The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1880-06-03
old post, until Mrs. Williams iva,
taken very i'll. -

'ohoh Nofy III.
Sorrow and anxiety began to hay,
physical rs we'll as mental efrect
and the mother bowed down, aged
more in ono year OF separation from
her son than sho had over beon il
ton Of their loving companionship.
1t wasirnpossible TO leave ho,
alone, the situation was resigned.
Nearer and nearer crept Tho eaun,
wolt poverty. Little articles o,
fdrpituro that could bo spared woro
sold little conforts wero doniei
extra hours vere given TO tho poorly
paid sewing Chat replaced Hannah
work, aud yet notuai hunger wa,
staring thcm in the lace.
Noarly two years had John Will.
iaus solpt in a convict's coll. whom
one morning Hannah Coyle, leaving
her self imposed charge sleeping,
won't to one of tho fashionable hair.
dressors.
have como to sell my hair
choking back hor toars, aud thinking
cit will grow out again before John
comes home"
The proprietor lod hor to tho
hair-dressing-room, and hid his
amazemont al the superb profusion
under q hard, hall-contemptuous
smilo.
Whom sho left, only three shillincs
had been paid for her closely cropped
head yot that would keep life q
littlo longetin tho feeble franc oI
Johns mother, and Hannah was
thankful.
She was rapidly walking homo,
when she was attracted for IN o.
mont by acrowd, and her foot soom-
ed paralyzcdna 500 henrd a man
say
~ saw his face. 1t is Gerald
Somors rflv7t
/" Ia he much hurt p
"Fatally, Ishould say. Ono OF
tho horses put his foot on his
bronst."
"Gcrald somcrsl Fatally in
jnrodl'
Hannah never paused to contcm
plato possibilities.
Sho forced her way through tho
crowd into tho room whore tho
young man lay waiting for death.
"You cannot go in"
al must SO in,' che said.
at is mattor OF lio and death.
] must sea him before he dos
Something in tho white, earnest
faco moved tho mans heart aud he
openol tho door.
On u sofa, covered with sheet,
lay the handsome, dissipatol son, OF
tho merchant prince
knoelinS beside him was his
father, aud tho physician stood at
tho hoad OF tho couch.
They had thohsht consciousness
doad, VIXEN clear voice spoke the
dying mans name,
"Gerald Somers."
He opened his, ,oyes wildly, and
tho cloar voice spoke again in words
Of most solema import.
~ you hopo for morcy in tho
next wo,ld, toll the truth Of JoAu
Williams q innocence
Hs gsspol convulsivoly, while hia
father looked inquiringly, at tho in'
truler.
John Williams tho dying voice
said fcobly, "was innocent. 1 wrote
the signature"
"Gorald y cried tho father, 'is
this true 2"
ut is true, as I hope for Gods
mercy"
There was O moment OF silence,
and then the old man turned to
Hannah.
"Who arc you :"
"John Williams promised wife,
"Go. l will do him justice.
Leave mo with my SON.
She bowed her head, and went
slowly from tho presence OF tho dy-
ing.
Jamos Somers kept his word.
He was an upright man, and
sacrificed tho name Of the dead to
right that of the living.
He would not take John back.
The sight OF his face was too OK
quisitely painful, but he paid him
his full salary for tho time Of his
absence, and found him O lucrative
position.
1t was the day Of the home-
coming.
Hrs. Williams in her own chair
was smiling upon John as he caress-
cd Hannah's cropped hair.
Very grave and pale his sunny
face had become, but he smiled as
mother said:
at was for me, John, she sacrifice
cd her splendid hair. l can never
tell you all she sacrificed for me.
but that speaks for itself"
Clasping Hannah in close en-
brace be asked:
" Do you think now, mother, /
might do better 2"
Not if you could marry an em'
presS"
She thinks 80 still, and John a.
grees with her, though he has been
four years and Hannah's
hair is as superb as ever.