The Washington critic., 1886-02-10

comes Simon Doolittle's ono-hoss wag.
| gin now arter my boardcr."
She bounced back into the house lik G
an lndia-rubber ball. but Emmy
| pushed past her into the carpetless, un-
furnished room, where the vivid No
vember sunshine printed off the pat
tern of the window -panos on the boards
OF the floor with sort of forlorn
glory.
Is your boardcr an old lady !" said
she.
you'll find her in the back room,"
screeched Mrs. Pepinstall, "settin' all
ready |"
And sure enough, in the back room,
covering in the scant warmth of the
sunbeams, sat little old lady in q
black silk, quilted hood, snuff. colored
cloak, and mittened hands, crossed
meekly over each other, as IL waiting
for some expected summons. Her
wistful eyes raised themselves piteously
in the direction of the new conner.
'ls II the wagon from the poor.
house ?" she asked. 'I'm ready-yes,
quite ready. didn't think | should
ever come to this; but Pm an old
woman-a very old woman. Ny
money is all spent, and I've neither
kith nor kin in the world--and I'm an
old woman -
81 hate TO send her to u place like
that" said Mrs. Pepinstall, reappcar-
ing on the scene with bandbox and
two bundles, "but it's just as she says
her moneys all gone, and she hasn't {
no folks Of her own, and what be to
do? His folks up in New London
don't want to take in no outsiders"
Emmy Crystals eyes shone through
tears. She held out both her hands to
the poor little shrunken figure in the
silk hood and the snuff. .colored cloak.
Come with me-" she said, softly.
"Who are your asked the old
woman, wonderingly.
81 am Ralph's wife. You are Ralph's
mother"
"Ralph ran away - faltercd the old
woman, her lips beginning to culver.
II always said his father was too hard
on him. Ralph ran away and never
came back"
"But you are going TO him." said
Mrs. Crystal. Come with me-"
"Be you her folks ?" said Mrs. Pepin-
stall. "Well, never did p
Simon Doolittle's one horse wagon
drove away from the door without its
expected passenger and the little old
woman trudged along to the horse. cars
leaning on Emmy Crystals arm.
you're not afraid2" soothed the
younger woman, as little shiver went
through the dolllike frame of her COM
panion.
NO" said the other, "I'm not
afraid of anything any more. I'm an
old woman. If Ralph had come back
they never would have taken me to the
poor.house, for Ralph always loved
me-"
That night when Ralph Crystal came
home to supper he called cheerily to
his wife from the back room, where he
was washing his hands:
well, Emmy, what did you buy 2"
The old woman started to her feet
with dilated eyes and figure projected
breathlessly forward. Evidently she
recognized the voice. Mrs. Crystal,
with her arm tenderly around the
wasted figure, answered:
Come here and will show yon."
And entering the room Ralph Crys-
tai came face to face with his mother.
."Ralph, Ralph p she cried, cropping
in the air with slender, withered hands.
Mother ~ he gasped, and then they
were in each others arms.
Emmy stole away with q mist of
tears before her eyes.
From that time until the day of her
death old Mrs. Crystal sat by her sons
hearth. serencly happy, in Ralph's
love and Emmys tender care. The
past and the present were alike blank
TO her-she dwelt in the present alone.
"Ralph ran away p she kept repeat
ing to herself, "long, long ago But
he has come back, ! always knew he
would come back; and Emmy is here,
too, and although l am an old woman
they are good to me.