The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-02-12
THE DEAF OLD MOTHER.
A Pathetic Romance Told by PassenceI
on a Western Train.

on a Western Train.
She was poorly clad, and shivered as
she sat down near the stove and wrung
her blue, rough fingers to warm them.
The passengers all felt sorry for her,
for she had a kind, benevolent face, and
seemed TO be grieving about something.
Il wonder-I wonder-I wonder if L
will get there in time she mumbled
over and over again. poor boy! He
was always so good to me, and wonder
| if will be with him when it cOmes?"
| 'Tickcts?' said the conductor.
The old woman opened her basket
and was long time looking over it,
although she searched diligently, and
when she got through she looked very
white and sad, and softly said to the
conductor:
''StOp the train and put me off. l
bought my ticket yesterday and put it
il my purse. but 1 have forgotten my
purse and left it at home o, sir. | am so
sorry, but was going to st. Louis TO
see my poor boy who worked in a
foundry until yesterday, when a great
wheel fell over on him and crushed him
so badly they say he will die: but l have
forgotten my pocketboOk, and now |
will never see my poor boy again in
this world. Put me of, hut don know
how l will get back home or 90 on"
and the pleasant ridges on her face
were drawn up into corded lines, and
the blue veins stood ont in great knots,
and she clencbed her bony fingers in
agony, as the tears started from her
eyes. The passengers were all looking
on, ard when the conductor passed on
as If he had lost his mother, his great
hand grasping his punch tremblingly
and his eye; brimful, a quiet, big
hearted passenger whispered to him and
then went through the coach ahead of
him, asking for half-dollar subscrip-
tons, but the passengers would not
give. and as the train slowed up ut the
next station the conductor walked UP
to her and gently put his hand on her
shoulder.
Never mind" she said, swallowing
big lump that kept coming up in her
throat, I'm get off peaceably," and her
frame was convulsed with shudder,
ard as the brakeman opened the door
to call the name of the station, the
snow-burdened air came in and blew off
her bonnet and she uttered sharp cry
as tbe conductor pressed her back into
her seat and said:
Don't get off, mother. Your fare is
paid clear through to" He stopped
and said, in deep agony of mind:
MY Godr and as the passengers
gathered around, he completed his
sentence. Her fare is paid clear
through to Heaven" and as the pas
sensers looked on her glazing eyes, her
agoriz7d features resumed their wOnted
plea.arltneSS, for she was travelling on a
pass written in letters of living light
and Fad reached the end of her journey
and met her son, who had died an hour
before. The conductor and brakeman
tenderly lifted the vacant tenement of
her soul and complied with the request
to put her off at the next station. A
pretty girl that had been flirting began
to cry and a woman and baby took it
up and joined the pretty girl. and one
by one the rest of Us united our tears
with theirs, and the fat woman Rugged
the brakeman of our coach, and so we
went on cur way, ali feeling better for
what we had Seen.-IhrOugh Mail.