The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-02-29
TOO LATE.

To all who have ever felt remorse, the mere
thought of it should be caution enough
against breaking the laws of duty and right
conduct But thousands who are unin-
fuenced by higher moral restraints rush into
wrong-doing without thinking of the SELF
reproach and punishment that are sure to
come. The following contains lesson to
hot-headed youths who are in danger of break
ing their mothers heart by disobedience Or
hasty unflial words:
They were sitting in the waiting-roo of
the depot together-the dapper little man
who looked as though he might be a CON-
mercial traveller, and the great rough fellow
whose cowhide boots, shaggy garments and
broad brown Mexican hat, told that he was
fresh from some semi-civilized region of the
west. The westener sat looking out of the
window upon the dreary confusion of tracks,
switches, frogs and snorting freight engines.
Just at that moment he seemed like man
without friend in the world, and out of
pure sympathy the commercial traveller at
tempted to strike up conversation.
"Got long to wait ?" he asked, in friendly
tone.
"Bout an hour" was the short answer.
"Going far J"
"Nigh onto hundred miles back into the
kentry."
Yes, Wnere =!
stranger I'm going home Home"
$50? Been away long 2"
"'Bout ten years."
"Ten years, and now you are going home!
Well, that's pleasant. / know TIN only
away about month at time, yet when l
come back, I'm as happy as gosling in
sunshower. Fact; you wouldn't think I'm
sentimental, yet when Pm on my way home,
the cars never seem to 60 fast enough, and
can't think of anything but home, home,
all the time I'm there. Ny! but I'd like to
be in your shoes for short time just to feel
how happy you must be! Folks all well,
suppose
''Stranger, I'm going back to my mothers
| funeral. It's ten year, ten long, long year
since I saw her last and then I went away
saying never wanted to see her again. did
that to my mother. But I was not much
more than boy then, and I didn't know
what was doing. 1t was my mother, but
I'm not to be blamed too harshly.
"And after I went away I never sent
letter home-not one, but always meant to.
She used to write me such heart-breaking
letters that l, great, rough miner as I was,
couldn't keep the tears back. You see, I
didn't write because was always a-a-thinkin
that would strike rich, and then 1 would 60
home and just show the old folks what money
and ease was but-but-but stranger, put
it off too long. l was going home next week.
1 was going to surprise em, and had money
enough to make their old age comfortable;
but, stranger, she went home before did,"
And he wiped his horny, sunbrowned hand
across his eyes. There was silence for few
minutes, then he continued:
'Dont think worse of me for that,
stranger; may be man grown, but some
how can't keep tears out of my eyes. They
will come. You see, was the youngest. /
was the baby, her boy she used to call me;
and when 1 grew up wanted to see the
world. to see life. But she wanted me to
stay at home and I was hot-headed and-and
I went away. But I always dreamed of
coming back, and here, when I was ready,
it was too late, too late. Ah stranger! /
can't help it." and the returning miner
bowed his head on his hands and was silent
But the other said nothing. There was
lump in his throat that prevented, and he
looked toward the window under pretense of
wiping his forehead with his handkerchief,
but it was only to conceal the moisture that
came unbidden in his eyes.-Ieras Sit5ings.