Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-08-02

"I have always intended that you
should study law. I gave you the
names of two great lawyers when you
were baby, and
Father, you know that am not
adapted to that kind of business and
should not like it."
"That makes no difference. You
would learn to like it"
"I think not"
"You must study law, young man."
said the father, sternly.
"Do not say that father"
az do say it. l say you must study
law"
"But I'm not adapted"
"You can take your CHOICE
"Choice of what?''
"Do as 1 say, or leave my house."
The father was angry. As he spoke
his voice trembled.
"Do you mean that?" asked the
son.
"I do. wish you to understand it.
If you leave our home, don't you ever
darken my door again."
The angry and excited father strobe
out of the barn, leaving the boy to
make his choice for life.
The young man went into the house.
He had made his decision. He went
directly to his mother and told her all.
He told her that he must seek his fort
une among strangers. 1t was a sad
blow to that poor mother. In few
moments she lived as it might be years.
That day was day which added gray
hairs to her head and wrinkles to her
brow. She gave her son a mothers
kiss and mothers blessing as he went
forth.
David Davis went about his work
day after day as of old. He never
mentioned the name of his son to his
wife, or she to him. Their conduct
toward each other was such that a
stranger would have thought that
there was no vacant place in the
family circle. The neighbors when
with the father and mother seemed to
understand that Kent Davis must be
forgotten, and to all appearances he
had been dropped into Oblivion.
There were two who kept the men,
ory of Kent Davis sacred. Those two
were his mother and Kitty Carlton.
Kitty was the daughter of a reighbor-
ing well-to do farmer, and long time
before young Davis left the neighbor-
hood it had been the talk that at some
time Kent and Kitty would become
man and wife. When Kent was at
home, and when he was teaching
school winters, their neighbors said
that it was a splendid match. After
Kent went away somehow the neigh
bors formed another opinion, and said
that it was a lucky thing for Kitty
Carlton that the young man had gone,
and that it was impossible to imagine
how nice, smart, handsome girl like
her could see anything to admire in
such a fellow as Blackstone Kent
Davis.
For some reason, and probably it
was because good people love to
associate together, Mrs. Davis and
Kitty became warm friends. As time
went on Mrs. Davis became more
cheerful and the good neighbors said
that she had ceased to mourn on ac-
count of. as they supposed, her "run-
away boy" If they could have looked
in and seen Mrs Davis and Kitty when
they were together they would
have known that the mother was
in constant correspondence with
her son. They would have known
that every week Kitty receiveda letter,
and in that letter was carefully folded
another, and on that other was written
| in bold hand the word "mother.' y
They would have known that every
time Kitty mailed letter to Kent she
also mailed one for that mother bear
I
ing the same address. Kittie's father
and mother kept the secret. hepost-
master kept the secret, and Mr.. Davis
and his neighbors were in ignorance
Years rolled on. The yellow fever
began to scourge the South. Brave
men and brave women of the North
went to their relief. Much of the ami
mus and hatred between the two sec
tions was nearly healed by the distress
of the one and the ready relief of the
other. AS soon as the great distres:
became known in the North Mrs. Davis
and Kitty received each a letter
These letters brought tears to theil
eyes and sadness to their hearts. Ken
was going South. He was going
among the sufferers. He was mo-
going for money, but was going fol
the sake Of humanity. He wa.
going to endanger his life, wa
going to face worse enemy, ;
more dangerous foe, than an army Of
soldiers. II am prouder Of him thar
ever" said Kitty. "God bless himl'
exclaimed the mother through he
tears.
No more letters for time. The,
did not know whether he was dead o.
, alive Now and then the naner