The Red Cloud chief., 1884-05-09
The lad had q cold and q sore throat

as the result OF his drenching. and his
anxious mother, during the period of
his indispOsition. entertained towards
Mrs. Cooper a resentment hearty
enough to have satisfied ever DR.. John
son. Frank got well that time, how
ever, and Was oon at school again
bright and merry rs usual.
But he mad several attacks OF sore
throat before the winter vas over, AMI
they left him SD weak and puny that his
mother neve before welcomed spring
weather so gladly as she did that year.
Frank seemed to get quite we'll and
strong rs the warm weather came, and
there ore perhaps less prudent. for in
May he again caught cold and cam
home sick from school.
He was severely i'll from the first; in
a few days diphtheric symptoms de-
velooed themselves, and t~wenty-four
hours later the bright young soul was
freed from its frail tenement. and Mrs.
Sunderland was a childless widow.
l will not dwell upon her desOlatiOn;
the whole community sOrrowed with
her; everybody had liked merry little
Frank Sunderland, and his mother was
almost an equal favorite. II friendly
sympathy could Eare lightened her
grie: that solace would have been hers;
perhaps it did, even though uncon-
~Sciously TO herself, but. as she sat the
the evening before the funeral by the
side of her dead darling, she felt as
though there could never be any more
brightness or pleasure for her this side
of eternity.
She sat there fearless, speeches. and
despairing, and heard not the timid
knock that came upon the door. nor
did she notice the figure that 4 mo-
ment later entered the room, until 4
voice choked with sobs said:
.'Plea>e, Mrs. Sunderland. mayn't 1
see him?"
TEen she turned and saw Charlie
Cooper. The boys swollen eyes showed
that he had been crying, but Mrs. Sun
derland looked at him. alphabetically,
and when she had realized what ii was
he wanted, turned quite calmly towards
the coffin and withdrew the cloth that
covered the waXen face.
Charlie cazed for a few moments
uron his dead schoolmate, awed and
silent, though the tears chased each
otlltl to"H HIS i4tth> IA - u
while the mother kissed the marble
brow. still tn that unnatural calm
ness. and recovered the face.
Charlie was trembling from head TO
foot w tn reprcssed agitation. and Mrs.
Sunderland almost unconsclously laid
her hand upon his shoulder As if to
calm him. 1T her TO ich the boys self
control gave way: with a child's in
stinctiye desire for comfort and support
in sorrow. he flung his arms a Ound
her and dropping his head upon her
bosom, burst into 4 violent 1T of weep
ing.
40. Mrs. Sunderland" he cried. 81
can't bear to nave him de; | can't
can't he WAS always so good to me-
The mothers lips guivere," her fea-
lures worked convulsively; the healing
tears came At last to her aching eyes.
and with her face bowed upon Charles
curly head. she, too. wept freely and
softly. and with the blessed tears the
first bitterness of her anguish passed
away.
Mrs. Sunderland's friends came to
her and took her away from the scene
OF her bereavem mt. AL that affection
could do was done TO cheer her, and
after 4 few months her healthy. cheer
full temper began to reaS>ert itself, and
SO a dcd lie effort of beneticent nature
that by September she felt able 10 re-
turn TO Greenville and her boy 5 grave.
AMI 10 become again, IN a measure, her
old calm and gentle stlf.
The schools had Just reopened. ard
though the remembrance of one short
year ago. when her own b V was there.
the brightest and most hopeful OF tie
Young thrOng who conm need the
scnool-year together. brought I pang Of
almost unbearab.e pain 10 the mothers
heart. she endured this su ering rs she
had endur, Il all the rest, uncomplain-
ingly.
The examination for promotion was
again held, AMI this lin. Charlie Coop
er ranked fir>t among the five of his
class who were promo'ed TO the higher
department. Mrs. S nd riaud was sin
cer"ly pleased when she hca d of the
lad triumph, ard 4 few mornings later
when she met him. she stopped to shake
hands with him, cOngratulating him
most cordially. ..But how does it hap
pen O are not in school, this morn
ing" she asked.
Il / don't 90 TO school. Just now,"
he stammercd. I've stopped awhile"
why. how does that happen? Surely
now is the very time you ought TO be
most regular in Attendance
Il know I'd like 10 be, but''-aSain
he stopped. much embarrassed, and it
was no: without a good deal of CUES
ton n that Mrs. Sunderland at LAST
drew from him the Information that he
had ceased to attend school on account
OF his fathers inability to procure for
him the new set of school-bOoks his pro-
motion had made necessary.
Fathers ha a felon on his hand all
summer. and it's not well vet. He
hasn't been able to work much, and
we We had to be awful economical
Mother cried like everything WHEN
father said he Just couldn't spare tie
money to buy a lot of new books; she
was mad at first. but she soon got over
that, Tor she knew father couldn't help
1t. She saving up now and SO am l.
n we III raise the money between us
before Christmas, | guess, though those
kind of books DO cost like SMOKE" be
cOnclu led, with a rueful sigh.
tn Ia. I@t H.