The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-06-07
s.Ip a minute he smoke aoain

tCHs cCCduoc we Gall y knOW Wnen lie
might speak, or what there might be to
hear!
"Icould not answer him for a Choking
IN ray throat, but 1 laid down my knit.
ting and put my arm around him; and
he looked up into my face with some.
thing in his eyes that I never forgot.
"We were getting On well then. The
little house and garden were almost paid
for, and we thought that nowlere in the
world were happier people than we, OF
a brighter, cosier home. My husband
and 1 were always talking of this and
that to be done for Jack as soon as the
last payment should be made. But be-
fore the money was due my husband
came home sick one day.
".Don't be frightened, Mary he said.
Il shall be better Tomorrow
"But he only grew worse next day.
1t was a lung fever that he had, and fol-
many days we thoughth he must die. Yet
he rallied after a time-though he kept
his hacking cough-and sat up and
moved about the house, and at last
thought himself strong enough to take
his place again. But that was too
much, for at the end of the first week
he came home and fell fainting on the
threshold.
"'It's of no use, Mary he said, after
he came to himself. i can't run the
engine, and if 1 could, it isn't right for
peoples lives to be trusted to such weak
hands as miner'
HE never did any regular work after
that, though he lived for a year.
Consumption is a terrible disease,
civil Tt @~4 &l- 1911 =
your hearts blood to save slipping,
slipping away before your eyes,, and
you helpless to hold him back by so
much as a hair breadth from the black
gulf of death; ali, sir! 1 trust you have
never learned how hard it is!
young as he was, Jack was my stay
and comfort through that dark time.
My poor husband had matters in his
mind that he longed to speak to ME
about but | s always put him off, for 1
could not bear to listen to anything like
his going away from us.
"But at last, the very day before the
end came, as l sat by his bed holding his
hand in mine, he said, very gently but
firmly: Mary, wife, 1 think you must
let me speak to you to-day
81 fell to crying as if my heart would
break, and he drew a pitiful sigh that
went like a sword through my breast;
yet 1 could not stop the sobs. Then
Jack rose up from the little stool where
he had sat so quietly that 1 had almost
forgotten that he was there, and came
and touched me.
Mother! dear mother!!' he said; and
as Hooked I saw his face perfectly
white, but there were no tears in his
eyes.
".Motherr he said again, please go
away for a little while. l can hear
what father wants to say
"You will think me cowardly, sir, but
1 did as the child babe me. I left the
door ajar, and / could hear nv hus-
bands weak voice, though I could not
understand the words, and then nv
brave boys answers, clear and low; not
a break or tremble in the sweet voice.
And at last Jack said: is that all, dear
fatherP' and Yes, l will be sure to re-
member it-every word!'
"Then he came out and kissed me
with almost a smile, and went through
the outer door. But an hour afterward,
when 1 went out to the well, I heard a
little choking sound, and saw him lying
on his face in the long grass under the
apple-tree sobbing his very heart away.
So L turned about and went into the
house as softly as 1 could, and never let
him know.
"After it was all over and we had
time to look about us, we found some
debts left and very little money. 1t
was a hard thing for me, that had had
for. so long a strong, loving arm be-
tween me and every care, to have to
think and plan how to make ends meet,
when I could not even start evenly at
the beginning. But Jack came to my
help again.
"'Father said that you were never to
work hard, dear mother, because you
were not strong, but that l must take
care of you some way. He thought
you could let two or three rooms to
dodgers may be, and that the best thing
for me just now would be to get a train
boys place. He said the men on our
road would be sure to give me a chance
for his sake
".I do not know that I had smiled be-
fore since his father died, but when l
heard him say our road in that little
proud tone he had, 1 caught him to nv
heart and laughed and cried together.
"tAnd 1 spoke to Mr.. Withers about
it only yesterday he went on, and he
said that Tom Gray is going to leave
and 1 can have his chance and BEGIN
next week, if 1 like. What do you say, !
dear mother?'
$50 Jackr 1 said, how can 1 get
through the long, lonesome days with
out youP And if anything should hap
pen to you, 1 should die!'
":Don't, mother!' he said, gently. for
the tears were in my eyes again. But |
would not heed him.
".And you to give up our schoolr 1
cried. And all our plans for you to
to naught!'
Father thought of that, too he
answered, But he said that the whole
belonged to the man that was
faithful and true. And l promised him.
You can trust me, mother?'
Trust him? All, yes! he had struck |
the right chord at last, and 1 lifted nv
head and dried my tears. Whatever
dangers 1 might fear for nv
boy would be of the body, not of the
soul. Faithful and truei' 1 thanked
God and took courage.
lit was wonderful how he succeeded |
the books and papers and the
other things he sold. There was some
thing in him that made him a favorite
with everybody. 1 have been told by
more than one that the sight of his
frank, handsome face was like sun
shine, and that people bought of him
whether they wanted anything or not.
"Well, the years went by and he grew
ap-working his way from one position
another, on the road-trusted every-
where. He wasmy own boy still, though
ne was so tall and strong, with his bright
,urls turned chestnut-brown, and a
'ilken fringe shading the lips that kept
heir old, loving kisses for me alone.
"It was not very long that he hadhad
he place of engineer, which he had
SO long. He had a day off, and
vas doing some little things for me
about the house and garden, when one
u the depot-hands came running up the
oath callinp for him