Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-12-27
boy. if he lives, will come to know it,

seeing ner mOtner aRtattOn, tue kui
said nc more, but gently led her on to
talk OF the brother who had left home at
the age Of sixteen, and had never been
heard from since. At the time Of his
departure, Mary, now on the verge OF
womanhood, was four years Of age, and
all through her childhood and youth her
ina gina,ion had played around her faint
memories of him, catching eagerly at
whatever her mother could tell. Her
father never spoke of him, except to up
braid his desertion Of his parents and his
duty. Whatever had been his offence,
the Deacon had not forgiven, but Mary
kn.w how the mothers heart yearned
and watched and waited for her boy, and
ste understood what secret spring OF
so Tow was draining her mother strength.
He had left them on the last night of the
year and as the years, one after another
crept onward, Mary always felt the fe'
verish. faint hope in her mothers heart,
and this nigh, of all nights she did no,
! like to leave her alone. But as the eve
ming wore on, and the mother and daugh-
ter sat in the firelight, talking over all
story Of the boys young life. Mrs. Frost,
grew restless. She arose and went to
the window, and looking up and down
the white road, over which bent the boughs
of naked trees, and away across the snowy
fields, she seemed to ask the earth, which
somewhere hid his grave or felt his foot
step, and the stars that must have seen
his wanderings, for tidings of her boy. As
she stood there the clock in the church
tower struck eleven.
There's only one hour more in this
year, Mary" she said. turning to her
daughter, who sat gazing into the fading
fire. "only one hour in this year. He
will no, come tonight, and ever since
he wen, away have watched the old
wear out, waiting for him. He wen,
AWAY while We were At the midnight ser
vice Your father insisted upon his 60
in, with Us, but there had been hard
word. between hem that day, and for
the frs, time he openly rebelled. lie
would no, go; and when | knew i, !
wanted to stay with him, but feared it
looked like .snc,ioning his disobedlence
So | went. and all through the dying
hours of the year my hear, was with my
child. God only knows how the moments
dragged, how discordan, seemed the
praises. how impossible to freight the
PRAYERS with my heartsche. Al last,
sgains, your fathers wishes, | crep, ou,
and came home. You were safely asleep
in YOUR little crib, and | had said to Har'
~. as | wen, out, Take good care Of
your little sister.
A strange fear had taken possession
OF me that he meant 10 60 away. Once,
when angry, he had threatened 10 go,
AMI hi. father answered. You will be
glad enough to come back to me for your
bread and could no, forget tina, the
though, of going had once crossed his
mind. This recollection and this fear
made me bid him watch over you. He
was very fond OF you. and tried, as |
walked home, 10 believe that he would
no, leave you alone. Ba, | wen. from
room to room in the lower part of the
house; | passed with trembling steps TO
his chamber. He was not there.
searched for some message, some word or
line 10 say he loved his mother, and |
found az last, what has been comfort
all these years, little note pinned TO
your night dress as yoi lay in the little
crib. have i, now. KEEP, i, near rue
I'LL | wore il out, 50 that feared could
no, read the words = | am going, mother,
| know no, where, nor for how long, but
| shall never cone back TO my father for
nv bread Bu, love you, mother, and
if | live | will come hack 10 you !
have waited for him ever since, Mary, and
since that day have never been once to
midnigh; service.
Once there came to Us the story of
the wreck OF a vessel bound from South
America to New York, and among the
names Of the lost was one like that OF
my little boy. But | did no, believe he
was dead. wait and watch for him
still, and your father knows it. and |
think i, irritates and disturbs him, for
every year he urges me to 60. | have
fel, that could never do it, but some
how to night feel as if should like to
try again. Let US walk down together,
child, and have this last hour Of the year
with the people of God "
Willing 10 do anything to soothe her
mothers agitated feelings, Mary wrapped
her warmly, and together they walked
over the white road to the church door.
The notes of hymn came out to greet
them on the still air. The vestry was
filed. aud the two women slipped quietly
into a back seat. When the music
ceased, they sat with bowed heads, each
thinking her own thoughts for the dying
year, when a voice broke on their ears 30
changed and softened that they hardly
recognized, at first, the voice Of Deacon
Frort. After few broken sentences it
grew clearer, and he told of his struggles
with poverty, of his effort to hold his
home, of his hard conviction that God
was looking after everybody's welfare
but his. and leaving him, though he had
tried to serve Him, to fight his battles
alone. He told them Of the humiliation
and bitterness with which, this very night
he bad gone to the house of his creditor
with the admission that he could not pay
his debt, and that he had been met there
by the smiling statement that the debt,