American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-05-07

ouI iIltO lilt
darkness, and listening. When | wen
my neck, but she didn't look at me
she only looked into the darkness.
".Come in, mother 4 cried; you
oughtn't to stand here while you are
ILL.,
''But she only stood there trembling,
till baby began to cry and move restless
| in her cradle; then mother came in, and
took her up, and held her close to her
neck, sobbng as I'd never heard mother
sob before in all my life never. held
to her, and begged her to stop, but |
was CRYING myself too all the time.
And still father didn't come. | was a
silly lad, Jim, and a wicked one, but
wasn't q coward; and so | begged
mother to let me go up to the Hall to
ask about father. For a long time she
wouldn't, but at last | got her just to
whisper yes in her crying, and was
only too eager to set off. She came to
the door with. me, still shivering. and
holding baby wrapped in shawl; and
while she kissed me she whispered
something l couldn't hear; but sup
pose it didn't matter my hearing, for
she was speaking up to Heaven. L
wasn't long reaching the Hall. fer
knew every inch of the road, and could
run safely enough even in the darkness.
l went up through the yard, and when
l saw light in tho saddle-room, knew
one of the grooms was sitting up to
take the MASTER horse, and went in
at once. 1t was Tom Harris. and of
course l was sorry, because he hated
father. and didn'tlike me; but whoever
it had been, should have gone in then
to ask for father. Tom scolded ME
first for startling him, then he laughed
at my questions, and then he got cool
again, and stared at me.
- You won't find YOUR father here,'
ne said; you won tnever find him here
again. He's turned off The master
won't have nothing more to do with
him. You'd best go aud ask for him at
the public, for he went that way when
the master sent him off. The public's
good place for him to forget his
troubles in
II stared at the man. trying to I'M
derstand what he said, and trying to
betiere him.. Father never goes to the
public L stammered. What do you
mean?'
"'He's never been turned off work
before tonight laughed Tom, That's
what sends man to the public. If he
amt there, something's happened to
him. Go you and see after him. Don't
stare he went on, crossing his arms,
and leaning back in his chair by the
fire. Cant We hear what say? Your
fathers been turned of here, and to-
morrow you re all TO be off out of your
cottage.' t
II caught hold of the table. for the
room was spinning round and round;
and then l remember Tom laughed, |
and said it again, as if questioned
him. "a
... Yes. L mean just what say. Your
fMhers been late every morning this
week. and the master won't stand it -
not likely. So you're all to turn. out
Of your cottage tomorrow for the new
shepherd. Go home and make as much
as you can of the place tonight, as it III
be gone TO- morrow
.'At first | was afraid to stir, for /
thought if |. did l should fall; but as
soon as coald crept away from the
mans s'ght Out' in the darkness
ran home ,fasteryeven than had run
% the Hall. CRYING mothers name all the
way, without knowing what it meant.
1.-The cottage door was open when 1
q think she put it open
o guide us father and me; and l
ooked in, actually afraid for the first
ime in my life of meeting mother.
,he.yas sitting by the fire, her face
ehite, and the tears falling all the
ime. While | stood wondering how to
ELL her about father, my sobs burst out
md frightened her. But I was by her
ide then, and fell on my knees, and
aid my head in her lap. 1t was just
hen. Jim, that remembered my little
birds and their ruined home,
nd the mother who had lost them,
md l folded my hands and looked up
nto mothers face almost as if she had
'een God. Tll never do it again-nev-
n! never! 1 didn't know it was SO ter
ible. I'll put them back
" Afterward, while I told her all that
Tom had said. tried not to see her
ace, and tried still more, Jim, not to
ee that old cage in the far corner of
he kitchen. where my little prisoners
rom her seat, and put on her shawl and ,
onnet.
"sNo, no, MOTHER 1 cried, quite
uietly, though, for fear of waking baby;
you mustn't go out; you'll be ILL again
nd it's quite dark. Oh, let me go!'
"She stopped and kissed me. Its ,
o place for you, my child. Take care
baby She couldn't say another /,
yord. and I could only watch her go, as ,,
he had watched me. thinking what I'd :
ave given to be able to go and take =,
are of her. +,
II sat close to baby's cradle, and !,
AIRED into the fire as if that wide stare i.
Duld keep the tears away; but all the :
lille l didn't see the fire at all. but :
Their things-oh, Jim, so plainlyi =
The white light crept through the !;
itchen window, then the sun rose, and /.
ill father and mother didn't come :
he sun was shining now. and this was =
lie very day we were to go. so woke =
re twins and dressed them, and :,
raped baby ready, and put the room !
order, all without a word. for was ;,
10 miserable to cry. At last father =
I'd mother came in, very slowly and :,
lently, and father put his hand on my :,
cad. and mother took baby. and then =
knew we were bidding good-by to the
tile home where we had been so hap
7. and didn't want to cry, though my a
,art was breaking, SO crept away to
70 woods for a few minutes. 1 felt that :,
would seem better there, 9,
here L should see the sunshine on the =,
ayes and grass and flowers, and hear :.
aking the leaves seem full of music, 3
! L had SO often heard them; and even y
CHER still. among the soft white y
ouds, where I'd often thought that "
zen the angels must like to hear them,
coping to listen when their own songs Z.
ere silent for bit. But. Jim, when - -
came into the wood, there was no 2.
,te of all these bright glad songs. II
9. The whole wood was heavy with n IL