Western cyclone., 1886-11-11
NO ROOM FOR OLD MOTHER.

NO ROOM FOR OLD MOTHER
The Current
"Going north, madam"
''No ma'am."
''Going south, them
II don't know, maam."
"Why, there are only two ways to 60.
81 don't know. I was never on the
cars. I'm waiting for the train to go to
John"
"John? There is no town called John.
Where is it?"
"Oh, Johns my son. He's out in
Kansas, on a claim"
II am going right to Kansas myself;
You intend to visit?'
"No, ma'am."
She said it with sigh so heart -burd-
ened the stranger was touched.
"John sick?"
"No."
The evasive tone, the look of pain in
the turrowed face were noticed by the
stylish young lady as the gray head
bowed upon the toll marked hand. She
wanted to hear her story-to help her.
"Excuse me- John in trouble?"
'No, no: I'm in trouble. Trouble my
old heart never thought to see"
1.-The train does not come for some
time. Here, rest your head on my
cloak"
''You are very king. If my own were
50 / shouldn't be in trouble tonight"
"What is your trouble? Msye 1 can
help you"
"Its hard to tell it to strangers, bu
my old heart is too full to keep it back
When / was left widow with the three
children, thought it was more than
could bear; but it WASN'T bad as this"
The stranger waited till she recovered
her voice to go on.
II he'd only the cottage and my willing
hands I toiled early and late all the
years till John could help me- Then we
kept the girls at school, John and me-
They were married not long ago. Mar
ried rich, as the world goes John sold
the cottage, sent me to the city to live
with them, and De went west to begin
for himself He said he had provided
for the girls and they would provide for
me now"
Her voice choked with emotion. The
stranger waited in silence.
II went to them in the city. | went
to Mary's first. She lived in a great
house with servants to wait on her-a
house many times larger than the little
cottage; but soon found there wasn't
room enough for me"
The tears stood in the lines on her
cheeks. The ticket agent came out soft
ly, stirred the fire, aud went back After
pause she continued:
II went to Martha's-went with pain
in my heart / never felt before. | was
willing to do anything so as not to be a
burden. But that wasn't it. l found
they were ashamed of my bent old body
and withered face-ashamed of nv
rough, wrinkled hands, made so toiing
for them"
The tears came thick and fast now.
The strangers hand rested carelessly on
the gray head.
"At last they told me l must live at a
boarding house, and they'd keep me
there. | couldn't say anything back, !,
my heart was too full of pain. I wrote
to John what they were going to do
he wrote right back, long, kind letter,
for me TO come right to him. / always
had home while he had roof, he said.
To come right there and stay as long as
lived; that his mother should never go
out to strangers. So Tn going to John.
He's got only his rough hands and his
great warm heart, but there's room for
his old mother, God bless him
The stranger brushed tear from her
fair cheek, and waited the conclusion.
"Some day when am gone where TIL
never trouble them again, Mary and
Martha will think Of it all Some day
when the hands that toiled for them are
folded and still when the eyes that
watched over them through many a
weary night are closed forever; when
the little, old body, bent with the bur
dens 1t bore for them, is put away where
1t can never shame them"
The agent put his hand quickly be
fore bis eyes and went out as if to look
for the train. The strangers ieweled
fingers stroked the gray locks, while the
tears OF sorrow and the tears of sympa-
thy fell together. The weary heart was
unburdened. Smoothed by a touch O!