The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-08
But It was a quiet house.
The reaSonp

~Ah"poi oOlLiC udJ WIG Will ICb YOU
peep at her treasures. She keeps them
In drawer. Only a little torn hat, a
whistle, drum, pair of shoes. Well,
our house wasn't always quiet, and wife
was merrier in those days Our boy
would have been nearly old enough for
college, now.
took the children home to see wife,
and her soft motherly heart leaped up
when she saw them
Peeping into the sitting-room just be-
fore going out, | heard Ralph, with eyes
lit up, telling about: "My mother, my
beautiful mother
''She used to do the sewing for the
stores all the day long, and often through
the night. But they would hardly pay
anything, and sometimes we had no dim
ner or supper till the work was taken
home. She looked so beautiful then,
because, in the afternoon the roses came
into her cheeks and stayed all the even
ing. But in the morning she was pale,
oh, so pale!
Sc One day mother went out to take
some work home 1t was cold and
windy and we had had nothing to eat all
day. AT last she came back with bread
and tea, and wood and coal for a fire.
The basket of wood and coal was heavy,
and | did not know she had it until she
set it down on the floor and sat down by
the window. Ralph?' she called.
sprang to answer, but there was mother
with a handkerchief to her mouth. o,
mother minen'
Il called the neighbors but they could
do nothing, only one ran for the doctor
and came back without him."
d" did all there was to do. | would
not let them touch her. She was my
mother. | chafed her hands until at
last she opened her eyes, then her lips
moved and she whispered: 'Snowdrop,
Ralph and | cried:
40 mother we are here! Please don't
90! 0 mother, live! o mother, mine,
live! But only quick culver came over
her face, and her hand sought for Snow
drop
II put her hand on Snowdrop's golden
curls, for she seemed to grope in dark
ness" ....
" Ralph, she whispered, 'take-care
Of Snowdrop and God - keep
yo-my-chil-"
''She could not finish the word"
"Ralphr"
81 bent over her, but only heard a
long, low sigh ......
''They took us children away, and
then they buried mother in big grave
yard,
Zone of the women in a room next to
ours took us, but they were poor, and l.,
though l sought for work, could get
none. They said was too young and
turned away. And yesterday Mrs.
Burns husband came home drunk, and
he knocked my little Snowdrop over, be-
cause she was blind and could not see to
get out of his way. Then he cursed her.
and l just went up and struck him. He
ordered us out, and we went into the
street just as the snow was beginning to
fall and we walked till we were so tired,
and we thought we'd sleep on the door
step.
" We went up that fine street because
we knew rich people lived there, and l
was telling Snowdrop about the beauti-
full rooms we could see into when the
gas was lit
forgot my patients as l listened to
the boys story. But when | saw the lit
tie birdie safe asleep on wife's lap and
her arm about Ralph, then went on my
round.
1 had long round that day and it
was late when | reached home. When
| did | saw brighter light in wife's eyes
than for many day, and flush on her
cheeks as if she were growing young
again.
The children were off to bed and wife
took me up to look at them. Ralph
turned over and murmured: Snow
drop"
After tea wife came to her place on
my knee, just as in the old honeymoon
days, and | knew what was coming. But
she didn't say word, only looked
straight into the fire, and l, looking
closer, saw the tears gathered in her
eyes. So | didn't wait for her to ask, but
said:
eyes, we'll keep them"
Then the tears ran over and she turned
and kissed me; but she could not speak
for the quivering of her lips and | knew
she was thinking of frankie in Heaven.
The children stayed; the house grew
brighter and wife younger as the years
sped on.
Ralph has grown to be a man and my
practice will fall into his hands. Wife
says he won't marry, his heart is so bound
up in Snowdrop. But-perhaps-well,
there is no knowing.
We cannot spare Snowdrop. for she
knows the old home from garnet to base
ment. Who would sing and play for us
in the evenings, and warm my slippers,
and do all the other things she does for
wife and me? No, we couldn't spare
our sunshine. our sweet spring flower,
oar Snowdrop.-Golden Rule.