mother slept, he noiselessly
approached the bed, and, bending
/ down, touched his lips to the old, with.
cred forehead veIently.
She started up with glad cry of joy.
"My boy my boy who i thought was
not glad to see his mother"
He quoted her at last, wondering
why his own heart felt so light, and she
fell asleep with his hand tightly clasped
in hers.
You did not come last night" said
his betrothed, when next morning he
sought her presence.
mo, Violet" he answered, "but !
have come to-day to tell you how I'M
worthy / am of your love. Last night
my mother came to me. Nay, do not
start. 1t was no visitant from the spirit
land, but an actual reality. l have
never told you of my mother. Think
OF ia man so blessed and yet so
dumb All her life she toiled with pow
erty-for whose sake, think you? Her
sons, that she might make of him a
gentleman. God prospered him, and
enabled him To take all the burden
from her old shoulders, and so he
thought he had done his duty
He fed the body but let the heart
starve. Last night, in the desperation
of her hunger, she sought me out.
For moment-oh, humillation-my
pride rebelled. Think of it, Violet
that unnatural pride which would bring
into a mans check flush for the VIC
man who bore him. | thought of you,
with your pretty, dainty ways, side by
side with her plain and homely ones.
/ knew that the two could never be
reconciled, and so, Violet, | have come
20 ask you to forgive and forget me.
My heart, my home, are mothers
hcnceforth and forever"
Had the man some lingering hope
that the girl before him would refuse
the sacrifice? Certainly an added look
Of suffering grew into his eyes as she
answered nothing, only laid her hand in
bis a moment as if in farewell.
His visits seemed very long, very
weary all that day; bat as he crossed
the home threshold at nightfall, he
snothered the frown from his brow, as
he remarked:
''She must suspect nothing"
He would find her, he knew, in his
study. AS he softly opened the door
he anticipated her glad cry of "My
boy" as she tremblingly rose to meet
him; but, alb, he had not anticipated
the picture which met his gaze.
His mother was sitting, indeed, in the
armchair by the fire, but at her feet,
her head resting in her lap, while the
old fingers carelessly stroked the luxur-
liant chestnut hair, was another figure
which rose instead to meet him. Der
nard," the sweet voice whispered in his
ear. 81 lost my mother when L was
baby. 1t has been 50 sweet to find one
again You said, henceforth your homo
and heart were hers. Oh, my love, may
we not share the BOOM"