The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-05-28
LIVING TT DOWN.

LlvlyU IL OVWNs
"Did your mother send you on such
an errand as that to me?''
Bernard Reed, lad about sixteen,
whose coarse. ill-ftting garments ill ac-
corded with the frank. erect bearing,
and proud, sensitive face, shrank from
the cold, stern eyes that were directed
toward him.
"No, sir. She did not know that /
was going to look for work. ~
MIR. Burchard looked keenly at the
frank young lace.
fused to know your mother some
Years ago; did she mover speak of meP'
'.Not that remember Of"
A bitter sheer curled the thin lips.
"How strange! when we used to be
such good friends"
Bernard looked puzzled, evidently
coming to the conclusion that this
strange man was displeased at his
mothers apparent forgetfulness of their
old friendship.
II remember now hearing mother say
once, as you were riding by, that she
used to know you when you were poor
boyi that You were rich and prosperous
now, and she hoped happy
How very kind in her! Yes, am
rich and prosperous. There has been
quite change in our surroundings since
was poor boy and she the daughter
of millionaire. And so you came on
your own responsibility
"Ycs, sir. heard that you wanted
boy in your store. of about my age "
81 should want one long time be-
fore employed son OF Albert Reed,
the defaulterr'
= The blood suddenly receded from the
face of the horror struck listener. and
then, returning. crimsoned the temples.
q 1t is not truer'
Not many men could have gazed I'M
moved into those wild, imploring eyes,
which seemed to cntrcat denial OF a
charge SO terrible, but Mr. Burchard
went pitilessly on.
ut is true, as you will find. Albert
Reed, your father, was sent to the peni-
Tertiary, and but for an act of Execu-
tive clemency, in the last month of his
life, would have died there. Didn't you
know this?"
s.No. Nor do know it now"
"Go ask your mother, boy: she will
tell you that what say is true"
Bernard hardly knew how he found
himself out in the street amid the busy,
bustling crowd of the great city. His
brain seemed on fire, and his heart,
that lately beat so high, like lead in his
bosom. s
His father had died when he was q
mere child, but words and cilcumstan-
ccs rushed upon his mind, to which he
had paid little heed at the time. which
aroused fears; and suspicious that nearly
maddened him.
In poor room, in the poorest part oil
the city, sat Mrs. Reed, straining hel
tired eyes over some fine sewing. Lean
ing back in her chair with loEg, weary
sigh, she glanced up at the clock. II
was considerably past the time for Ber-
nard to return from school. What
could detain himp
Then she remembered what he had
said in the morning when he kissed hel
goodbye: 80 3A
-" You are working too hard, mother
/ must find something to do so as tc
help YOU"
What a good boy he was! How strong
how brave and hopeful! With all the
sorrows and hardships which were slow
ly weighing her down to the grave
she could not feel that her life was ut
terry devoid OF sunshine while ne was
lett.
AS Mrs. Reed thus unused, hurried
unsteady footsteps were heard ascend
ing the stairs, go unlike those she was
expecting that she rose, vague feeling
OF alarm at her heart, rs Bernard en-
tered, and advanced directly toward.
her. e.S
Mother, Mr.. Burchard says that my